The SCAR Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SCADM) helps facilitate co-operation between scientists and nations with regard to scientific data and advises on the development of the Antarctic Data Management System.
SCAR adopted a Data and Information Management Strategy (DIMS) developed by SCADM to ensure that the scientific user community has adequate access to data and information.
SCAR Data Policy
The SCAR data Policy is described in SCAR Report 42 – September 2022 – SCAR Data Policy (2022).
The conduct of science in Antarctica is the cornerstone of the Antarctic Treaty System.
Antarctic Science is:
- Interdisciplinary
- Multinational
- Globally relevant
- Complex
- Politically important
The Antarctic Treaty (section III.1.c) says, “Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available.”
SCAR and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP) established the Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM) in 1997 to manage Antarctic data. In December 2008 the formal linkage with COMNAP ceased and JCADM became the Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management from January 2009.
SCADM helps facilitate co-operation between scientists and nations with regard to scientific data. It advises on the development of the Antarctic Data Management System (formerly the Antarctic Data Directory System) and played a major role in the International Polar Year data system (IPYDIS) up to 2009.
Members of SCADM are usually managers of the National Antarctic Data Centres (NADCs) or a relevant national contact.
Overview
SCADM meets annually, with every second meeting in conjunction with the SCAR Open Science Conference and Meetings. SCADM’s responsibilities include:
- Promotion of Antarctic data management
- Providing guidance to the Antarctic Metadata Directory host
- Establishing Antarctic data management policies and priorities
- The recruitment of National Antarctic Data Centres (NADCs)
- Encouraging scientists to submit metadata to the Antarctic Master Directory
- Reporting to SCAR on Antarctic data management issues
SCAR provides funding to support the Antarctic Metadata Directory (AMD), hosted by the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). The GCMD is expected to provide support to the NADCs. NADCs are funded at a national level.
