International Council for Science : Committee on Data for Science and Technology

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C O D A T A

CODATA TASK GROUPS 1999

Biological Macromolecules
Fundamental Constants
Materials Database Management
Survey of Data Sources in Asian-Oceanic Countries
Global Plant Checklist Network
CODATA and the World Wide Web
Data/Information and Visualization
Outreach, Education and Communication
Comparative Mathematical Methodologies of Data Handling and Knowledge Extraction
Standardized Terminology for Access to Biological Data Banks (Commission)
Data Quality and Database Compatibility: Development of General CODATA Safeguards
Molten Salts (working group)
Environmental Life Cycle Inventories (working group) NEW link to web site
Environmental Ecosystem Conservation (special group)

JOINT GROUPS
Species 2000: Indexing the World's Known Species (IUBS-CODATA-IUMS)
Group on Data and Information (ICSU/CODATA Commission)
Standardization of Physico-Chemical Property Electronic Data Files-IUCOSPED (IUPAC-CODATA)  
 

Biological Macromolecules

TERMS OF REFERENCE:  

The increasing focus on bioinformatics stimulated by the large-scale genome sequencing projects makes the role of the Task Group in the near future even more critical. A major thrust of this effort concerns the assurance of interoperability among a rapidly diverging set of existing and newly emerging biotechnology databases. The Task Group recognizes that the major problem in this respect is to assure semantic (the meaning of the data) consistency among the information shared by the databases. This can be done most effectively by fostering collaboration among databases aimed at the development of shared, standardized nomenclatures. Specifically, the Task Group will:

• foster information exchange among existing and emerging data banks at the international level;
• disseminate information to the scientific community on the subjects of database activities, nomenclature, and standardization efforts by (1) inviting observers to the Task Group meetings, (2) publication, and (3) other activities of the members of the Task Group;
• continue the activities of the recently initiated subgroups on 2-D protein gel electrophoresis and hybridoma data banks;
• continue the activities of the emerging Epitope Database in close collaboration with IUIS and the existing Hybridoma Database;
• bring forward the issue of copyrights of scientific data in the CODATA Executive Committee and other international bodies;
• continue the fruitful interaction with the CODATA Task Group on Standardized Terminology for Access to Biological Data Banks.  

OUTPUT:

• A Report on the activities of the database projects represented by participating Task Group Members will be compiled in conjunction with the annual Task Group Meeting.
• A Report on the activities of the subcommittee on "International Workshop on Epitope Data" has been published in the CODATA Newsletter.

Chairman
Dr. Arthur Lesk

Vice-Chairman
Dr. Winona C. Barker

Secretary
Prof. H. Werner Mewes

Members
Dr. D. Benson
Dr. K. Bock
Dr. G. Cameron
Dr. G. Gilliland
Prof. A.S. Kolaskar
Dr. Richard J. Simpson
Dr. Y. Tateno
Prof. Akira Tsugita

Consulting Members
Dr. M. Attimonelli
Dr. S. Doubet
Dr. John Steven Garavelli
Dr. S. Heller
Dr. T. Kunisawa
Dr. J. McCarthy
Dr. F. Pfeiffer
Dr. L. Réchaussat
Dr. D. Schomburg  

Corresponding Members
Ms. Lois Blaine
Prof. Runsheng Chen
Dr. Shih-Chieh Chen
Dr. Micah I. Krichevsky
Mr. C. Martinez
Dr. P. Wilson
Dr. Jen-Leih Wu  

Executive Committee

Liaison Member
Prof. Akira Tsugita
 
 

Fundamental Constants

TERMS OF REFERENCE:  

The CODATA Task Group on Fundamental Constants periodically provides the scientific and technological communities with a self-consistent set of internationally recommended values of the basic constants and conversion factors of physics and chemistry based on all of the relevant data available at a given point in time. In calendar year 1999, the Task Group will complete the production of a new set of constants based on information compiled over the past few years. These constants will be designated as either the 1998 or 1999 CODATA recommended set.

