NPPSD Data Archive Model

Raw Data

The raw data from researchers is archived in its original format at the Alaska Science Center. There was great variability among raw data formats, fields, and provided metadata. Data files consisted of one or more “cruises”.

Compiled Data

Compilations of data files into data tables. Tables are organized by the general format of the surveys. If a series of surveys shared the same formats they were combined into a single table. Compiled data tables are archived as MS Access (.mdb) files.

Working Data

Compiled datasets are summarized to provide densities for all marine bird and marine mammal species. For data tables reporting species sightings in 10-15 minute increments, this entails division of bird numbers by the area sampled. Continuously collected data was first binned into 10 minute blocks then dividing by the area sampled. Working data are archived as MS Access (.mdb) files. These data on density will eventually be provided to an Arc/IMS map server for online mapping.

Metadata

Metadata are available for the “Raw Data” (by survey), as well as for the “Working Data”. A crosswalk is provided to allow researchers to associate data from Working Data, Compiled Data, and finally the Raw Data. Metadata are stored in an MS Access database (.mdb) file. See the Metadata page for more information.