Improved Data Communication, Understanding and Discovery Using Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents

Abstract:

Scientists and data repositories depend on the effective communication of scientific and physical theories used to derive Earth observation datasets from raw instrument data, which is important to understanding and properly using the data. The NASA Earth science data community communicates this information through Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents (ATBDs). However, ATBDs lack a formal, standardized structure, which often results in ATBDs containing inadequate information to understand the algorithm or efficiently parse the document's content for the desired information. Additionally, science teams typically provide ATBDs in human, but not machine readable formats, which makes it difficult for modern information processing technologies to process the data. The Algorithm Publication Tool (APT) reconceptualizes ATBD content as metadata, or description about the products they represent, to streamline authoring and dynamic updating, encourage consistent information across ATBDs and promote human and machine parsing of information in order to simplify data understanding.The APT alleviates the aforementioned issues by envisioning ATBDs as metadata and providing a simplified cloud-based template for ATBD authoring, review, and publication. Data users can easily search and discover ATBDs using the APT’s centralized repository. This presentation describes our effort to reenvision ATBDs as metadata and demonstrates how the tool supports data and information discovery.