FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Data Distribution Policy

FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC is a joint Taiwan-United States (U.S.) mission. The primary sponsors of the mission are Taiwan's National Science Council and National Space Organization (NSPO), and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Navy, Air Force, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), working through the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC will use a constellation of six remote sensing micro-satellites to collect atmospheric data to demonstrate their uses and applications in weather prediction, ionosphere, climate and gravity research. To that end, the mission sponsors encourage the use of these data in a wide variety of applications and research projects.
1. "Data" means all data transmitted from the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC satellites, in any form. "Data Products" means all intermediate and final result products derived from the Data that are processed, produced and made available by CDAAC (COSMIC Data Analysis and Archival Center) and TACC (Taiwan Analysis Center for COSMIC). These products are vertical profiles of bending angles, refractivity, electron density, temperature, pressure, and water vapor in the atmosphere.
2. All Data shall be deemed proprietary information owned by NSPO and shall not be sold, transferred, licensed, leased, rented, redistributed, modified or used without the prior written consent of NSPO. Such consent may be obtained through a Data Use Agreement, as described below.
3.

A "Data Use Agreement" is required for the use of all FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Data and Data Products. "User" is defined in the "Data Use Agreement". An online Data Use Agreement will be available on the NSPO TACC and the UCAR CDAAC web sites for users to acess electronically. The application for the "Data Use Agreement" must be submitted electronically to NSPO for review and approval, with a copy going to UCAR. FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Data and Data Products will be provided at no cost or at the cost of reproduction and distribution. The database of authorized users will be available to both NSPO and UCAR.

4. Unless limitations are imposed under the provision of paragraph (7), all Data and Data Products will be made available at the end of each UTC day on the CDAAC and TACC web sites for scientific research (~2 hours after UTC midnight). Post-processed and reprocessed Data Products shall be made available after completion (weeks to months after Data collection) of the post-processing and re-processing tasks.
5. Unless limitations are imposed under the provision of paragraph (7), CDAAC/TACC will distribute near-real-time neutral atmosphere Data Products immediately after processing in WMO-approved BUFR format to NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), which will then distribute these Products via the GTS to international weather centers. The international weather centers that use the Data Products shall complete the "Data Use Agreement" and submit it to NSPO.
6.

Unless limitations are imposed under the provision of paragraph (7), CDAAC/TACC will distribute near-real time GPS ionospheric Data Products in [TBD] format and via a [TBD] distribution system immediately after processing. Access to other real-time Data (i.e., level 0, GPS phase, GPS amplitude, raw TIP counts, etc.) and Data Products other than the BUFR files and ionospheric Products requires special arrangements with and approval from NSPO and UCAR. Real-time use is defined as use sooner than the ~2 hours after UTC midnight in paragraph (4) above. The raw FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Data (e.g., GPS phase and amplitude data) will not be distributed in real time. Under some special cases, and at NSPO's and UCAR's sole discretion, the real-time raw Data may be distributed to selected users subject to certain restrictions. Requests for the real-time raw Data will be reviewed jointly by the NSPO Director General and the UCAR President. In the event such requests are granted, a special data use license will be established with conditions of use.
7. Some additional limitations may be placed on Data Products at the request of the specific Principal Investigator (PI) requiring Data check-out time. These requests must be approved by NSPO and UCAR. Upon approval by NSPO and UCAR, the PI may limit distribution of the Data Products for a period of up th six (6) months from initial Data reception on the ground.

 

Conditions for real-time use of FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Data Products include:
a. The real-time Data Products may not be distributed to third parties without written permission from NSPO and UCAR.
b. The user may not sell, or transfer for a fee, the real-time Data Products.
c. How the real-time Data Products are to be used will be disclosed to NSPO and UCAR at the time of the original request and throughout the term of the license if the use changes.
d. Scientific or technical publications, press releases or other communications regarding the real-time Data Products or products derived from them will acknowledge NSPO and UCAR for providing the Data or Data Products.
This Data Distribution Policy is effective for two years from the data of launch of the satellites. This policy shall be reviewed periodically to ensure that scientific and operational applications of the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC Data are not impeded. The Policy is subject to change as circumstances may require and as deemed necessary by either or both NSPO and UCAR.