Cover image for Treasures at Risk


To obtain a printed copy of this publication, contact:

NESDIS Headquarters
1335 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 301.713.9220

Treasures at Risk describes the progress NOAA has made in its data management mission, and points to the directions needed to manage environmental data in the future.

Contents --all links are PDF files

Introduction by The Secretary of Commerce, Donald L. Evans
Executive Summary
Section 1. Vision for 21st Century Data Services
Section 2. The Accelerating Pace of Change

New Programs and Initiatives New Technologies
Increasing Global Data Requirements Increasing National and International Partnerships for Satellite and In Situ Data
Operation of World Data Centers
Growing Archives
Ensuring Continuity of the Nation's Environmental Record
Increasing Complexity of Data Management
Rescuing Data and Information
Increasing Numbers of Users
New User Groups
Increasing Numbers of Requests
On-Line Ordering and Data Delivery
Increasing Requests for Information
Mitigating the Effects of Environmental Change
Section 3. Prospects for Success: Barriers and Challenges
Supporting New Environmental Observing Programs
Acceleration of Technology Change
Deteriorating Historical Archives
Aging Observing Systems
Increasing Data Complexities
Data Availability and Cost Issues
Providing End-to-End Data Management
Maximizing Efficiencies
Section 4. Next Steps
The Access and Archive System
Conclusion

Appendix A. Congressional Request
Appendix B. NOAA Line Offices

B.1 National Weather Service (NWS)
B.2 Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
B.3 National Ocean Service (NOS)
B.4 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
B.5 National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)
Appendix C. Responding to the Challenge: Progress in Data Management
C.1 NOAA-Wide Activities
C.2 NESDIS Activities
C.3 National and International Coordination

Appendix D. Major Data Sets and Observations

D.1 Major Data Sets and Observations Managed by the NOAA National Data Centers (NNDC)
D.2 Representative Environmental Stewardship Data Sets and Observations Managed by NOAA Centers of Data

Appendix E. Acronyms

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