# Presentation: 000169

## SPASE and the VxOs

- Jim Thieman
- Todd King
- Aaron Roberts

## What is SPASE?

- Space Physics Archive Search and Extract (SPASE)
- An International, community-based standards organization with the goals of:
- Defining a data model for Space Physics
- Demonstrate its viability
- Enabling interoperability in a federated environment
- Initiated in late 2002 as a discussion among a few individuals.
- Organized as a consortium with an open invitation for anyone to participate in early 2003.
- U.S. participants funded by NASA in July 2005.
- The VxOs can think of SPASE as:
- A group devoted to providing a common approach for spanning the differences among VxOs in data search and retrieval

## Current Participants

## What is the SPASE Data Model?

- The **SPASE Data Model** is a set of terms, definitions, naming conventions and relationships intended for use in describing space physics data resources** **
- A data model must also include at least one representative form of the model (XML, data schema, etc)
- The SPASE Data Model defines a metadata standard for space physics data search and retrieval
- •  Why create a new Data Model?  No existing data model had all that was needed by the Space Physics community

## Why a Data Model

- To enable interoperability between systems.
- Each system may be implemented differently, but when they "speak" to each other its in the same language.
- You might think in French or German or Russian, but always speak English.
- To provide across the board functionality.
- Single point of query.
- Value added services.
- Collection and packaging.

## SPASE Data Model and SPASE Home Page

- http://www.igpp.ucla.edu/spase/

**The SPASE Data Model Version 1.0.0 and the Current Draft can be found on the SPASE Home Page at UCLA as well as much other information about SPASE**

## Status of the Data Model

- Version 1.0 released November 22, 2005
- Currently undergoing revisions to improve methods for describing physical regions and parameter attributes.
- Will be maintained as a living Data Model
- Version 1.1 to be released after current revisions are finalized (June)
- Version 1.1 will remain stable for initial VxO implementations.

## Tools for Data Model Use

- The SPASE data model is available as an XML schema. Existing XML-based tools can be used.
- Other tools will help in the use of SPASE - as the community develops tools (we anticipate some from SPASE members and some from VxO efforts) they will be posted at the SPASE web site.
- Tool categories might be:
**Validator** - Determines compliance with SPASE data model.
**Generator** – Creates SPASE descriptions using external sources of information.
**Harvester** – Extracts information from SPASE resource descriptions (or registries)
**Wrapper** – Converts or embeds SPASE metadata in other descriptions or forms (i.e., OAI)

## Proposed Plan for Working with SPASE (and for Model Feedback)

- Each VxO would have a registry of some form.
- The registries would have a common set of core functions (to be defined) to test the model.
- Proposed method for making changes to the SPASE Data Model:
- Submit a Request For Action (RFA - describing the suggested change)
- SPASE will consider the change and its community wide implications.
- SPASE may either adopt the suggested changes or suggest alternatives.
- SPASE will be responsive to each RFA and will avoid impacting VxO development schedules.
- Changes will become a part of the next release of the model.
- Become an active part of the SPASE consortium (if you're not already) to directly influence the updates

## The OAI Framework

- OAI – Open Archives Initiative_[http://www.openarchives.org/](http://www.openarchives.org/)_
- Key Features:
- Dublin Core Metadata (bibliographic)
- Dublin core is required
- Allows other metadata formats
- REST implementation (URL request, XML response)
- Supported "verbs":
- GetRecord: Retrieve an individual metadata record .
- Identify: Retrieve information about a repository.
- ListIdentifiers: Retrieve record headers.
- ListMetadataFormats: Retrieve available metadata formats
- ListRecords: Harvest records from a repository
- ListSets: Retrieve the set structure of a repository
- A variety of implementations (_[http://www.openarchives.org/tools/tools.html](http://www.openarchives.org/tools/tools.html)_)
- Suitable for the VxO?

## Open DiscussionPlans and Questions

- SPASE is intended to be the ***inter-lingua*** for the VxOs
- What protocol and framework should exist for VxO interoperability?
- How much should SPASE also focus on technology demonstrations (prototypes) and implementations?
- What tools would be useful for the VxOs in working with SPASE?
- What tools are most needed by the VxOs?