The BOREAS Information System
This is a guide on how to write documentation for computer models used in BOREAS. For general style guidelines and access to sample BOREAS documents, click here.
Note: The text surrounded by square brackets ([..]) is an expanded instruction, or set of instructions, for the outline item which appears directly above it. The text contained in the brackets should be removed from the final data set documents.
1.1 Model Identification
[Title or name for the model, generally a short descriptive phrase, e.g. BOREAS Level-3a Landsat TM Imagery: Digital counts in band sequential format with georeferencing information, or BOREAS tower flux data from the Northern Study Area Old Black Spruce site, or BOREAS photosynthetic response to CO2 concentrations.]
1.2 Model Introduction
[A more detailed description of the model than section 1.1. Should be up to a few sentences describing the model, input data, output data.]
1.3 Objective/Purpose
[A few paragraphs on why the study was undertaken, and what the Principal Investigator hoped to achieve by conducting it. Be as specific as possible here in relating how this model will help or provide information to the BOREAS effort.]
1.4 Summary of Parameters
[A summary of the phenomena which are being studied and their parameters, both inputs and outputs. A full description will be given in section 7.]
1.5 Discussion
[A few introductory paragraphs which describe the model, the nature of the model, the basic approach, etc.]
1.6 Related Models
[Note any similar or related modeling approaches by the investigator, other investigators, or other data centers.]
2.1 Investigator(s) Name and Title
[Identify the Principal Investigator for this model, including general affiliation, if applicable.]
2.2 Title of Investigation
[Official name of group taken from the BOREAS Experiment Plan.]
2.3 Contact Information
[Identify those persons most knowledgeable about the actual coding and running of the model. In many cases this will be a person (or persons), other than the Principal Investigator, who prepared the model runs for submission to BOREAS and is sufficiently knowledgeable about the data to answer technical questions about it. When the Principal Investigator is a primary contact, full address information should also be given here. Include name(s), address, telephone number, FAX number, E-mail address as a series of grouped lines as shown below and not in a tabular form.]
Contact 1 --------- Dr. Unknown Address line 1 Address line 2 Telephone: Fax: Email: Contact 2 --------- . . .
6.1 Data Notes
[Describe any preprocessing to the input data used by the model, e.g. data smoothing, or interpolation to fill in gaps.]
7.1 Spatial Characteristics
[Describe the actual spatial resolution and coverage of the model runs.]
7.1.1 Spatial Coverage
[Indicate the total area covered by the model runs.]
7.1.2 Spatial Coverage Map
[Include a geographic map or schematic showing the area over which the data were collected, if possible.]
7.1.3 Spatial Resolution
[The degree to which the terrain may be resolved into constituent or elementary parts (e.g. The dimensions of each image pixel).]
7.1.4 Projection
[If applicable, describe the geographic coordinate system or map projection in which the data are referenced/stored.]
7.1.5 Grid Description
[If applicable, describe the grid system in which the data are referenced/stored.]
7.2 Temporal Characteristics
[Describe the actual temporal resolution and coverage of the model runs.]
7.2.1 Temporal Coverage
[Describe the time period covered by the model runs, e.g. start and end dates.]
7.2.2 Temporal Coverage Map
7.2.3 Temporal Resolution
[Describe the time steps used in the model (e.g. hourly, daily).]
7.3 Input Data Characteristics
[Describe the input data file format for the model, with items 7.3.1 through 7.3.5 (below) being represented as columns in a table.]
Example:
Return to top of documentParameter Description Units Source Range
--------- ----------- ----- ------ -----
OBS_DATE The date the data was taken. Julian Day na 1 to 366
OBS_SITE The location the data was na na NSA-OJP
taken (BOREAS site).
SOIL_TEMP Soil temperature Degrees C Soil Temp -40 to 25
Probe
It is very important to fill in as much of this information as possible. If you need extra space for an item, use footnotes at the end of the table.]
7.3.1 Input Parameter/Variable
7.3.2 Variable Description/Definition
7.3.3 Unit of Measurement
7.3.4 Data Source
7.3.5 Data Range
7.4 Output Data Characteristics
[Describe the output data file format for the model, with items 7.4.1 through 7.4.5 (below) being represented as columns in a table, if applicable.]
7.4.1 Output Parameter/Variable
7.4.2 Variable Description/Definition
7.4.3 Unit of Measurement
7.4.4 Data Source
7.4.5 Data Range
7.5 Sample Data Records
[One or more sample records from input and output data files.]
8.1 Data Granularity
[BORIS and ORNL DAAC to fill in.]
8.2 Data Format(s)
[Specify for these model runs, the smallest unit of orderable data. In general this will be the input and output files for a given model run.]
9.1 Formulae
[List key formulae used in the model, include units.]
9.1.1 Derivation Techniques and Algorithms
[Describe any special techniques or algorithms used in the model.]
9.2 Data Processing Sequence
9.2.1 Processing Steps
[Indicate the sequence of processing steps. Describe the logic flow.]
9.2.2 Processing Changes
[For long term, repetitive, or revised models; give a history of changes in the processing sequence.]