OUTPUT:

The output in 1999 is expected to be the publication of the new set of CODATA recommended values of the fundamental constants together with a comprehensive review of experiment, theory, and methodology relevant to their determination.

Chairman
Dr. P. Mohr  

Members
Dr. F. Cabiati
Dr. E.R. Cohen
Dr. T. Endo
Dr. LIU Ruimin
Prof. B.A. Mamyrin
Dr. Francois Nez
Dr. B.W. Petley
Dr. T.J. Quinn
Dr. B.N. Taylor
Dr. V.S. Tuninsky
Dr. W. Wöger
Dr. B.M. Wood  

Executive Committee Liaison
Dr. John Rumble, Jr.

Materials Database Management  

TERMS OF REFERENCE:  

Engineered materials comprise much of the global technological infrastructure. The rapid evolution of computing over the past few decades has transformed the processing, design, and application of materials from a "make it and break it" mode to an abstract mathematical approach whereby investigations are conducted in a virtual laboratory designed for modeling and simulation of these physical phenomena. This transformation has spawned a whole new generation of materials researchers who have a solid foundation of the fundamental physics of materials and for whom the computer is their primary apparatus.

The Task Group promotes the free and open global exchange of materials data, algorithms, and other digital resources in support of computerized materials science and engineering. Expected new activities include a website to provide forum for international collaboration and links to materials databases, and to materials database managers. The Task Group plans a workshop in 2000 to define and establish a web-based digital library for the distribution of data, algorithms, and applications in support of materials science and engineering.

In 1999 the group will hold a planning meeting for workshop scheduled for 2000.

Chairman
Dr. C.P. Sturrock  

Members
Mr. J.-P. Caliste
Prof. W.C. Carter
Ms. Fran Cverna
Dr. Kohmei Halada
Prof. Kiyohito Ishida
Dr. Ursula Kattner
Mr. J.G. Kaufman
Prof. A.D. Kozlov
Dipl.-Ing. H. Kröckel
Prof. R. Sandström
Dr. Nigel Saunders
Prof. Bo Sundman
Dr. N. Swindells

Active Associates
Mr. Keith W. Reynard
Dr. Jack H. Westbrook

Corresponding Members
Dr. A.J. Barrett
Dr. K. Lal
Prof. Lu Yunwen
Mr. D. Phelan
Dr. J. Rumble, Jr.
Dr. Gordon H. Wood

Ex-Officio Member
Dr. Michael A. Chinnery

Executive Committee Liaison
Dr. John Rumble, Jr.

Survey of Data Sources in Asian-Oceanic Countries

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

This Task Group, established as a Working Group in 1987 and upgraded to a Task Group in 1988, has produced a Directory of East Asian Data Sources and three Special Reports. The Proceedings of the last Task Group Meeting in Korea has been published on the Web (http://codata.kordic.re.kr/ proceeding/codata.html) . The Task Group seeks to be effective in promoting and enhancing the development of reliable databases in its region of concern by precept and example.

The Task Group plans to organize several meetings for management standardization and quality control of data in Asia and Oceanic countries. Ouput of these meetings are planned to be published in print or on the Web.

Chairman
Prof. Akira Tsugita  

Vice-Chairmen
Prof. Mu Shik Jhon
Dr. Richard J. Simpson
Prof. SUN Honglie  

Honorary Members
Prof. JIANG Chusheng
Prof. M. Kizawa
Prof. Mitsuo Tasumi  

Members
Dr. Rukasih Dardjat
Prof. S. Fucharoen
Dr. K. Lal
Dr. G.-L. Sipin
Prof. E.F. Westrum, Jr.
Prof. Jen-Leih Wu
Dr. Z. H. Zaidi  

Consulting Members
Dr. Poonsok Atthasampunna
Dr. S.C. Chang
Dr. Moon Hi Han
Prof. HU Yaruo
Prof. Y. Itikawa
Prof. S. Iwata
Dr. Jin Hyung Kim
Prof. A.S. Kolaskar
Dr. Takashi Kunisawa
Dr. K.-T. Shao
Dr. Junko Shimura
Prof. H. Sugawara
Prof. Masahisa Sugiura
Dr. Morakot Tanticharoen
Dr. K. Tanabe

