NDSF Data Policy

General

During each expedition, NDSF provides a single copy of the full data distribution to the Chief Scientist and a copy to the shoreside Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) archive. The WHOI maintains an archive for oceanographic data and samples, as well as visual and digital information, obtained using the vehicles and sensors of the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF). The federal funding agencies that support the NDSF provide some funding to help support these archives. This archive policy is intended to allow the WHOI/NDSF to fulfill its commitment to properly documenting and preserving these data for future scientific, engineering, and educational use, without compromising the Principal Investigators’ (PIs) right to sole use of the data for scientific purposes during the two years following data acquisition. Changes and improvements in sensor technology, recording media, and operational characteristics of the NDSF vehicles will necessitate periodic updates of this archiving policy. Suggestions for policy improvements will be presented during WHOI/NDSF facilities reports at DeSSC meetings along with updates on the status of archived NDSF data.

Science Party Responsibilities

Each cruise that uses NDSF facilities has a Chief Scientist designated by agreement between the Principal Investigators and WHOI/NDSF prior to the cruise. The Chief Scientist acts on behalf of the PIs to:

provide a Cruise Prospectus to WHOI/NDSF prior to the cruise,
conduct the expedition and complete dive plans during the cruise,
assure that all data are properly documented and distributed to PIs,
build event logs documenting scientific activities during dives,
specify to WHOI/NDSF who will receive data post-cruise,
meet all requirements associated with foreign obligations for cruises that operate in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of other nations.

A copy of this Archiving Policy will be provided to the Chief Scientist at the time that they are designated. PIs are responsible for archiving final data products and interpretations they create from data acquired with NDSF vehicles through the appropriate data repository. The Chief Scientist has the responsibility to assure that the entire shipboard scientific party is aware of this policy and their obligations with respect to data archiving. Data are made available to the scientific party during the cruise as agreed among WHOI/NDSF and the Chief Scientist. Access to archived data onshore is described below, see Post-Cruise Data Access and Archiving.

When operating in the EEZ of other nations, certain protocols and deliverable data products are part of the agreement the United States has with those nations when clearance is granted to conduct work in their waters. The Chief Scientist is responsible for meeting all the foreign obligations associated with the scientific data for their cruise. All PIs associated with a cruise are responsible for providing pertinent information to the Chief Scientist.

Data Acquired with NDSF Vehicles and Instruments

Data acquired by NDSF vehicles and instrumentation are considered “standard data” and will be archived at WHOI as described below. Details about NDSF vehicle and instrument, data formats (e.g. format definitions, processing and quality assessment, data volumes, recording media), and data stewardship procedures are available in the submersible vehicle Data Deliverable document, which are routinely updated and available on NDSF’s web pages (https://ndsf.whoi.edu/). All data are provided to the scientific party for scientific research, as outlined under Science Party Responsibilities, above.

Video Imagery

On each dive or lowering of Alvin and Jason, various video channels are recorded. These video data are duplicated at sea and first-generation copies are provided to the scientific party (see image use/copyright section below). The originals of all full-resolution and proxy video data are archived at WHOI.

Digital Camera Imagery

Digital images collected using electronic still cameras on Alvin, Jason and Sentry are recorded and processed at sea as standard image format files. The original media and a copy of the processed standard image format files are archived at WHOI, and a copy is provided to the scientific party (see image use/copyright section below).

Vehicle Navigation and Attitude Data, and Dive Summaries

Vehicle navigation and attitude data are provided as ASCII data (text files) with all data columns identified (either in the file or in an accompanying document). A tabular summary of all vehicle lowerings (geographic location, data/times, etc.) is also provided as a text file and in the dive/cruise reports. Digital copies of these data are archived at WHOI.

Physical samples recovered with NDSF vehicles

The scientific party is responsible for documenting all physical samples collected (e.g., biological, geological, geochemical). Documentation should include sample/material type, dive number, location, water depth, disposition (i.e., repository where they will be stored). A copy of this sample metadata should be provided to the WHOI/NDSF staff member responsible for at-sea data delivery. Sample metadata will be archived at WHOI together with a copy of any auxiliary data (e.g., descriptions, shipboard analyses) that are generated by the scientific party at sea.

The transport and preservation of samples acquired during NDSF dive operations is the responsibility of the Chief Scientist. Unless otherwise directed by the Chief Scientist and/or stipulated in the data management plan that funded the research cruise, geological samples will be archived in the Seafloor Samples Laboratory at WHOI. It is the responsibility of the scientific party to arrange and pay for transportation of any samples to be stored at WHOI. Non-geological samples will not be archived at WHOI. (see sample section below)

Data Acquired Using Third-Party Tools

Third-party tools are sensors or samplers other than those in the normal NDSF inventory used on the vehicles to accomplish science party objectives. These data are the property and responsibility of the PI who acquired them and it is expected that these data will be made available following a data management/stewardship plan agreed upon by the funding agency and the PI at the time of award. Data acquired with these tools should be fully documented by the scientific party.

