1. NAME OF NATION: Antarctica (noting that Antarctica is not a 'nation' in the normal meaning of the term, but is a continent governed under the Antarctic Treaty System).

  2. Name of Respondent Supplying Information: Mr Drew Clarke
    Title (if any):
    Mailing Address: Head, Analytical & Mapping Division Department of Industry, Science & Tourism
    GPO Box 9839 CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA
    E-mail Address: drew.clarke@dist.gov.au
    Telephone Number: +61 2 6213 6900
    Fax Number: +61 2 6213 6965
    Web: http://www.scar-ggi.org.au

  3. Does your nation have an active or proposed initiative for developing a national spatial data infrastructure (or its equivalent)?

    4. YES

    **** POLICY ISSUES ****

  4. LEADERSHIP: Which agency or organization is coordinating or leading national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) development efforts in your nation? (If no single agency is coordinating, please provide a primary point of contact from whom we may learn more.)

    Agency/Organization Name: Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research - Working Group on Geodesy and Geographic Information (SCAR WG-GGI)
    Mailing Address: Head, Analytical & Mapping DivisionDepartment of Industry, Science & Tourism
    GPO Box 9839 CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA
    E-mail Address: drew.clarke@dist.gov.au
    Telephone Number:+61 2 6213 6900
    Fax Number: +61 2 6213 6965
    Name of Agency Head or Primary Contact Person: Mr Drew Clarke - Chairman WG-GGI

  5. AVAILABILITY: What are the primary types, categories or forms of spatial digital data being made available through your nation's NSDI?

    The Antarctic SDI uses the concept of framework spatial data themes to which other data may be referenced. The six fundamental datasets proposed for the Antarctic SDI are - Surface Elevation, Bedrock Elevation, Coastline, Names, Features and Bathymetry (Geodetic control underpins all of these datasets). The vision is that these data sets will provide a current base on which to collect, register, or integrate other information. Thus, not only framework datasets but a wide range of other thematic spatial data sets could eventually be made available through the Antarctic SDI.

  6. MECHANICS OF ACCESS: Through what technical and organizational mechanisms are spatial data being made available through the NSDI?

    Access to spatial data is at an early stage for the Antarctic SDI. The goal is that access will be provided primarily through the establishment of Antarctic SDI clearinghouse nodes by those organisations responsible (or who have the custodianship) for each fundamental dataset. All nodes will linked to the Internet. A metadata record of the dataset will reside in the Antarctic Master Directory.

  7. LEGAL AND ECONOMIC FRAMEWORKS FOR ACCESS: What are the legal and economic constraints under which citizens, businesses or others may gain access to data available through the NSDI?

    Through the Antarctic Treaty data is to be made freely available to all SCAR member countries. In reality most datasets are available for minimal cost (most typically the cost of transfer). Copyright restrictions are also minimal. The situation with costs and copyright are a little unclear for users outside the SCAR community.

  8. DATA COLLECTION COORDINATION: What parties are involved in collecting data for the NSDI and how is data collection coordinated?

    Ideally, framework data for a geographic area will be developed, maintained, and integrated by organisations that produce and make use of data for that area.

    The vision for the Antarctic SDI is to ensure that data captured by the many custodians will form an integral part of the SDI by conforming to the Antarctic SDI principles and being Antarctic SDI compliant. This means that metadata is published on the Antarctic Master Directory, common standards are adopted (ISO TC211 compliant) and that the data is available for distribution and use according to consistent SCAR member nation policies, some of which are yet to be developed.

  9. PRICING: If charges are assessed for spatial data made available through the NSDI, what is the basis or method for determining the price of various forms of spatial data?

    The pricing of fundamental datasets varies from custodian to custodian and is usually based on the cost of distribution / transfer. As electronic distribution becomes more efficient and widespread the data costs are expected to reduce.

  10. COMMERCIAL INVOLVEMENT: Please describe how private commercial firms are involved in helping to build the NSDI.

    Private commercial firms currently have a very minor input into spatial digital data over Antarctica as it is predominately governments (SCAR member countries) that fund mapping and geodetic work on the continent.

