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SOFIA Metadata

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Parseable text] - [XML]

Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title: SOFIA Metadata
Abstract:
The objectives of the metadata project are to document the data sets produced as a result of USGS research in South Florida and to make the metadata and data sets available to potential customers, managers, and policy makers. The metadata contains information about the contents of the data sets, why the data was collected or created, who collected or created the data, the accuracy of the data, the contacts for questions about the data, and how to obtain the data. The metadata are available through the SOFIA website at <http://sofia.usgs.gov>.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Jo Anne Stapleton (retired), 2007, SOFIA Metadata.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -82.375
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 28.5
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 24.5

  3. What does it look like?

    <http://sofia.usgs.gov/aboutsofia.html> (GIF)
    map showing the location of the area for the USGS Priority Ecosystems Science Program.

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: 1996
    Ending_Date: Unknown
    Currentness_Reference: publication date

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: text, html and xml files

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Heather Henkel
    U.S. Geological Survey
    600 Fourth Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL 33701
    USA

    727 803-8747 ext 3028 (voice)
    727 803-2030 (FAX)
    sofia-metadata@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

The South Florida restoration effort requires multidisciplinary information relating to present and historical conditions for use in responsible decision-making. The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) in support of the restoration of the Everglades and South Florida ecosystem began a research program in 1995 designed to provide sound scientific information on which resource managers can base their decisions. Numerous data sets have been created as a result of that USGS research. Metadata provide information for discovering, assessing, and accessing the data sets. Searchable metadata provide a valuable tool for scientists, managers, and the public. The project is expanding the USGS project metadata inventory to include metadata on every data set. Existing metadata is reviewed for currentness and changes in contact information or project status. The metadata is posted for public access on the South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) web site. The metadata along with the SOFIA database and the Data Exchange are integral to information management for the South Florida place-based science program. The data and metadata are available to Federal, State, and local agencies through the web interface.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: 2003 (process 1 of 3)
    Inital project metadata were created for all USGS PBS projects and for the Florida Bay Research Program projects by 1998. It was then decided to concentrate solely on USGS projects for updating and the Florida Bay metadata records were removed. Work is continuing on updating metadata for existing projects and creating metadata for newly funded PBS projects. Work is also continuing on creating or updating data set metadata for USGS data sets. As new projects or data become available, metadata will be created for them. This is an ongoing effort to make data and research in South Florida accessible for years to come. The metadata are available in several formats: HTML, TEXT, XML, and Question and Answer.

    The sources for information used to create or update the metadata include yearly project work plans and progress summaries, publications, posters, fact sheets, etc. The software currently being used is Spatial Metadata Management System from Intergraph Corp. (NAYY - This is not an endorsement of the software by the U.S. Government.) Once the metadata record is created in SMMS, it is sent to the project Principal Investigator (PI) for review with a request for changes, additions, or corrections. When the record is approved by the PI, it is exported as an ASCII text file and checked for grammar and spelling errors. The record is then processed through mp (metadata parser software) written by Peter Schweitzer of the USGS. This software checks for errors in element relationships, missing elements, and invalid responses for elements with specific domains. The software allows output of the metadata in a number of formats - outline html (FGDC), sgml, text, Q&A or metadata in plain language, xml, and NASA DIF. These records are then sent to the SOFIA webmaster who posts the html, text, Q&A, and xml versions on the website. The sgml version is used by the FGDC NSDI Clearing house to index the records.

    Demonstrations of the metadata portion of SOFIA and the software used to create the metadata are planned for the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (GEER) conference in April 2003.

    Date: Not complete (process 2 of 3)
    Work planned for FY 2004

    All USGS Priority Ecosystem Studies (PES) projects funded in FY 2004 will have current metadata by the end of the fiscal year.

    Work will continue on updating the metadata for completed projects. ISO Topic Category keywords will be added to the metadata records as they are updated. The addition of these keywords in necessary for the metadata records to be available through the GeoData.gov website.

    The SOFIA metadata and website will be demonstrated at appropriate venues such as the National Ecosystem Restoration Conference (NCER) and the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (GEER) conferences..

    Date: Not complete (process 3 of 3)
    Work will continue on updating metadata records and creating new metadata records for projects and datasets.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Heather Henkel
    U.S. Geological Survey
    600 Fourth Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL 33701
    USA

    727 803-8747 ext 3028 (voice)
    727 803-2030 (FAX)
    sofia-metadata@usgs.gov

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    Metadata will be available for all projects and data sets resulting from the USGS Place-Based Studies Program. Projects prior to FY03 have associated metadata. Some data sets on the Data Exchange pages do not have current metadata as yet.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    Links exist between projects, Principal Investigators, data, metadata, and publications. Metadata may be accessed through Project pages or through the Metadata link under the DATA navigation bar.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints: none

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    Heather Henkel
    U.S. Geological Survey
    600 Fourth Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL 33701
    USA

    727 803-8747 ext 3028 (voice)
    727 803-2030 (FAX)
    sofia-metadata@usgs.gov

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    SOFIA metadata

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    This site is intended to be a portal to the projects, data, metadata, and publications produced for the USGS Priority Ecosystems Science Program in South Florida. Information and data may also be available from non-USGS sources. The data have no implied or explicit guarantees for accuracy or usefulness for any particular application.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 09-Mar-2007
Metadata author:
Heather Henkel
U.S. Geological Survey
600 Fourth Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
USA

727 803-8747 ext 3028 (voice)
727 803-2030 (FAX)
sofia-metadata@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

This page is <http://sofia.usgs.gov/metadata/sflwww/sofia_metadata_04.faq.html>

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Coastal Geology
Comments and suggestions? Contact: Heather Henkel - Webmaster
Generated by mp version 2.8.18 on Fri Mar 09 17:46:16 2007