Executive Committee Liaison
Prof. SUN Honglie

Global Plant Checklist Network

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

• There is presently no master inventory for the world's plants against which species diversity, genetic resources and pharmaceutical materials can be assessed.
• Because of major inconsistencies in the classifications used in local inventories, putting together a master inventory involves bringing the classification of each group of plants into worldwide consistency.
• Creating the "global plant checklist" necessarily involves using the best of resources already available - existing data sets available in various parts of the world, and plant expertise in the various groups, again widely dispersed. The checklist will initially include the higher (vascular) plants: about 300 000 species.
• For a variety of reasons the checklist can be developed most effectively and made available online as a database. Managing this database has a complexity greater than existing local databases. A full data model and prototype have been prepared: 2-3 years of database management system tailoring is needed.
   

Steps to be taken by the Task Group:

• Make initial Global Plant Checklist available on the Web
• Extend Checklist by inputting more data
• Fund and initiate software development sites
• Fund and extend data processing/botanical editing sites
• Refine botanical editing procedures in light of experience

Chairman
Mrs. Karen L. Wilson

Secretary
Dr. Frank A. Bisby  

Members
Dr. Walter R. Berendsohn
Dr. Patricia Dávila Aranda
Prof. John McNeill
Dr. Nancy R. Morin
Dr. Richard J. Pankhurst
Dr. J. Scott Peterson
Dr. John R. Rodgers

Consulting Members
Dr. Ana Anton
Mr. Hervé M. Burdet
Sir John Burnett
Prof. Kunio Iwatsuki
Dr. Ching-I Peng

Executive Committee Liaison
Prof. Jen-Leih Wu

CODATA and the World Wide Web

TERMS OF REFERENCE:  

To develop the means to distribute the products of CODATA sponsored programs to the scientific community via electronic means, and to develop CODATA use of the Internet to assist the work of Task Groups, Secretariat, and the Executive Committee.  

Work Plan  

Essentially this group will seek to enhance CODATA's presence on the Web and to help and advise member countries who wish to establish home pages. Output will include a report to CODATA that presents a plan and recommendations to be posted on the Web for information and comment.  

Initial Content

• About CODATA - introductory with hypertext (html) links to Task Groups, Publications, Databases, Secretariat, Name directory.
• Task Groups - Terms of Ref, Members, Progress, etc
• Publications - abstracts of books, prices, ordering. Newsletter online
• Html links to other organizations involved with CODATA.
• Calendar
• Conference and Assembly.

Chairman
Mr. James Crease  

Members
Dr. Goetz Oertel
Dr. John R. Rodgers
Dr. YUN Xiao  

Executive Committee Liaison
Dr. J.-J. Royer

Data/Information and Visualization

TERMS OF REFERENCE:  

The Task Group will organize a new workshop on "Management of Data, Information, and Knowledge" in June 1999. Following the successful CODATA Study Workshop on "Information Visualization and Management of Heterogeneous Systems" in New Delhi, the Task Group will organize similar workshops in Ottawa, Canada in June 1999 and at the CODATA International Conference in Torino in 2000.

This Task Group plans to write reports for the community (including a glossary of terms of these new technologies) and establish a Bulletin Board on the network or an active WWW Home Page. The Task Group will produce a publication based on the workshop on "Information Visualization: Where Are We and Where Do We Go from Here" which took place in Paris in June 1997.  

The Task Group will continue to analyze new technologies and their applications, and will systematically inform and assist CODATA Task Groups, Commissions, other ICSU bodies, and external bodies in the use of data and models appropriate to their projects.

