Metadata

Filename: metadata.csv

The metadata template captures deployment, audio recording, and project information. Each row represents one deployment with its associated recording configuration. The deployment_code must be unique for each deployment and is used to link records across the three templates. The metadata template is required for all PARS submissions.

Download Blank Metadata Template

Quick Reference

Field Details

`deployment_organization_code`

Required Data Type: Code Reference Table: Organizations

Code for the organization that owns the deployment and collected the recording audio.

Examples
`NEFSC`
`WHOI`

`deployment_code`

Required Data Type: Text Constraint: Unique

Unique identifier for the deployment. Recommendation is to use the format: [organization]_[project/region]_[YYYYMM]_[site_code]; however, any unique string is permissable.

Examples
`WHOI_GOM_202310_WE03`
`WHOI_MA-RI_202210_WE16`
`NEFSC_MA-RI_202110_NS01`
`NEFSC_MA-RI_202202_COX02`

`project_name`

Required Data Type: Text

Code of the project that the deployment belongs to. Only need to create a project code if there are multiple deployments that should be grouped together.

Examples
`WHOI_GOM_202310`
`NEFSC_MA-RI_202202`

`site_code`

Required Data Type: Text

Code of the site that the deployment was located at. For mobile platforms (e.g., gliders, drifting buoys), the site can be a general region and does not need a unique latitude/longitude.

Examples
`COX`
`GOM`
`COX01`
`NS02`

`monitoring_start_datetime`

Required Data Type: Timestamp

Date and time of the start of the recording.

Examples
`2025-03-26T15:34:27-0500`
`2025-03-26T20:34:27Z`

`monitoring_end_datetime`

Required Data Type: Timestamp

Date and time of the end of the recording.

Examples
`2025-09-17T07:54:28-0500`
`2025-09-17T12:54:28Z`

`deployment_latitude`

Required Data Type: Float Constraint: -90 ≤ value ≤ 90

Latitude of deployment in decimal degrees. For mobile platforms, enter the latitude of the initial position of the deployment (i.e., starting point of the track).

Examples
`41.141289`

`deployment_longitude`

Required Data Type: Float Constraint: -180 ≤ value ≤ 180

Longitude of deployment in decimal degrees. Negative for locations in the western hemisphere. For mobile platforms, enter the longitude of the initial position of the deployment (i.e., starting point of the track).

Examples
`-71.102908`

`deployment_platform_type_code`

Required Data Type: Code Reference Table: Platform Types

Type of recording platform.

Examples
`ELECTRIC_GLIDER`
`BOTTOM_MOUNTED_MOORING`

`deployment_platform_id`

Optional Data Type: Text

Unique identify for the platform (e.g., buoy, mooring, glider, etc.)

Examples
`SLOCUM-WE16`

`deployment_water_depth_m`

Required Data Type: Float Constraint: ≥ 0

Total water depth from surface to bottom (in meters) at deployment location. Value must be a positive number.

Examples
`36`
`27.5`

`recording_device_depth_m`

Required Data Type: Float Constraint: ≥ 0

Depth of the hydrophone in meters at the deployment location. For mobile platforms, enter the initial depth at the start of the deployment. Value must be a positive number.

Examples
`3`
`37.1`

`recording_device_code`

Required Data Type: Text

Unique identifier for the device (i.e., recorder or hydrophone) used to record the audio.

Examples
`SOUNDTRAP-6078`
`DMON2-23`
`RESON-1951`

`recording_device_type_code`

Required Data Type: Code Reference Table: Device Types

Type of device used to record the audio.

Examples
`SOUNDTRAP`
`DMON`

`recording_duration_secs`

Required Data Type: Float Constraint: ≥ 0

The duration of recording per interval (the amount of time, in seconds, the recorder is turned "on" within the recording cycle). For continuous recordings, the recording_duration_secs and recording_interval_secs will both be equal to the number of seconds in a file, or a set amount of time if sound file lengths varied for continuous recording. If the first 10 minutes of every hour is recorded, then recording_duration_secs is "600" and recording_interval_secs is "3000". For continuous recordings, both fields might be set to 1 hour for both, or "3600".

Examples
`600`
`3600`

`recording_interval_secs`

Required Data Type: Float Constraint: ≥ 0

The interval over which a duty cycled recording takes place (the total amount of time, in seconds, the recorder is turned "on" and "off" within the recording cycle). For continuous recordings, this entry will be equal to the recording_duration_secs. If the first 10 minutes of every hour is recorded, then recording_duration_secs is "600" and recording_interval_secs is "3000". For continuous recordings, both fields might be set to 1 hour for both, or "3600".

Examples
`600`
`3600`

`recording_sample_rate_khz`

Required Data Type: Float Constraint: ≥ 0

Sample rate in kHz of the audio recording.

Examples
`2`
`96`

`recording_bit_depth`

Required Data Type: Integer Constraint: ≥ 0

Resolution in bit depth of the audio recording.

Examples
`16`
`24`

`recording_n_channels`

Required Data Type: Integer Constraint: ≥ 0 Default: 1

For multi-channel recordings, the total number of channels for the audio recording. For single-channel recordings, enter "1" or leave blank (default is "1").

Examples
`1`
`2`
`5`

`recording_timezone`

Required Data Type: Timezone

Timezone of the raw soundfiles.

Examples
`UTC`
`UTC-5`
`UTC-4`
`UTC+8`

`dynamic_management_platform`

Optional Data Type: Bool

Indicates if this deployment is a Dynamic Management Platform (DMP) that generates real-time detections for supporting management decisions (e.g., Robots4Whales).

Examples
`TRUE`
`FALSE`

`deployment_url`

Optional Data Type: Url

URL to external website showing deployment status and/or detections (e.g., Robots4Whales).

Examples
`https://dcs.whoi.edu/gom2510/gom2510_we15.shtml`

`points_of_contact`

Required Data Type: Text

The primary person(s) responsible for the project. Please include the full name and email address in the format "First Last <email>". Multiple POCs can be listed using comma separation. IMPORTANT: this information will be publicly shown on PACM as the POC information for your data so users can contact you with questions.

Examples
`Sofie Van Parijs <sofie.vanparijs@noaa.gov>`
`Sofie Van Parijs <sofie.vanparijs@noaa.gov>, Genevieve Davis <genevieve.davis@noaa.gov>`

`project_funding`

Required Data Type: Text

The funding source for this project.

Examples
`Navy Program N45`
`NSF Grant #905302`