Gaia XML Elements

Common attributes used

Common attributes are described below

id

A unique reference to the element. They are generated as element-name_number to ensure uniqueness. Examples: node_1, channel_10.

node_id, channel_id etc

The value of the corresponding ID field in the database. The values are guaranteed to be unique for that type of element, but not within the entire document. node_id etc provides easier access in JavaScript. Note that there is no guarantee that the values are continous. Values usually start at 1.

xlink

For linking from XML document to other documents (both XML and non-XML).

XML Elements

continent

Name of a continent. Recognised values are: Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Contains no elements.

country

Name of a country (in English). Contains no elements.

data_channel

Data channel, such as the filter selection from an all-sky imager. Contains elements:

• name (required)
• is_greyscale (true | false) (Would this be better to be an attribute?)
• keogram_fstr (required)
• thumbnail_fstr (optional)
• start/end dates (how best to implement? Separate optional dates with attribute start or end?)
• description
• mirror_list (required, but can be empty; or optional?)
• fallback_server

institute

Academic, research or other institute responsible in some way for the data production. Contains elements:

• name (required)
• address (optional?)
• country? (else names may clash between countries)

latitude

Geographic (or maybe geodetic latitude). Valid values: -90 <= value <= 90. North is positive.

location

A geographic location. Contains elements:

• latitude (required)
• longitude (required)
• placename (optional)
• state/county/province? (optional)
• country (optional)
• continent (optional)

longitude

Geographic (or maybe geodetic longitude). Valid values: -180 <= value <= 360. East is positive.

node

A mode from which GAIA data may be fetched (not all nodes will store all data), and which will support REST web services. Contains elements:

• location
• timeout
• description
• online (or maybe this should be an attribute?)

Test implementation uses the following elements:

• continent
• country
• timeout
• description
• online
• icon (with required attributes width and height)

nodes

List of nodes, possibly containing some which are offline. Contains elements:

• nodes (optional?)

person

Person, eg for contact details. Contains elements:

• firstname (optional)
• lastname (required)
• email (optional)
• url/uri/homepage?
• institute (optional, one max)

placename

Placename, normally with native spelling.

project

Project.
give definition for project.

Contains elements:

• name (required)
• abbreviation (required)
• institute (1+ required)
• principal_investigators (1+ required?)
• contacts (optional, any number)
• rules_of_the_road?
• citation?
• data_acknowledgement_text?

station

Somewhere where data is recorded.

• abbreviation (required)
• location (required? Need to have an alternate selection, location or satellite?)
• satellite? (see above)
• data_channel (1+)

Notes

• It would be helpful if the elements we use in all XML documents have the same basic meaning (e.g., abbreviation is a short word, no spaces etc, regardless of project abbreviation, site abbreviation etc.)
• mirror_list may need to be empty, unless mirror_list itself is optional for data_channels.
• Synchronisation details for data channels deliberately ommitted (public disclosure not desirable).
• Should project contain multiple institutes, or should they be contained inside an institute_list?
• How should start and end dates be entered? As multiple date elements, with start and end name/type attributes?
• Need some kind of XML interface for data availability.