MAKING TEPHRA DATA ACCESSIBLE AND INTEROPERABLE THROUGH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN BEST PRACTICES FOR DIGITAL DATA COLLECTION AND DOCUMENTATION

Volcanic ash and tuff, or tephra, are critical to geoscientists and archaeologists as widespread time stratigraphic markers and as indicators of past volcanic activity. Research into tephra production, distribution, and characterization supports the use of tephra as a tool for global, interdisciplinary research. These broad uses of tephra will be enhanced by ensuring that tephra data is FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) and interconnected. Interdisciplinary use of tephra has exacerbated issues related to data access and integration created by data fragmentation, incomplete documentation, and a lack of standardization across the broader community. The explosion of cryptotephra studies has also made traditional regional and lab-specific data compilations insufficient for many applications because the potential volcanic sources that must now be considered may be spread across an entire hemisphere or further. Domain experts must establish a framework for data interoperability to ensure the continued growth of tephra as a critical element within the geoscientific framework.

Recommendations for best practices in tephra studies, from sample collection through analysis and data reporting (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3866266) have been developed and are being incorporated into digital tools and data repositories. Widespread adoption will improve the effectiveness of data sharing among the diverse community of tephra researchers and users. Here we report on 1) templates for sample, method, and data reporting, 2) a tephra module in the StraboSpot field app (https://strabospot.org), and 3) implementations at SESAR and EarthChem, including a tephra community portal (https://earthchem.org/communities/tephra/). Implementation in the Sparrow laboratory data system (https://sparrow-data.org/) is underway. We also report on re-usable analytical method descriptors, now implemented at EarthChem, and the association of sample and quality control reference material data for individual analytical sessions. Data linking is facilitated by extensive use of unique identifiers including ORCIDs for people, IGSNs for field sites and samples; DOIs for publications, data, and methods; and Smithsonian IDs for volcanoes and eruptions. These developments allow users to follow simple workflows to archive data and facilitate faster access to key research by secondary users.