LabInfrastructure@Geo.X Change Request - How to navigate through the form

This page contains additional information about LabInfrastructure@Geo.X and assists you in completing the change request form.

The required fields in the change request form aim to describe the laboratories in the best possible way. As the portal is currently being technically expanded, not all fields queried in the change request form are yet visible in the present portal. This will be realised as part of the planned relaunch of the portal.

We kindly ask you to fill in as many fields as possible in addition to the obligatory fields (marked with a red star).

After entering the information, a preview window will appear in which all information can be rechecked and changed if necessary.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions: Manja Luzi-Helbing (Manja.Luzi-Helbing@geo-x.net).

Institution

Geo.X operates LabInfrastructure@Geo.X as an ongoing cooperation project presenting the laboratory infrastructure of all partner institutions.

Please indicate the name of your institution and the unit/subdivision in which your laboratory is located.

Laboratory Information

Please enter the name and a possible abbreviation (short name) for your laboratory in this section.

If your laboratory is part of a laboratory complex, please specify. For example: In the GFZ section Interface Geochemistry, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Themis Z is part of the PISA laboratories. At LabInfrastructure@Geo.X, this sophisticated instrument is registered as an individual laboratory and belongs to the laboratory complex PISA.

We ask you to provide more detailed information in a short description of your laboratory. Here you can include details about the work carried out in your laboratory, type of samples, instrument specifications, preparation methods, and/or experiments you are performing.

Since all institutions whose laboratory infrastructure is recorded in LabInfrastructure@Geo.X are part of the Geo.X network, the field "Network" is automatically filled with "Geo.X".

Contacts

Please provide the name, email address, telephone number, and, if possible ORCID of the laboratory supervisor, laboratory manager or another responsible contact person.

Instruments

Instruments are an essential filter for the search in LabInfrastructure@Geo.X.

For the keywording of instruments we provide two lists of controlled vocabulary: the instruments category list of the NASA GCMD Keywords and vocabulary adapted for the Geo.X network. The NASA GCMD Keywords (or Global Change Master Directory Keywords) are internationally accepted, controlled vocabulary in the field of Earth System Science. The NASA instruments list comprises over 500 keywords for in situ and laboratory instruments. The GCMD Keywords are hierarchically structured and continuously refined and expanded.

When assigning the keywords to the instruments used in the Geo.X network, it became apparent that the GCMD Keywords do not cover all specialized instruments and self-developed devices. For this reason, we use additional sources for keywording and have compiled an integrated vocabulary - the Geo.X vocabulary. In particular, in addition to the NASA instrument list we employed the instrumentation category key of the German Research Foundation and the keyword lists for analytical methods and instruments from IUPAC, USGS, EarthChem, and GeoRef. For the detailed descriptions of the instruments the IUPAC Compendium of Analytical Terminology (4th edition) and the USGS Thesaurus were used. The overview of all references applied for the Geo.X vocabulary is given below.

The Geo.X vocabulary for instruments is basically derived from the structure and content of the NASA GCMD Keywords which we extended to include missing instruments used in the Geo.X network. Therefore, the Geo.X vocabulary is set by default. The Geo.X vocabulary is continuously updated, expanded and will be published on the Geo.X websites. You have the option to describe your laboratory instruments according to the instrument category list of the NASA GCMD Keywords or the Geo.X vocabulary.

The keywords for the instruments in the change request form are sorted hierarchically. They can be entered as free text with proposal function or searched in the hierarchy. The instruments included in the keyword lists are provided with an explanatory text, if available, as well as with the corresponding references. In addition, you can submit suggestions for new keywords. We will carefully review your suggestions and include them in the Geo.X vocabulary if suitable. Multiple entries are possible.

References:

Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects pision, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords

German Research Foundation, 2021, Instrumentation category key, last access on 14th April 2020 at URL https://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/infrastructure/scientific_instrumentation/category_key/index.html (Downloadable versions of the instrumentation category key are provided in German only. As reference the last version from 23rd November 2012 was employed.).

IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry): Compendium of Analytical Terminology, current project title: Vocabulary of Concepts and Terms in Analytical Chemistry - the revised Orange Book. 4th edition: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021, last access on 6th October 2021 at URL https://iupac.org/project/2012-005-1-500.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2021, USGS Thesaurus, last access on 6th September 2021 at URL: https://apps.usgs.gov/thesaurus/thesaurus-full.php?thcode=2.

EarthChem Library, 2021, Geochemistry Data Templates, last access on 27th August 2021 at URL: https://www.earthchem.org/ecl/templates/.