Chairman
Dr. Nahum D. Gershon  

Secretary
Prof. Hélène Bestougeff

Members
Dr. Keith Andrews
Prof. Shuichi Iwata
Dr. Michael Kurtz
Prof. Paul G. Mezey
Dr. Victor V. Pilyugin

Consultants
Prof. François Bouillé
Mr. James Crease
Prof. Anne-Francoise Cutting-Decelle
Prof. Dominique Doumenc
Prof Alexei Gvishiani
Dr. Horst Kremers
Dr. Micah I. Krichevsky
Prof. Henry de Lumley
Dr. Philippe Morat
Dr. Jean-Jacques Royer
Mr. Paul F. Uhlir
Dr. Rengachari Venkataraghavan
Prof. Patrick de Wever

Executive Committee Liaison
Dr. J.-J. Royer

Task Group on Comparative Mathematical Methodologies of Data Handling and Knowledge Extraction  

TERMS OF REFERENCE  

1) Development of new data handling and knowledge extraction comparative mathematical methodologies based on modeling on one side and on pattern recognitions approach on the other;

2) Applications of developed mathematical techniques to comparative analysis of global data and knowledge bases in different disciplines. In particular, application of the mathematical methodologies to the problem of scaling in global data sets;

3) Development of Internet based online geodynamical, seismological, biological, satellite and linguistic databases as "sample test-sites" for application of artificial intelligence and mathematical modeling methods developed by the Task Group. Actual applications of these techniques to the databases.

4) Development of mathematical techniques to compress and characterize large data sets while maintaining the information content and to extracting specific knowledge/information required by a specific application.

5) Task Group Web site will be developed with links to the main CODATA Web-site and relative activities' Web sites.

Chairman
Prof. Alexei Gvishiani

Vice-Chairman
Prof. Jacques O. Dubois  

Members
Prof. Jean Bonnin
Dr. Chris W.A. Browitt
Prof. Dr . Hans-Juergen Goetze
Prof. Karmeshu
Prof. Jin Hyung Kim
Prof. Anne S. Kiremidjian
Dr. Horst Kremers
Dr. Herbert W. Kroehl
Prof. Vladimir Strakhov
Prof. Michael Z. Zgurovsky

Consultants
Dr. John Rose
Prof. Michel Diament
Dr. Belen Benito Oterino
Dr. Marat Zakhidov
Dr. Michael Zhizhin
Eric Kihn
Dr. Jacques Levy
Dr. Sheng-Ming Wang
Dr. Hery Harjono  

Exexutive Committee Liaison
Prof. J.-E. Dubois

Task Group on Data Quality and Database Compatibility: Development of General CODATA Safeguards

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The objective of the Task Group is the development of interdisciplinary methodologies and general CODATA guidelines aimed at ensuring safeguards on data quality and database compatibility, to facilitate a reliable utilization of the ever-increasing power of accumulated data within individual disciplines and in trans-discipline data-intensive activities. In particlar, the Task Group will address the following problems of the Information Age:

(i) The lack of uniformity in data quality is a problem that affects most fields, especially interdisciplinary fields

(ii) There are problems common to all fields concerning inferences drawn from data taken from more than one data bank

(iii) Obsolete data often persist in data banks: data no longer regarded as reliable or accurate enough are often stored along with high quality data

(iv) In order to avoid degradation of existing and continuously updated data banks, standardized safeguards against data "pollution" are required

(v) In order to improve the quality of existing and future data banks, a restructuring of databases might be beneficial, facilitating the application of novel computer methodologies and standardized techniques for "weeding out" unreliable and/or conflicting data

Workshop activity planned:

1) A workshop on "Data quality and database compatibility: development of general CODATA safeguards" is planned in connection with the 1st International Workshop on Thermochemical, Thermodynamic And Transport Properties of Halogenated Hydrocarbons And Mixtures to be held in Pisa, Italy, 15-18 December 1999 - http://www.icqem.pi.cnr.it/thermodyn/workshop.html

(2) An additional workshop on "Data quality and database compatibility: development of general CODATA safeguards II" is planned in connection with the ECCOMAS 2000 European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering, Barcelona, Spain, 11-14 September 2000 - http://cimne.upc.es/cimne/congresos/eccomas.htm