Prior to the start of the cruise, the Chief Scientist will provide an overview of the data that will be acquired, including anticipated data volumes and a summary of how the data will be distributed. This information will be shared with the WHOI/NDSF Ops Team to facilitate smooth data acquisition and transfer. It is understood that in some circumstances, tools which are prototypes or under development may not have fully established data formats or standards, and that specifications may change in the future.

If NDSF data loggers are used to record data from a third-party tool and the data are fed into multiplexed data files, that data will be preserved and archived by NDSF in the multiplexed data files. However, if a third-party tool displaces a standard NDSF tool, data from the third-party tool will be archived at WHOI unless other arrangements have been negotiated prior to the cruise. Additional information regarding third party tools is available in the DeSSC document archive:

Video and Photo Use, Accreditation, and Copyright

Types of Use and related terms and fees

Non-commercial - Non-commercial uses of data and imagery include, but are not limited to, science purposes (i.e. posters, scientific journals, presentations); news coverage about the scientific results and products (press conferences, accompanying press releases, news coverage of the research); free educational resources (in-classroom uses, open access text books, presentations, museum exhibits); and outreach and engagement through social media (with either approval by the Chief Scientist or following an outreach and engagement plan agreed upon before the cruise). Data will be made available for non-commercial uses without cost, unless requests would result in a cost of reproduction and distribution, through which this nominal cost would be required to be covered.
Commercial - Commercial uses of data and imagery include, but are not limited to, education products that are being sold (for example, textbooks, children’s books, digital apps, paid-access websites); exhibits that charge an entry fee; and documentary and other film productions. Requests for commercial uses of imagery (still and video) should be referred to the WHOI Media Office for licensing and NDSF reporting purposes. Licensing fees to be charged to commercial users of NDSF imagery will conform to industry standards and will keep in mind the importance of disseminating this type of information and providing the public with access to the results of deep submergence science and technology.

Accreditation and Copyright of Video/Imagery collected by NDSF vehicles

As archivist of NDSF video/imagery, WHOI retains copyright (except on OOI cruises) in order to track and report on data usage and to vet and facilitate licensing requests, while retaining integrity of the data. Exceptions may be negotiated on a case-by-case basis in advance of the cruise on which the video/imagery will be collected. Otherwise the above policy will apply.

A standard credit would include: Anna Hunter, chief scientist, XYZ University, and other participating Institutions. Funder: NSF (and/or other funding entities. for example, @NSF_Geo). © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

When licensing video/imagery, WHOI will include this crediting information, as provided by the Chief Scientist.

When sharing imagery or video via social media, appropriate hashtags/tags (or equivalents) will be used to credit the source of the imagery including the funding agency and agreed upon prior to the onset of the cruise. Including #NDSF@WHOI and #NSFfunded

PI Responsibilities

The Chief Scientist will fill out a form upon receipt of data at the conclusion of a cruise, specifying the appropriate funding agencies and institution acknowledgments that should be included in the credits that will accompany the video/imagery. When providing material that falls under non-commercial use, PIs should include the crediting information specified by the Chief Scientist and the standard terms of use language:

Permission is granted for the one-time and non-exclusive use of the data as outlined. For future or third-party uses please contact the WHOI Media Office and CC Jayne Doucette at WHOI Communications, so that these requests can be included in the NDSF report.

WHOI/NDSF Responsibilities

The NDSF will provide an accounting of all commercial income generated from deep submergence video/imagery licensing as part of the annual Operator’s report to the DeSSC. All proceeds from the commercial use of NDSF data or images are to be used to support the NDSF and the archiving of data from NDSF vehicles. Reports summarizing such income will be reported annually at DeSSC meetings.

Post-Cruise Data Access and Archiving

Data access policies do not apply in cases involving U.S. Government classified material. Such material will be archived at WHOI only by direction of the sponsoring agency.

Data Embargo

NDSF does not assign a default data embargo period to vehicle data, but instead uses the assignments made in the NDSF Data Receipt document signed by the Chief Scientist at the conclusion of the cruise. The maximum embargo period for data obtained on National Science Foundation-funded cruises is two years. Duration of embargo on data collected during cruises funded by other agencies may vary and will be addressed individually. No embargo will be applied to cruise metadata (e.g. ports, dates, cruise track).

NDSF retains the right to use the digital data, video, and still imagery obtained during all cruises for operational and engineering purposes (pilot briefing, equipment development, performance analysis, etc.). Any data used for engineering purposes prior to the end of the data embargo period will not be published or publicly disseminated without the approval of the Chief Scientist.

