Data policy and management

Amundsen Science is committed to advancing open data and open science by fostering transparency, accessibility, and collaboration in polar research and monitoring. Our data policy, aligns with the Data Management Principles for Polar Research and Monitoring in Canada and adheres to the research data management policy and strategy of Université Laval, which complies with the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy. Through this initiative, Amundsen Science aims to:

Promote responsible data management, ensuring datasets are freely available, accessible, and reusable for the global research community in accordance with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).
Support researchers and programs aboard the CCGS Amundsen with transparent, sustainable data management solutions.

The Amundsen Science Data Collection encompasses datasets generated through the core scientific instrumentation of the CCGS Amundsen and those produced in collaboration with partner programs or organizations.

Specifically, it includes:

Data collected using the ship’s core scientific equipment, funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, other public sources, or the non-profit corporation Amundsen Science.
Datasets managed by the Amundsen Science technical team at Université Laval and CEOS-University of Manitoba, particularly from CFI-funded equipment.
Mooring data gathered in partnership with various programs and curated by Amundsen Science.

Open Data and Open Science Principles

Amundsen Science is dedicated to open data and open science, ensuring data practices promote accessibility, reproducibility, and scientific progress. Our core principles include:

Open Data Accessibility

Maximizing access through open repositories, including a CKAN-based catalogue at catalogue.amundsenscience.com for metadata exports (CSV, PDF, HTML) and an ERDDAP server at erddap.amundsenscience.com for data queries and downloads in formats like NetCDF, CSV, JSON, HTML tables, OPeNDAP subsets, and more. These platforms, integrated with the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS) portal, were initially hosted in the Polar Data Catalogue (PDC) and are being progressively migrated, with full availability by late October 2025.

DOI Archiving

Utilizing Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for data longevity, traceability, and attribution.

Transparency

Providing clear documentation of data management methods and processes.

Ethical Data Use

Ensuring sensitive datasets, including those involving Indigenous knowledge, align with the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance and require prior informed consent.

Continuous Improvement

Enhancing data management across the lifecycle, including:

- Regular updates to the Data Management Plan.
- Standardized data acquisition protocols.
- Robust data safety and secure backups.
- Rigorous Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) processes.
- Long-term archiving in open formats.
- Streamlined distribution and access for researchers and the public.
- Tracking and sharing scientific outcomes to amplify open data impact.

Data Licensing and Privacy

Most datasets are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, requiring attribution and indication of alterations. Datasets with protected biodiversity or community-sourced elements may have restricted access tiers per our revised policy. Amundsen Science prioritizes data privacy in line with Canada’s Privacy Act, screening datasets for sensitive information (e.g., geolocations near communities) and applying anonymization as needed.

For inquiries, contact amundsen.data@as.ulaval.ca. See our Data Access page for specific datasets and access instructions.

By embracing open data and open science, Amundsen Science drives collaboration, catalyzes scientific breakthroughs, and contributes to global efforts to understand and protect polar environments.