  11. PUBLIC DOMAIN DATA SETS: Please describe those digital spatial data sets for jurisdictions within your nation that are available to anyone without any licensing or intellectual property restrictions imposed on the data sets and the data sets are available at no cost or little cost. How may copies be acquired of these public domain data sets?

    SCAR member nations that currently have public domain digital data over Antarctica include:

    US (National Imagery and Mapping Agency - NIMA) - Digital Bathymetic Data Base 5-Minutes for information and email contact: gleasond@nima.mil

    Italy (National Research Programme for Antarctica - PRNA) - Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica (Place Names). Available on-line http://www.pnra.it/SCAR_GAZE

  12. PUBLIC GOODS ASPECTS OF NSDI: Please describe any additional services or goods provided by government in support of the NSDI for which individual users are not charged.

    Not applicable.

  13. PRIVACY: Please describe how the information privacy of individual citizens is protected relative to data that may be accessed through the NSDI.

    As Antarctica is a sparsely populated continent, and those in Antarctica are mainly there for research purposes, information privacy is not currently an issue.

    **** OPERATIONAL ISSUES ****

  14. AUTHORITY: Do the laws or formal orders of any legislative or executive branches of government explicitly recognize the need to establish or further develop the NSDI?

    15. NO

  15. FUNDING: Have funds been specifically budgeted and acquired for NSDI activities? YES and NO

    If YES, please describe the purpose of the funds and the amounts.

    The Antarctic SDI is largely being built from the contributions and projects of SCAR member countries. Each of these countries/projects will have a budget, but that budget is not known to (or controlled by) SCAR WG-GGI.

  16. INCLUSIVENESS: Please describe the types and extent of participants involved in building the NSDI and their roles.

    The Antarctic SDI is currently in its infancy. The vision is to involve all SCAR member countries (mostly through government and academic agencies) in coordinating the development of the Antarctic SDI. The roles of various parties and their relationships in moving towards a common Antarctic SDI vision are being developed over time. Within the WG-GGI itself, lead coordination responsibilities based on themes have been identified with the overall coordination resting with the Antarctic Geographic Data Integration Project Manager. His contact details are:

    Glenn Johnstone, Project Manager Antarctic Geographic Data Integration AUSLIG
    Address: PO Box 2 BELCONNEN ACT 2616 AUSTRALIA
    Phone: +61 2 6201 4393
    Fax: +61 2 6201 4366
    Email: GlennJohnstone@auslig.gov.auu
    Web:http://www.scar-ggi.org.au/geog_data/agdi/intro.htm

  17. COMPONENTS: Please indicate whether the vision of an NSDI for your nation incorporates the following components or concepts.

    A. METADATA YES
    B. CLEARINGHOUSE YES
    C. DATA STANDARDS YES
    D. CORE DATA YES

  18. RESEARCH: Have funds been specifically budgeted and spent on research projects to advance NSDI concepts?

    19. NO

  19. LINKAGE TO GENERAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS - Which international or national information and communication technology standards has the NSDI adopted?

    While the Antarctic SDI has not formally adopted any international information and communication technology standards it is envisaged that the communications protocol Z39.50 will be used.

  20. GLOBAL SPATIAL DATASETS: Does your NSDI provide access to spatial datasets with global coverage?

    21. NO

  21. GLOBAL OR REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVES: Is your NSDI formally affiliated with or connected to any global or regional spatial data infrastructure initiatives?

    22. YES

    If YES, which initiative(s)?

    The SCAR WG-GGI has input into 2 global fora:
    1.A member of the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping (ISCGM) (the Antarctic SDI will be contributing data to this project)
    2.A member of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) initiative.

  22. LONG TERM VISION OR STRATEGIC PLAN: Has a long term vision statement or stategic plan been developed for your country's NSDI?

    Sort of!

    If YES, how may a copy be obtained?

    The work plan for SCAR WG-GGI is available at our web site (below).

  23. GRAND CHALLENGES: Name one of the most pressing challenges for NSDI development in your nation.

    To ensure that all SCAR member countries cooperate and contribute in the development of Antarctic SDI policies, and development of the SDI core datasets.

  24. FURTHER INFORMATION: If an NSDI WEB SITE exists where information about NSDI efforts in your nation may be found in the future, please provide the web site address.

    25. http://www.scar-ggi.org.au/geog_data/agdi/intro.htm