GCE Data Toolbox and Metabase: A sensor-to-synthesis software pipeline for LTER data management

LTER sites use a wide range of software to acquire, process, quality control and archive data. A separate set of tools is then typically used to produce and manage metadata content and generate EML-described data packages for the LTER NIS. This separation of data and metadata processing is inefficient, risks loss of information, and often delays data release. Software developed at the GCE LTER site - the GCE Data Toolbox for MATLAB - streamlines this process by coupling metadata creation to data processing and quality control. This software also interfaces with the Metabase, a sophisticated Metadata Management System (MMS) that supports data warehousing and automatic distribution of EML-described, version-controlled data through the NIS. Used together, these systems constitute an integrated and highly automated pipeline for producing EML-described data packages for archival and synthesis efforts. This poster describes how this software is used to automate and streamline data management at the GCE and CWT LTER sites, and opportunities for use at other sites.