Chairman
Dr. Paul Mezey  

Members
Prof. Shuichi Iwata
Dr. Henry V. Kehiaian
Dr. John Rumble, Jr.
Prof. Ramon Carbó-Dorca  

Consulting Members Prof. Arthur Greenberg
Prof. Lionello Pogliani
Prof. E. Fluck
Prof. Yuzuru Fujiwara
Prof. Rita Colwell
Prof. R. Chen
Prof. C. -H. Chen
Prof. Arthur Lesk
Prof. Ashok Kolaskar  

Executive Committee Liaison
Prof. A.S. Kolaskar

Outreach, Education and Communication

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

This Task Group plays a dual role both within and outside CODATA. It aims to provide a necessary service to the scientific and technical communities, with particular focus on developing nations. Within CODATA, this Task Group responds to the need for outreach work identified in CODATA's Long Range Strategy Plan. The Group considers all scientific disciplines represented by ICSU as well as new and emerging technologies as potential components of its work.

In order to use data which are potentially, but not practically, available to them, scientists and technologists throughout the world would benefit by developing their information technology skills. The core material will be adapted to various disciplines. Other activities include training courses and the establishment of consulting offices. The training materials, the roster of available faculty members and lists of available resources in developing nations will also be made accessible, both in electronic and paper form.

The Task Group works to facilitate establishment of an international distributed Registry of Scientists and Technologists (initial funding by ICSU). The databases making up the Registry are the responsibility of the local scientific and technological organizations developing their individual components of the Registry. The first components are the American Society for Microbiology database established January 1999 (see http://www.asmusa.org) and the Registry of the Foundation for Research and Development, South Africa.

Chairman
Dr. Micah I. Krichevsky  

Members
Dr. Heinrich Behrens
Dr. Virginia W. Campbell
Prof. Steve Rossouw
Dr. Morakot Tanticharoen  

Executive Committee Liaison
Dr. Steve Rossouw

Working Group on Molten Salts

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The objectives of this group include development of criteria for evaluating molten salt data including estimation procedures based on research results, and eventually improvement of the accessibility of these data in an internally consistent database. Molten salts are high temperature liquids widely used in a number of industrial applications elaboration (electrodeposition of metals, synthesis of materials, etc.), energy (fuel cells, thermal storage, etc.), environment (waste processing, recycling, etc.). Important issues in the lighting industry (discharge lamps) as in the nuclear industry (fuel reprocessing) are to be stressed and they are most concerned with data on lanthanide and actinide salts. Also an emerging category of low melting salts, widely used as catalysts, constitutes an unexplored field for data.

Much of the data are buried in the grey literature or are not released by industry. Coordination and standardization of existing data is therefore essential.

Chairman
Professor Marcelle Gaune-Escard  

Members
Prof. E.H.P. Cordfunke
Prof. Vladimir Danek
Dr. Reiko Fujita
Dr. Joan Fuller
Prof. Klaus Hilpert
Prof. Y. Iwadate
Dr. Melanie Loots
Dr. Scott McCormick
Mr. Peter Meschter
Dr. Valery Naumov
Dr. Ulrich Niemann
Prof. Toru Ogawa
Dr. René Piccinato
Prof. Zhiyu Qiao
Dr. Leszek Rycerz
Dr. James Sangster
Prof. Ryuzo Takagi

Executive Committee Liaison
Professor F.A. Kuznetsov

Working Group on Environmental Life Cycle Inventories  

TERMS OF REFERENCE  

The objective of the task group is to facilitate the electronic exchange of high-quality, easily comparable data on environmental product life cycle inventories (LCI-data) for materials.  

This objective is pursued by three parallel but coordinated activities:  

Promoting the use of a standardised electronic format for LCI-data, ensuring harmonisation with the relevant ISO standards and procedures, especially furthering collaboration between the ISO TC 184: STEP and TC 207: Environmental management. The starting point of this work will be the machine-readable format developed by SPOLD, an international association of industries, along with nationally developed formats such as the SPINE format of Sweden.  

