What is GOSIC
The Global Observing Systems Information Center (GOSIC) provides information and facilitates access to data and information produced by GCOS, GOOS and GTOS and their partner programs.
The distributed nature of this vast system of global and regional data and information systems is best served by such a single entry point for users. GOSIC explains the data systems and provides integrating overviews of the programs and on-line access to their data, information and services. GOSIC offers a search capability, across data centers to facilitate access to a worldwide set of observations and derived products.
GOSIC is hosted at and supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), and U.S. GCOS Program on behalf of the global observing community. |
In general GOSIC should:
- Provide for searches for data and information across all participating data centers using the Internet.
- Return results regardless of the data format, or where the data are located.
- Provide results back in a standard easy-to-read, easy-to-understand format.
- Allow users to determine the type and quality of the data through documentation provided by the participating data centers.
- Allow users to obtain data sets.
GOSIC does not hold data. It maintains information about the data sets and products that are available (metadata) and points to the centers holding them. GOSIC does not create or modify the presentations. If the centers identify the source of the data and information, the acknowledgement will appear in GOSIC.
GOSIC also provides access to information, in the form of summaries, charts, climate trends and indices, and documents developed at data centers or by participating scientific organizations.
GOSIC is guided by the steering committees of GCOS, GOOS, and GTOS through meeting participation . For suggestions directly from users GOSIC provides a feedback form on the site. |
Specifically GOSIC has Components that provide:
- GCOS, GOOS and GTOS/GOSIC Program Information. This component includes links and information on the bodies developing the observing systems including project offices, steering committees, science panels, etc. Also included are links to relevant documents available on-line.
- cross system access to observing system datasets and products through the Data Set Registry for data being actively collected, and for historical data sets identified as relevant to the needs of GCOS, GOOS and GTOS. The Data Set Registry is a meta data database operated in partnership with the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) of NASA. The directory provides on-line browsing with links to the data, services, and products in the data and information centers.
- information on and links to the operational systems and the data and information they collect. Each element of the operational observing systems will generally require one or more end-to-end data management systems, each for a particular data flow. Examples include the GCOS Surface Network and the GCOS Upper Air Network which are implemented by the World Weather Watch. GOSIC describes these elements and provides links to the databases.
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Several existing national and international organizations deal with global data collection, analysis, and exchange. To the extent practical and possible, GCOS, GOOS and GTOS build on the programs of these organizations through partnerships. Examples include programs of the WMO, IOC, FAO, NASA, and the research programs of ICSU and others.
These existing programs are generally designed to deal with all data of a specific type that are available for national and international distribution. GCOS, GOOS and GTOS data will often be collected, analyzed, and documented to a standard suitable for detection and understanding of climate change. These data and products will require management procedures and data and information dissemination schedules and content that differ from those available now from the existing systems. Where possible, GOSIC will work with the existing systems to design and develop access and documentation procedures that are compatible and can be implemented within the existing systems to the benefit of all. |
