simplified workflow for field and lab instruments’ relation and data storage

Reminder (excerpt from MOSAiC Data Policy):

  • A primary subset of laboratory sample analysis data: Must be stored on the land MCS no later than  .
  • Full collection of laboratory sample analysis data: Must be stored on the land MCS latest no later than .

metadata relation

  1. If not happened already, please register all participating devices at sensor.awi.de → responsible party: chief editors
  2. Each device needs to be added to the respective MOSAiC collection(s). This is mandatory for the following step. →  responsible party: chief editors
  3. Event relations are added to sensor.awi.de → responsible party: AWI under the following preconditions:
    • scientific community creates a list, such as the table below. → responsible party: chief editors
    • items are available and described properly at sensor.awi.de →  responsible party: chief editors

You are very welcome to add new lab facilities under one parent, such laboratory:awi-c-233 and subsume all (new) items to it.

field item IDlab item IDdevice operation IDdatetime startdatetime end
3214647PS122/4_49-142020-12-11T10:00:002020-12-17T16:45:00
3232647PS122/2_11-142021-02-21T10:00:002021-02-27T16:45:00
32323873PS122/2_11-162021-10-01T00:00:002021-10-27T00:00:00

data storage on MCS

  1. analysis data are placed in /isibhv/projects-dmz/MOSAiC/platforms_processed/ <- fact

  2. path structure follows URN structure in sensor.awi.de, frequently URN structure is cloned to file structure at MCS → responsible party AWI

  3. analysis data is stored in folders derived from URN structure, e.g. laboratory:awi-c-233:toc-lcpn_h54435401246ae data is stored at /isibhv/projects-dmz/MOSAiC/platforms_processed/laboratory/awi-c-233/toc-lcpn_h54435401246ae → responsible party: each scientist individually

  4. to make it easier and feasible for users: analyses data can be stored in massive xlsx|tsv|csv tables directly in the folder derived from sensor.awi.de, preconditions:

must be stated per row to guarantee a proper and seamless metadata documentation. Example in table below.

par Apar Bpar Cdevice operation IDlab item IDfield item ID
0.4123.20.00004PS122/4_49-146473214
0.5442.550.007665PS122/2_22-426475452
0.23 78.28 00.008425PS122/2_20-736473233

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Relate to Device Operations in DShip ActionLog

Many of the snow, ice, water and other samples taken during MOSAiC will most likely only be analysed in laboratories on land sometime later. However, there are also analytical instruments on board already analysing samples. These analytical activities on board have to be logged in the SENSORWeb but not in the DShip ActionLog. This has to be done by adding an 'Action' to your analytical instrument in SENSOR as follows:

  • Go to SENSORWeb (http://sensor.awi.de/) and go to your specific analytical device.
  • Push the 'Actions' button and in the appearing window that is listing the previous actions press the 'Add' button.


  • In the appearing window put as 'Label' the device operation under which the sample is logged in the DShip ActionLog. Choose 'Processing' as Event Type and put in at least the date on which the sample has been analysed.


  • Go to 'Event relations' in the same window. In the opening window choose from the drop down menu 'Sample taken from' as Relation type. Under Related Root Item Urn look for the shortname of the device with which the sample was taken.


  • Press 'Save' in both windows.


Storage of analytical data on MCS

After adding an action to your analytical instrument, you want to store the data in a certain structure on the MCS. There you need to create a folder with the device operation ID in the 'exdata' folder under your analytical instrument on the MCS.

Following the example above that would be: \\mcs.fs-polarstern.de\platforms\towed_systems\topawi\exdata\PS121-WLZ_12-1_analysis

You need to create this folder yourself. Please do not put slashes in the device operation as in DShip ActionLog but substitute ' / ' by  ' - '.


Contact: support@mosaic-data.org


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