To improve the quality and comparability of LCI-data, the CODATA Working Group will develop, as a supplement to ISO-standard 14041, a recommendation for the procedures to be used for data collection and data treatment, including a list of minimum criteria for data quality documentation. The recommendations will be published as a guideline. The CODATA Working Group will suggest a procedure for how data could be validated according to the guideline.  

To assess the need for further development, the CODATA Working Group will, in co-operation with the UNEP-Working Group on Sustainable Product Development, investigate the current trends in use of LCI-data in industrial design. The requirements of industrial designers and the pitfalls to avoid when applying LCI-data in the design process will be investigated, as well as the needs and obstacles for integrating LCI-data in electronic tools used in design (CAD), manufacturing (CAM) and product data modelling (PDM).  

The three objectives will be pursued mainly through individual members of the Working Group providing the necessary investigations and writing drafts. The results will be exchanged and discussed via the Internet. Physical meetings are not planned, but may be held in conjunction with other international events where many of the Working Group members are present.

The output of the three parallel activities are expected to be:

Progress reports on the harmonization of exchange formats for LCI-data. First progress report planned for December 1999. Second progress report by December 2000. More frequent updates may be made available on the CODATA Internet site.

Guideline for procedures used for collection, treatment, and quality documentation of LCI-data on materials. First draft to be circulated widely by December 1999, final version by next CODATA General Assembly (late in year 2000).

Chairman
Professor Bo Weidema

Members
Dr. Ian Boustead
Dr. Rolf Bretz
Dr. Kurt Buxmann
Mr. Raul Carlsson
Dr. Martin Charter
Dr. Adrie van Dam
Mr. Fred Goede
Dr. Tom van der Horst
Dr. Matthias Fawer
Dr. Johannes Gediga
Mr. Laurent Grisel
Dr. Kohmei Halada
Dr. Ole-Jørgen Hanssen
Dr. Ken Humphreys
Dr. Gregory Keolian
Prof. Chris Ryan
Dr. Charles Sturrock
Dr. Hans van der Wel
Dr. Hans van Weenen
Prof. Ryoichi Yamamoto

Executive Committee Liaison
Prof. Paul Mezey

CODATA Commissions

Standardized Terminology for Access to Biological Data Banks

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

• Seek the additional funding sources for the priorities identified by the Commission.
• Continue the educational process by widening the scope of collaborative projects.  

OUTPUT:

• Stimulation of
  • 1) provision of common access to existing global master species databases
  • 2) accelerated development of such databases by means of a cooperative program with IUBS and IUMS called Species 2000 (see next page)
• Preliminary versions of the World ICTV Virus Database with its universal list of virus characteristics sanctioned by the IUMS ICTV.
• Development of the infrastructure of biological terminology by:
• 1) Comprehensive Directory of terminological resources
  • 2) Initial proposals for the establishment of a biological "term bank

Chairman
Dr. Frank A. Bisby

Vice-Chairmen
Ms. Lois Blaine
Prof. Marian Horzinek
Dr. Jen-Leih Wu  

Members Dr. James Beach
Prof. Michael C. Boulter
Dr. Cornelia Buchen-Osmond
Dr. Vanderlei Perez-Canhos
Dr. George J. Cosmides
Mr. Michael N. Dadd
Dr. Julian Humphries
Dr. Harriet Gillett
Dr. Paul Kirk
Prof. A.S. Kolaskar
Dr. Manfred Kracht
Dr. Micah I. Krichevsky
Dr. Carlos Martinez
Dr. Scott Peterson
Dr. Peter Schalk
Dr. Larry Speers
Prof. Hideaki Sugawara
Mrs. Karen Wilson  

Executive Committee Liaison
Ms. Lois Blaine

IUBS-CODATA-IUMS

Species 2000: Indexing the World's Known Species

A cooperative program with IUBS and IUMS to accelerate the development of Global Master Species Databases along with common access arrangements, with the goal of creating a virtual index of all the world's known species.
 

