UK Polar Data Centre team
The UK Polar Data Centre (UK PDC) is the focal point for Arctic and Antarctic environmental data management in the UK. Part of the Natural Environmental Research Council’s (NERC) network of environmental data centres and based at the British Antarctic Survey, we coordinate the management of polar data from UK-funded research and support researchers in complying with national and international data legislation and policy.
Our skills and experience reflect the broad and multi-disciplinary nature of polar research that produces data from all the Earth’s spheres. We provide guidance on best practice throughout the data management life cycle from data planning to developing tools for data discovery and access. We also provide operational data services, supporting data capture and transfer systems on UK polar stations, ships and aircraft.
Our main goal is to ensure that environmental data collected in the polar regions are made available and accessible to all in order to fully realise their reuse potential. This aim is in accordance with the NERC data policy and, for the Antarctic, upholds Article III 1(c) of the Antarctic Treaty. Whilst making data open, we also work to ensure that the original data collectors are properly acknowledged when data are reused through the creation of dataset citations.
As a data centre based on geographical extent rather than scientific discipline we work closely with data scientists at the other NERC data centres and coordinate many of our data management activities. The UK PDC represents the UK internationally on polar data issues through the SCAR Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management and the IASC sponsored Arctic Data Committee.
Marine Metadata Project
The Marine Metadata Project aims to enhance the availability and accessibility of BAS marine data.Polar Airborne Geophysics Data Portal
The NERC Airborne Geophysics Data Portal provides direct access to airborne survey data.Atmospheric Data Access System
An online data access tool to discover, visualise and access atmospheric and space weather data holdings from the polar regions.Discovery Metadata System
A web-based system to discover polar datasets collected by UK-funded scientistsHerbarium Collection
A collection of dried plant specimens from the Antarctic, sub-Antarctic and surrounding continents.Geological Collection
Contains over 200,000 individual rock and fossil specimens collected from Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands and thousands of meters of sediment core from the surrounding seabed.NEWS STORY: Sea ice minimum explained
18 September, 2014
Arctic sea ice summer minimum 2014: A scientific perspective The Arctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically in September – when sea ice reaches its smallest extent at …