9.3 Calculations
9.3.1 Special Corrections/Adjustments
[List any 'special' corrections/adjustments made to the model for these runs.]
9.3.2 Calculated Variables
9.4 Graphs and Plots
[Include as separate files.]
10.1 Sources of Error
[Describe what factors of the instrument or environment may introduce errors in the results.]
10.2 Quality Assessment
10.2.1 Model Validation by Source
[Describe efforts to validate the model by the submitter.]
10.2.2 Confidence Level/Accuracy Judgement
[Subjective discussion of data quality.]
10.2.3 Measurement Error for Parameters
[Quantitative error estimates.]
10.2.4 Additional Quality Assessments
[May include visual review of plots, etc.]
10.2.5 Data Verification by Data Center
[BORIS and ORNL DAAC to fill in.]
11.1 Limitations of the Model
[Provide warnings on the use of the model, describe conditions when model assumptions may break down.]
11.2 Known Problems with the Model
[List known problems and discrepancies in the model.]
11.3 Usage Guidance
[Place any "Truth in Analysis" warnings here.]
11.4 Other Relevant Information
[Use this section for any other information about the study (such as humorous anecdotes, lame excuses, abject apologies, miracles, etc.).]
14.1 Software Description
[Give the language the model is written in, special software libraries required, general size of the model, etc.]
14.2 Software Access
[If the model is available, give where it can be found. Note if there are differences between the publicly available code and what is used in this document.]
14.3 Platform Limitations
[Describe the system the model runs on, note any special functions or computer specific procedures used in the model.]
15.1 Contact Information
Ms. Beth McCowan BOREAS Data Manager Bldg. 22. Room G87 Code 923 NASA GSFC Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301) 286-4005 (301) 286-0239 (fax) beth@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov
15.2 Data Center Identification
See section 15.1.
15.3 Procedures for Obtaining Data
Users may place requests by letter, telephone, electronic mail, FAX, or personal visit.
15.4 Data Center Status/Plans
As the BOREAS data are processed and sufficiently quality checked, they will be available from the EOSDIS ORNL DAAC (Earth Observing System Data and Information System) (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) (Distributed Active Archive Center). The BOREAS contact at ORNL is:
Merilyn Gentry User Services/Data Coordinator Oak Ridge National Laboratory DAAC P.O. Box 2008 Bldg. 1507, MS-6407 Oak Ridge, TN 37830-6407 (423) 241-3952 ornldaac@ornl.gov
16.1 Tape Products
16.2 Film Products
16.3 Other Products
17.1 Model Documentation
[List any published documentation relevant to the model, such as instruction manuals, government technical manuals, user's guides, etc.]
17.2 Journal Articles and Study Reports
[List technical reports and scientific publications which concern the methods or data described in this document. Publications by the Principal Investigator or investigating group which would help a reader understand or analyze the model and its results are particularly important. Be sure to include the standard BOREAS project description articles (listed below).]
Sellers, P., F. Hall. 1994. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: Experiment Plan. Version 1994-3.0, NASA BOREAS Report (EXPLAN 94).
Sellers, P., F. Hall. 1996. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: Experiment Plan. Version 1996-2.0, NASA BOREAS Report (EXPLAN 96).
Sellers, P., F. Hall, K.F. Huemmrich. 1996. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: 1994 Operations. NASA BOREAS Report (OPS DOC 94).
Sellers, P., F. Hall, K.F. Huemmrich. 1997. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: 1996 Operations. NASA BOREAS Report (OPS DOC 96).
Sellers, P., F. Hall, H. Margolis, B. Kelly, D. Baldocchi, G. den Hartog, J. Cihlar, M.G. Ryan, B. Goodison, P. Crill, K.J. Ranson, D. Lettenmaier, and D.E. Wickland. 1995. The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS): an overview and early results from the 1994 field year. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 76(9):1549-1577.
Sellers, P., F. Hall. 1997. BOREAS Overview Paper. JGR Special Issue (in press).
17.3 Archive/DBMS Usage Documentation
[BORIS and ORNL DAAC to fill in.]
[Include a list of any acronyms used in the text.] [The following list should be included.] BOREAS - BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study BORIS - BOREAS Information System DAAC - Distributed Active Archive Center EOS - Earth Observing System EOSDIS - EOS Data and Information System GSFC - Goddard Space Flight Center NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration NSA - Northern Study Area (BOREAS) ORNL - Oak Ridge National Laboratory PANP - Prince Albert National Park SSA - Southern Study Area (BOREAS) URL - Uniform Resource Locator (a World Wide Web address)
20.1 Document Revision Date
[Use dd-mon-yyyy format]
20.2 Document Review Date(s)
[Use dd-mon-yyyy format]
BORIS Review:
Science Review:
20.3 Document
[BORIS and ORNL DAAC to fill in.]
20.4 Citation
[How the Principal Investigator would like to be acknowledged when this data set is referenced or used by another investigator. This may be a paper to cite or a list of persons to acknowledge.]
20.5 Document Curator
[BORIS and ORNL DAAC to fill in.]
20.6 Document URL
[BORIS and ORNL DAAC to fill in.]
Keywords
[Include a list of appropriate key words to assist in searching for
information.]
