Uniformity of finding, accessing, and using Heliophysics data, from either spacecraft or from simulations, requires a uniform means for describing spacecraft, instruments, models, and data products, be they numerical or for more direct display. An international consortium of HP researchers along with a group with technical expertise (collectively the "SPASE group") have fashioned a "Data Model" that has allowed us to form a registry of HP products and related instruments, etc. This model is now quite stable and is used in, for example, the Heliophsyics Data Portal, which might be called an "active card catalog" for finding and accessing HP data.
Help with SPASE product decriptions
Since the SPASE effort grew up after the initiation of most of the current NASA missions, there was no mandate in their contracts or PDMPs for the provision of standardized metadata. Thus the NASA HDMC (see page link above) has formed a SPASE Metadata Working Team (SMWT) to work with missions to make the required XML files for describing data products. Much of this work for current and many past missions has been completed, but if you see any difficulties or need help with new SPASE product descriptions, please contact the SMWT via email to shing.fung@nasa.gov or brian.a.thomas@nasa.gov (web access and an SMWT page with other capabilities coming soon).
Responsible NASA official: Dr.
Brian A. Thomas
E-mail: brian.a.thomas@nasa.gov