Species 2000 Project Management Team
(Joint IUBS - CODATA -IUMS Committee)

Chairman
Dr. Frank A. Bisby, Chairman

Vice-Chairman
Dr. Michael N. Dadd, Vice-Chairman

Secretary
Dr. Peter Schalk, Secretary Ms. Lois Blaine
Dr. Rainer Froese
Mr. David Gee
Dr. Larry Speers
Prof. V. Perez-Canhos
Dr. Scott Peterson
Dr. Junko Shimura
Ms. Karen Wilson  

Ex-officio
Dr. John Rumble, Jr., President, CODATA

Dr. P.H. Mäkelä, President IUMS

ICSU/CODATA Group on Data and Information  

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

The Commission will examine problems, policies, and possible solutions to issues of international access and exchange of data for scientific research. It will develop positions on behalf of CODATA and ICSU and present those positions as necessary to outside organizations and individuals concerned with scientific data access. National and international groups, often non-scientific in nature, may develop policies and procedures that can impact on data access for scientific research. The Commission will emphasize the science viewpoint on the need for data access to those groups.  

The Commission operates together with the ICSU Group on Data and Information as a small group that can act promptly in the face of fast-breaking issues. [Referred to collectively as the ICSU/CODATA Group on Data and Information.] Because normal practice varies amongst scientific disciplines, the Group will call upon experts not part of the Group to deal with specialized issues.  

The Commission will:  

• Develop ICSU/CODATA policies and positions on data access with special attention to scientific research needs.
• Follow developments and review existing constraints on data access for purposes of scientific research including governmental, commercial, and legal constraints.
• Act as a quick-response group to react to "data crises".
• Serve as a consultant group to ICSU on issues related to data access.

Chairman
Prof. Ferris Webster  

Members
Prof. David Abir (CODATA)
Dr. David R. Lide, Jr. (CODATA)
Dr. Karen Wilson (CODATA)
Sir Roger Elliott (ICSU)
Dr. Jerry Reichman (ICSU)
Dr. Peter Schindler (ICSU)
Dr. G. Thyagarajan (ICSU)  

Executive Committee Liaison
Prof. E. Fluck

IUPAC-CODATA Standardization of Physico-Chemical Property Electronic Data Files (IUCOSPED)  

TERMS OF REFERENCE

In the era of enhanced electronic communication and worldwide development of information systems, electronic publishing and the Internet offer powerful tools for the dissemination of all type of scientific information. This is now made available in electronic form not only from computerized databanks, but also from primary sources. However, because of the multitude of existing properties and variety of modes of presentation, the computer-assisted extraction of the numerical values of physico-chemical properties from primary sources is as difficult as before. As a consequence, the use of these data in Application Programs, their Evaluation, the Publication in Handbooks, and the storage in Data Banks, still remain a tedious and expensive operation, in spite of the electronic access to the data.

The objective of IUCOSPED will be to design in cooperation with Data Publishers, Data Centers, and other Potential Data Users, the standard computer-readable file formats presenting the numerical data, as well as the relevant metadata, for each type of physico-chemical property, as they appear in primary publications. Authors will be encouraged to submit to the Editor their data in standard electronic format, in parallel with their article. Neither the printed nor the electronic publication of articles in primary journals or of the data in secondary or tertiary data sources need to be affected by the proposed standard formats. Each Publisher of a primary data source or of secondary or tertiary data sources may keep the traditional format as appropriate to the community of users of those sources. The objectives of the standard formats, the same for all primary publications, is to assure that the datafiles are clearly, uniformly, and completely documented. The standardizd data files will be disseminated exclusively in electronic form, most likely only via Internet.

OUTPUT:

The expected output during 1999 is the following:

• Preparation of the preliminary version of a document on general principles of standardization of physico-chemical property electronic data files (codification of properties, chemical systems, references, choice of primary data and derived data, choice of units for physical quantities, design of the general structure of the numerical data files, etc.). September 1999.
   
