Preserving Scientific Data On Our Physical Universe A New Strategy for Archiving the Nation's Scientific Information Resources Steering Committee for the Study on the Long-term Retention of Selected Scientific and Technical Records of the Federal Government Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications National Research Council NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. 1995 Preserving Scientific Data On Our Physical Universe : A New Strategy for Archiving title: the Nation's Scientific Information Resources author: publisher: National Academies Press isbn10 | asin: 030905186X print isbn13: 9780309051866 ebook isbn13: 9780585022888 language: English Communication in science--Government policy--United States, Science--United subject States--Data processing, Technology-- United States--Data processing, Information storage and retrieval systems--Science. publication date: 1995 lcc: Q224.3.U6N37 1995eb ddc: 353.00819 Communication in science--Government policy--United States, Science--United subject: States--Data processing, Technology-- United States--Data processing, Information storage and retrieval systems--Science. NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self- perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Robert M. White is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was established by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce Alberts and Dr. Robert M. White are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council. Support for this project was provided by the National Archives and Records Administration (under Contract No. NAMA-S-92-0019), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (under Contract No. 50-DGNE-3-00105), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (under Contract No. S-54040-Z). The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies or subagencies. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 94-68991 International Standard Book Number 0-309-05186-X Additional copies of this report are available from: National Academy Press 2101 Constitution Ave., NW Box 285 Washington, DC 20055 800-624-6242 202-334-3313 (in the Washington Metropolitan Area) B-499 Copyright 1995 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America Page iii Steering Committee For The Study On The Long-Term Retention Of Selected Scientific And Technical Records Of The Federal Government JEFF DOZIER, University of California, Santa Barbara, Chair SHELTON ALEXANDER, Pennsylvania State University MARJORIE COURAIN, Consultant (deceased, January 14, 1994) JOHN A. DUTTON, Pennsylvania State University WILLIAM EMERY, University of Colorado BRUCE GRITTON, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute ROY JENNE, National Center for Atmospheric Research WILLIAM KURTH, University of Iowa DAVID LIDE, Consultant, Gaithersburg, Maryland B.K. RICHARD, TRW JOAN WARNOW-BLEWETT, American Institute of Physics National Research Council Staff Paul F. Uhlir, Associate Executive Director, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications Mark David Handel, Program Officer, Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Alice Killian, Research Associate, Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources James E. Mallory, Staff Officer, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board Scott T. Weidman, Senior Program Officer, Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology Julie M. Esanu, Research Assistant, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications David J. Baskin, Project Assistant, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications Page iv Commission On Physical Sciences, Mathematics, And Applications RICHARD N. ZARE, Stanford University, Chair RICHARD S. NICHOLSON, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Vice Chair STEPHEN L. ADLER, Institute for Advanced Study SYLVIA T. CEYER, Massachusetts Institute of Technology SUSAN L. GRAHAM, University of California at Berkeley ROBERT J. HERMANN, United Technologies Corporation RHONDA J. HUGHES, Bryn Mawr College SHIRLEY A. JACKSON, Department of Physics KENNETH I. KELLERMANN, National Radio Astronomy Observatory HANS MARK, University of Texas at Austin THOMAS A. PRINCE, California Institute of Technology JEROME SACKS, National Institute of Statistical Sciences L.E. SCRIVEN, University of Minnesota A. RICHARD SEEBASS III, University of Colorado LEON T. SILVER, California Institute of Technology CHARLES P. SLICHTER, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign ALVIN W. TRIVELPIECE, Oak Ridge National Laboratory SHMUEL WINOGRAD, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center CHARLES A. ZRAKET, MITRE Corporation (retired) NORMAN METZGER, Executive Director PAUL F. UHLIR, Associate Executive Director Page v Preface In January 1992 the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) sponsored a three-day planning meeting at the National Research Council (NRC) to review the issues related to the long-term retention of the federal government's scientific and technical data in the physical sciences. The planning meeting was organized by the NRC's Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications and provided the basis for this study, which was initiated in the fall of 1992 at the request of NARA. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) subsequently provided additional support. The study's steering committee, in consultation with the sponsors, developed the following charge to guide the writing of this report: Describe the status and plans for the government's archiving of observational and experimental data in the physical sciences. Identify the principal scientific, technical, information management, and institutional issues regarding the permanent archiving of such data. Assess the commonalities and differences among the case studies provided by the panels organized under this study (see below) in order to determine the extent to which common long-term retention policies and appraisal guidelines can be applied to disciplines that collect observational and experimental data in the physical sciences. Establish a set of goals, principles, and priorities, as well as generic retention criteria and appraisal guidelines that NARA can incorporate into its mission, program, and budget planning. Suggest mechanisms and processes for NARA and NOAA to use in implementing a program of data appraisal, retention, and preservation, and later in evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Provide a summary of findings, conclusions, and recommendations.