Georef Thesaurus. Edited by Barbara A. Goodman. 11th edition: American Geological Institute, 2008, last access on 5th October 2021 at URL: https://www.americangeosciences.org/information/georef/thesaurus/lists.

Analytical Methods

The analytical methods applied in the laboratories are an essential filter for the search in LabInfrastructure@Geo.X.

For the keywording of the analytical methods the adapted Geo.X vocabulary is applied (see above). The Geo.X vocabulary covers all analytical methods used in the laboratories surveyed by LabInfrastructure@Geo.X. It is continuously revised, expanded and will be published on the Geo.X websites.

The Geo.X vocabulary for the analytical methods is derived from the structure of the NASA GCMD Keywords similar to the Geo.X instrument vocabulary. It includes additional references for the detailed description of the analytical methods, in particular the IUPAC Compendium of Analytical Terminology (4th edition) and the USGS Thesaurus. The complete list of references for the methodological Geo.X vocabulary is given below.

The Geo.X keyword list for the analytical methods is sorted hierarchically. Keywords can be entered as free text with proposal function or searched in the hierarchy. The analytical methods contained in the keyword list are provided with an explanatory text, if available, as well as with the corresponding references. In addition, you can submit suggestions for new keywords. We will carefully review your suggestions and include them in the Geo.X vocabulary if suitable. Multiple entries are possible.

References:

Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 16.3. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects pision, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords

German Research Foundation, 2021, Instrumentation category key, last access on 14th April 2020 at URL https://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/infrastructure/scientific_instrumentation/category_key/index.html (Downloadable versions of the instrumentation category key are provided in German only. As reference the last version from 23rd November 2012 was employed.).

IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry): Compendium of Analytical Terminology, current project title: Vocabulary of Concepts and Terms in Analytical Chemistry - the revised Orange Book. 4th edition: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021, last access on 6th October 2021 at URL https://iupac.org/project/2012-005-1-500.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2021, USGS Thesaurus, last access on 6th September 2021 at URL: https://apps.usgs.gov/thesaurus/thesaurus-full.php?thcode=2.

EarthChem Library, 2021, Geochemistry Data Templates, last access on 27th August 2021 at URL: https://www.earthchem.org/ecl/templates/.

Georef Thesaurus. Edited by Barbara A. Goodman. 11th edition: American Geological Institute, 2008, last access on 5th October 2021 at URL: https://www.americangeosciences.org/information/georef/thesaurus/lists.

There are often several alternative terms for instruments and analytical methods available. These may also be referred to as community-related keywords. In this field you can enter alternative terms to the keywords listed in the NASA GCMD Keywords or the Geo.X Keywords.

Based on your choice from the Geo.X Keywords, the form suggests alternative terms, which you may accept or reject. New suggestions made by you will be added to the vocabulary after careful review.

Discipline

The disciplines you find in this keyword list are classified according to a controlled vocabulary for Earth and Planetary Sciences adpated from COPDESS. If your discipline is not part of the list you may also enter an individual term. We will review this term and add it to the keyword list upon suitability. Multiple entries are possible. The disciplines may be also used as a filter in LabInfrastructure@Geo.X.

Links

In this section, you are asked to provide the links to your laboratory’s German and/or English website. This will allow the user to obtain information directly from your specific websites in case of further questions. If available, you may also provide the URL of an important project carried out in your laboratory.

Data Publications

Here you can provide essential data publications originating from your laboratory. It will give an impression of the data produced in your laboratory, so that potential users can better prepare for enquiries.

Key Publications

Here you can provide publications describing the concept or instrumental setup of your laboratory possibly in combination with representative data sets. This will give an impression of the work done in your laboratory, so that potential users can better prepare for enquiries.

Access Mode

Access to a laboratory can be classified according to defined access modes. You are asked to select the access mode to your laboratory; multiple entries are possible. In the next upgrade of LabInfrastructure@Geo.X, the access mode(s) for the laboratories will be made visible and available as a filter function.

Regulations

If your laboratory has user regulations (access policy), please upload them in this section. This information may clarify questions from potential users in advance.

Picture

A picture of your laboratory for the graphical illustration of your laboratory entry is highly welcome! We recommend to upload a picture in 16:9 format (landscape format) with a resolution of 1280x720 px or higher. This will ensure that your laboratory entry looks appropriate on the website.

Additional Info

Here you can provide additional information, e.g., concerning services provided by your laboratory or further links.

In case of further questions regarding LabInfrastructure@Geo.X please contact Manja Luzi-Helbing.