During data embargo, archived data may be accessed only by the Chief Scientist, or by others identified by the Chief Scientist in writing, as noted under Science Party Responsibilities, above. The length of this embargo proprietary period is the same as that dictated by the policies of the agency funding the expedition. At the end of the embargo period, all data, with the exception of video and photo, are considered freely publicly available for general use by scientists, engineers, educators, and the public.

Access to and use of Archived Data

Access to deep submergence data is important and every effort will be made to facilitate access to this information. Copies of all vehicle data are stored within NDSF and at the WHOI Data Library and Archives.. A subset of data acquired with NDSF vehicles is curated within the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS) for online discovery and access. These data are assigned Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to promote citation of data and attribution to scientists who acquired it.

PIs may use their discretion in distributing archivable images and data directly to the scientific and educational communities and to the news media for non-commercial use (see PI Responsibilities section above), or they may refer outside requests for such material to Jayne Doucette at WHOI Communications.

To make an NDSF Data Request, please fill out this form; every effort will be made to fulfill your request in a timely fashion. Please contact NDSF Information if you have any questions/concerns.

Requesting Duplicates from the Archives

Archived film and video tapes may only be viewed in the Data Library. To request viewing or duplication, submit a written request specifying the cruise and leg number, dive number, type of material, and the desired amount of duplication. The Data Librarian can assist with identifying this information if needed.

Cost estimates for duplication will be provided by the Data Librarian. Once a purchase order or prepayment is received, the Data Librarian will send the request details and the material to Graphic Services for processing. Requests for copies of other data will be directed to the NDSF data team.

After duplication is complete, the original materials and the job estimate form will be returned to the Data Library. The Data Librarian will then send an invoice and the requested duplicates to the requester.

During a data embargo period, Data Library personnel are responsible for acquiring a written release from the Chief Scientist before any requests for viewing or duplication can be honored. If no such release is given, the request must be denied.

Procedures for Curation and Disposition of Samples Collected

There are several unique and fundamental attributes of scientific deep submersible operations which dictate special concern over the management of collected samples. These include:

The limited duration and high cost of time actually spent on the bottom.
The unique nature of actual in situ observations and measurements, and the invaluable capability for documenting in great detail the environment from which samples are collected.
The limited ability of the personnel directly participating in dive activities, and in fact, those taking part in any given expedition, to fully comprehend the significance of and utilize the observations made and the samples collected. A diverse set of processes, including biological, geological, and chemical, create the environment into which the submersible dives, and thus the data and samples collected by NDSF vehicles are potentially useful to a diverse set of scientists.

These considerations led the UNOLS Deep Submergence Science Committee (DeSSC) to establish the following regulations concerning the collection, curation, and disposition of samples.

Sample Collection

The Chief Scientist is responsible for the sampling program. All sample and specimen collection will be done under the direction of the scientists aboard the ship. The actual sample collection is carried out by the pilot, who is responsible for ensuring that sampling operations do not compromise safety.

Sample Curation

All samples returned to the surface by Alvin or Jason, without exception, and regardless of whether collected intentionally, incidentally, or accidentally, will be curated on board the ship. This curation assures access to information about the samples to the scientific community, and ensures that important samples, even if not relevant to the goals of the expedition are not lost. Such curation will include the following:

Labeling of the sample with a unique number, which will include the Alvin or Jason dive number.
Preservation of biological samples according to accepted standard procedures.
Recording the following:
- Sample number (including dive number)
- Geographic position of sampling site with the best precision available unless such data cannot be publicly disclosed*
- Date and time of sampling
- Water depth of sampling site
- Brief sample description
- Disposition of sample, that is, the name and address of the individual who assumes responsibility for the sample when it leaves the support vessel on arrival in port.

*NDSF recognizes that location data on some sites is sensitive (e.g. cultural heritage sites)

A copy of these curation records will be supplied to WHOI as part of the cruise report, and copies will be provided to interested scientists on request.

Sample Disposition

The funded Principal Investigator(s) of a project are ultimately responsible for disposition of all samples. The disposition (transport and preservation) of all samples must be in accordance with the requirements of the funding agencies. In the absence of specific sample management plan, all physical samples should be made available to the broader scientific community, ideally in an appropriate public repository in perpetuity, within two years of data collection.

Distribution of Incidental or Accidental Samples

These are samples collected by NDSF vehicles which do not fall within the scope of research for which the Principal Investigators are funded. As science is serendipitous, and the deep-sea is filled with unknown discoveries, the Chief Scientist is responsible for sample disposition and/or analysis. If it falls outside of the interests of the Chief Scientist or those identified by the Chief Scientist, the samples will be provided to a central repository (defaulting to WHOI for Geological Samples and the National Museum for biological samples). Whether collected as predicted by the original data management plan, or serendipitously, they still fall under the NDSF of Funders Data policy.