• Design of electronic data files for at least 100 specific types of mainly thermodynamic and thermophysical properties for pure substances and mixtures, preliminary version. Database with examples and search program. September 1999.
   
• Preparation of an Electronic Data Input Program (EDIP), demo version, making the input of data by Data Generators (Authors) and output of data by Data Users as comfortable as possible. December 1999.
   
• Establishment of the IUCOSPED Home Page on the STN Server Europe (FIZ Karlsruhe), with links to IUPAC and CODATA WWW Home Pages, from where the standard formats and guidelines are accessible to the interested scientific community at no cost. December 1999.
   
• Presentation of the Project at several international conferences, e. g.: London, UK, April 1999; Vilamoura, Portugal, May 1999; Bucharest, Romania, September 1999; Pisa, Italy, December 1999.
   
• Plenary Meeting of IUCOSPED Members and Joint Meetings with IUPAC Commissions on Thermodynamics (I.2) and Equilibrium Properties (V.6) (August 10 and 11, 1999) in the frame of the 40th IUPAC General Assembly, Berlin, Germany.

Chairman
Dr. Henry V. Kehiaian  

Members Dr. Andreas Barth
Dr. Heinrich Behrens
Dr. Ivan Cibulka
Prof. Ulrich K. Deiters
Dr. Vladimir Dohnal
Prof. Vladimir A. Durov
Dr. Kai Fischer
Eng. Jean-Claude Fontaine
Dr. Michael Frenkel
Daniel G. Friend
Prof. Jean-Pierre E. Grolier
Prof. Kenneth R. Hall
Dr. Vladimir S. Iorish
Prof. Jacques Jose
Dr. Richard F. Kayser
Peter J. Linstrom
Gary W. Mallard
Dr. Leslie D. Pettit
Dr. K. I. Popov
Prof. H. Kipton J. Powell
Prof. Dominique Richon
Dr. Richard Sass
Prof. Staffan Sjoberg
Prof. Svein Stolen
Dr. Zdenek Wagner
Dr. Ulrich Westhaus
Dr. Ivan Wichterle
Prof. Wenchuan Wang
Prof. Emmerich Wilhelm
Dr. Vladimir S. Yungman  

Executive Committee Liaison
Prof. Mitsuo Tasumi
 

TERMS OF REFERENCE

To coordinate work and exchange national information on the problem of bioaccumulation and bioindication of heavy metals pollution in the ecosystems of the circumpolar regions (Northwest regions of Russia, Scandinavia, Canada).

To evaluate the emission and the role of transboundary transfer of heavy metals and some rare-earth elements in soil pollution of the circumpolar regions.

To carry out biotests on the following bioobjects: mosses. lichens, mushrooms, fungi, microorganisms, conifers

To map circumpolar regions pollution with heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Zn, Ni, Pb) and rare earths principally using new analytical technologies.

To create analytical databases and electronic catalogue-guidelines for "Circumpolar ecosystems, toxicants, bioaccumulation and bioindication" for standardization of quantitative data; unification and statistical analysis of table data; problem extraction, unification and statistical analysis of data from electronic and printed sources; and also generalization of experimental data.

To prepare and carry out the 2d workshop of the group in June 1999 and to work out a strategy for group activities for the next two years.

To prepare articles, in particular the Proceedings of the 2nd workshop, for publication.

To participate in international conferences and the work of related organizations, in particular to collaborate with the Working Group on Environmental Life Cycle Inventories (Chair: Prof. Bo Weidema) in Denmark.

To develop a new version of the thesaurus on soil contamination evaluation using biological methods and to publish it in electronic format.

Chairman
Prof. Y.M. Arsky  

Members
Prof. Nina M. Chernavskaja
Dr. M.A. Chinnery
Prof. E. Fluck
Dr. Natalya V. Lukina
Prof. Mirja Salkinoja-Salonen
Prof. Eiliv Steinnes