The Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG) works with NASA Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) to ensure good communication and effective airborne and field data stewardship. Various policies and procedures exist to help bring consistency and user satisfaction to DAAC support of the heterogeneous data collected over the past five decades.
Airborne and Field Data Assignment
Each campaign, facility instrument, or major airborne instrument has an assigned DAAC that is responsible for coordinating the archiving of data and information from the campaign or instrument. The assigned DAAC works with the data producers (research scientists that make the data products) and other DAACs to ensure future data users have the access and information they need.
NASA Headquarters is responsible for DAAC assignment in collaboration with NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project and ADMG. The ADMG is responsible for creating and sharing a summary of each field activity requiring assignment to provide everyone in the decision-making process with access to the same information about the activity. The DAAC assignment process can take several months; therefore, it is best to alert ADMG as soon as a new campaign activity is funded. Early DAAC assignment tends to significantly improve campaign data stewardship.
DAAC Standards and Policies
NASA's data and metadata standards are managed by ESDIS. Since many standards and policies were developed with a NASA satellite perspective, ADMG works to augment existing documents or develop new standards or policies for improving airborne and field data management at NASA DAACs. The latest information can be found on the Airborne and Field Working Group Earthdata wiki (limited access; Earthdata login required)
Additional data stewardship resources are listed below that DAACs may find useful. If you have questions or feel additional resources would be helpful, please contact ADMG (admg@uah.edu).
DAAC Resources
| Item | Description |
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| ADMG Stewardship Best Practices for Documenting and Representing NASA Airborne and Field Campaign Data and Information (PDF) |
Recommended high-level practices for DAAC airborne and field data stewardship. The document outlines the methodology of development and the recommendations. |
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Programmatic data system requirements to be utilized in large NASA funded investigations. |
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ADMG Guide to the Data Management Plan (DMP) Template for Data Producers (available on request by contacting ADMG at admg@uah.edu) |
Additional ADMG guide on drafting a DMP that satisfies NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) requirements for airborne and field investigations. |
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EOSDIS Preservation Requirements (updated to include airborne and field) |
Content requirements for data, metadata, and supporting documentation for NASA-funded projects to ensure their proper preservation. |
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Information about assigning the appropriate Level of Service to data products. |
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Terms developed by ADMG to bring consistency to language commonly used across NASA’s ESD. ESCO reviewed. |
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Decision trees developed by ADMG to use in building CASEI. |
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Aircraft, instrument, and campaign information. |
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Airborne campaigns flown by ASP, as well as campaign descriptions and logos. |
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Past and current aircraft, flight, and campaign information. |
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| Airborne and Field Data Workshop |
Recordings and reports from the March 2022 two-day workshop. |