Comments Requested
GIS Draft White Paper
"Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) for Scientific Research"
Comment Deadline: Monday, 19 July 2004
An informal working group on Arctic Geographic Information System (GIS) is seeking feedback on a white paper entitled "Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) for Scientific Research," with the goal of advancing and supporting community planning regarding circumarctic GIS resources.
To download and provide comments on the white paper, please go to the ARCUS GIS website at:
http://www.arcus.org/gis/index.html
You may also contact:
Mark Sorensen, Principal Author
E-mail: GPCI [at] aol.com
Helen Wiggins, ARCUS Program Coordinator
E-mail: helen [at] arcus.org
Arctic researchers have recommended, in a number of contexts, a coordinated effort linking data resources across geographic and disciplinary boundaries in the Arctic in order to advance a wide variety of research efforts (see http://www.arcus.org/gis/background.html).
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become an indispensable tool for managing and using data resources at the local, regional, national and global levels. In most countries and regions, however, including the Arctic, there is no effective structure for the coordination and sharing of these data. The concept of a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) provides a framework of standards, policies, data, procedures, and technology to support the coordination and dissemination of spatial information across many sectors and levels of government and society, and has been implemented in many parts of the world.
To advance the concept and implementation of an Arctic SDI, an informal working group volunteered their time to compile a "discussion white paper" that outlines the framework and specifications for an Arctic SDI based on current technology, with examples of regional entities that are already beginning to work toward this vision. It is hoped that the standards and framework described in the document will help catalyze community efforts and move proposals toward a common goal of coordinated spatial data resources among the international GIS communities.
Comments and suggestions are requested on any aspect of the white paper, including the conceptual framework and technical specifications such as portal technologies, metadata, research needs, education and outreach, and implementation issues.
Please provide your comments by Monday, 19 July 2004, through the Arctic GIS Website Bulletin Board (http://www.arcus.org/gis/index.html) or directly to Mark Sorensen (GPCI [at] aol.com).