History of the GOSIC
The Joint Data and Information Management Panel (JDIMP) of the Global Observing Systems established the GOSIC in 1997. The GOSIC was established as a pilot project to develop methods for easy on-line access to the comprehensive base of the GCOS, the GOOS and the GTOS data and information. The GOSIC was developed at the University of Delaware building on experience with information systems for international climate research programs. For the first few years the development of the GOSIC was guided by the JDIMP. After writing a high-level data and information plan for the Global Observing Systems, the JDIMP completed its work and was disbanded in 2000 (GCOS/GOOS/GTOS Joint Data and Information Management Plan - Prepared by the Joint Data and Information Management Panel (JDIMP) - May 2000 - GCOS-60, GOOS-70 (WMO/TD No. 1004)).
During the development at the University of Delaware (1997-2006), the GOSIC was reviewed in 2001 and 2003.
The first GOSIC Review, conducted in April 2001, was carried out by a review team appointed by the steering committees of GCOS, GOOS and GTOS. This report has been submitted by Dr. Yves Tourre, chairman of the review team. Members of the review team were Yves Tourre (Chair), LDEO of Columbia University, Representing OOPC/GOOS / Howard Diamond, NOAA/NESDIS, Representing AOPC/GCOS / David McGuirk, Representing WMO/GCOS / Rick Leemans, RIVM, Representing GTOS / Dick Olson, ORNL, representing GTOS / Yves Tourre (Chair), LDEO of Columbia University, Representing OOPC/GOOS / Matthew Howard, Texas A&M University, representing COOP/GOOS. Other participants were: Ferris Webster, U. of Delaware, GOSIC staff / Doug White, U. of Delaware, GOSIC staff / Ron Wilson, U. of Delaware, GOSIC staff / Gerard Servin, FAO, Observer. (Access 1st Review Report)
The second GOSIC Review was conducted in October 2003. The second GOSIC Review was carried out by a review team appointed by the steering committees of GCOS, GOOS and GTOS. This report has been submitted by Dr. Matthew Howard, chairman of the review team. Members of the team were Matthew Howard (Chair) representing GOOS / Lesley Rickards representing GOOS / David Legler representing GCOS / Stefan Rösner representing GCOS / Géraud Servin representing GTOS / Robert Cook representing GTOS. Other participants were: Gene Major, NASA/GCMD / Ferris Webster, U. of Delaware, GOSIC staff / Doug White, U. of Delaware, GOSIC staff / Ron Wilson, U. of Delaware, GOSIC staff / Christina Lief, U. of Delaware, GOSIC Staff. (Access 2nd Review Report)
The reviews were generally supportive of the GOSIC and strongly supportive of several of the more unique features and content. Both review teams felt that the GOSIC performs a necessary service and should be continued. Both reviews produced prioritized recommendations for improvements. All recommendations of the first and second reviews have been implemented.
In 2006, the GOSIC was moved to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, NC, became operational in January of 2007. The GOSIC is supported by NCDC and the US GCOS Program at NOAA’s NCDC on behalf of the global observing community.
Presently guidance and evaluation of GOSIC is provided by the Scientific Steering Committees of the three observing systems: the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS). GOSIC reports at these meetings and receives directions for further development.
In 2008, the GOSIC became a registered component of the GEOSS and functions as a community portal for the global observing systems community. The GOSIC Data Registry is a data service on the GEO Portal.
The GOSIC supports the regional observing system and developed prototypes for the PI-COS.org, PI-GOOS.org and the Pacific-HYCOS.org web sites in 2008. The GOSIC staff trained the web masters of the sites. PI-GCOS was turned over to Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and PI-GOOS and Pacific-HYCOS to SOPAC the same year.
Some of the Pacific Islands Meteorological Services are hosting of their web pages hosted on the PI-GCOS web site. The GOSIC developed prototype web pages for some of the Meteorological Web Services and trained web masters in 2008. For more information:
In 2008, the GOSIC started support of the regional alliances and provides a web page for the GOOS Regional Alliances (GRA) with data access and program overview and GRA data can be searched in GOSIC Data Registry. (GRA web page) (GRA data in the GOSIC Data Registry).
GOSIC in the News:
The GOSIC staff also manages the World Data Center for Meteorology in Asheville, NC and USGCOS web sites.
Updated December 30, 2009 |
