Data Resources and Templates

Forms and templates for submitting your metadata to the ACT Network Data Portal

The ACT Network and OTN-compatible nodes have defined standards for documenting the metadata affiliated with acoustic telemetry projects. Below are the templates members are required to use. Detection data should be provided in raw output from offloaded equipment. All files should be loaded to your project repository (i.e. project folder) or emailed to east.coast.telemetry@gmail.com.

Project Metadata

  1. Open the template using a text editor (Notepad, Notepad++, Nano, etc.)
  2. Within each section includes instructions to write in, or copy-paste, your information (title, abstract, etc.). Ensure you are following the format described for each section as this document needs to be machine-readable. Please leave the formatting instructions in the document, simply add your text below it.
  3. Save the document as a .txt file and submit to your data manager (east.coast.telemetry@gmail.com).

Tag Metadata

  1. Review the Data Dictionary tab for mandatory column formats.
  2. Obtain your vendor specifications from the tag-purchaser and pre-fill the template with the information copied and pasted directly from the specifications file. This includes fields such as manufacturer, model, serial number, tag ID code, code space, and tag battery life.
  3. If you are using sensor tags, or any tag with more than 1 pinger ID per tag, each ID must have its own row in the spreadsheet.
  4. Once the sheet is pre-filled, you can begin adding your tagging information. This includes the species of each tagged animal, morphometric measurements, date (and time where possible) of tagging, and location of tagging. You can use the filter/sort functions in Excel to work with one (or several) tag serial numbers at a time.
  5. Final steps include adding additional information for columns like harvest date and comments.
  6. Review to make sure you haven't missed any of the mandatory fields and submit to your project repository.

Instrument Deployment Metadata

  1. Open your most recent deployment metadata (to update with new mission information) or a blank template.
  2. Review the Data Dictionary tab for mandatory column formats.
  3. Begin by adding information for all new deployments into new rows in the spreadsheet. Fill all the station names, deployment locations and ensure you include which instrument serial number was deployed at each location.
  4. Add your recovery/retrieval information to any lines where the deployment has ended (receiver has returned to the surface for download, servicing, or moving to a new station). Recovery information includes a status indicator (lost, found, Y, or N) and a recovery date. You can use the filter/sort functions in Excel to work with one (or several) stations at a time.
  5. Final steps include adding additional information including comments, riser lengths and bottom depths.
  6. Review to make sure you haven't missed any of the mandatory fields and submit to your project repository.

Movers/Gliders Metadata Form

  1. Please include one line per instrument deployed, not one line per platform (Glider, animal, etc).
  2. PLATFORM_ID and ACT_MISSION_ID should both be in uppercase.
  3. ACT_MISSION_ID should be formatted like PLATFORM_ID + yyyy_mm_dd. (e.g. HGM2022_20220320)
  4. If detections are available, please set RECOVERED = Y for the instrument that provided detections.
  5. In addition, upload GPS Track File and Detection File into your project repository.

Innovasea & ACT Authorization Form

This is an agreement between ACT researchers, Innvoasea and the ACT data manager. It grants access for the ACT data manager to receiver equipment specifications. Send your Innovasea equipment specifications to the node manager. Complete the authorization form and email to east.coast.telemetry@gmail.com.