.. Put any comments here
Be sure to indent at this level to keep it in comment.
****************
Introduction
****************
.. include..:: metadata.rst
Introducing StationXML
=======================
StationXML is an XML representation of metadata that describes the data collected by
geophysical instrumentation.
-------
metadata
- Information that describes how/where/when data was collected
- Data that describes data
XML = eXtensible Markup Language
- Designed to be self-descriptive
- Commonly used to distribute data over the internet
-------
StationXML is defined by a schema that specifies the allowable format of StationXML files.
StationXML Example
-----------------------
.. toggle-header::
:header: Example of StationXML **Show/Hide Code**
::
IRIS-DMCIRIS WEB SERVICE: fdsnws-station | version: 1.1.35http://service.iris.edu/fdsnws/station/1/query?starttime=1990-01-27T06&network=IU&level=response2018-11-08T14:57:56.000000ZGlobal Seismograph Network (GSN - IRIS/USGS)2696
...
...
Note that each XML element must have a start tag (e.g., ) and an end tag ()
and the element hierarchy must be maintained (e.g., a may not exist outside
of a and a may not exist outside of a , etc.).
The FDSN and StationXML schema
----------------------------------
StationXML was developed through the International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks
(FDSN) to provide a standardized format for geophysical metadata.
Notice that the example StationXML excerpt above contains the following line::
This specifies the location and version of the schema
to which the StationXML example must conform.
The FDSN maintains all versions of the StationXML schema at:
``_
For instance, at the time of this writing, the latest schema version is v1.1 and is
located at:
``_
How This Documentation is Organized
=========================================
This documentation has 5 parts:
#. This introduction
#. StationXML Reference - Over time, once users have absorbed the other parts of the
documentation, it is expected that this reference section will be the most frequently
used. The reference section is auto-generated directly from the FDSN schema so that it
should always be in sync with the schema.
The reference itself is broken out by the 5 levels of response detail:
* FDSNStationXML
* Network
* Station
* Channel
* Response
#. Specifying and using response information - In this section you will find theory and examples
to help you create instrument responses for your own stations.
#. StationXML tools - contains examples of 3rd party tools available to help users create and edit
StationXML files. This is expected to be a fluid page that changes as new tools become
available and older tools are deprecated.
#. Appendices - In here you will find more technical details on specific parts of StationXML and metadata.
For instance, the first section, Mapping SEED to StationXML, is meant to be used as a reference to help
users migrate their SEED format metadata to StationXML
Some History - SEED
=======================
For three decades, the Standard for the Exchange of Earthquake Data
(`SEED `_) was the standard
format for archiving and distributing metadata within the seismological community.
Once representing file volumes binding metadata to data, a provision was later developed
that allowed SEED metadata to stand on its own and was given the designation 'dataless SEED'.
StationXML was developed through the FDSN (International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks)
as a replacement and extension of the SEED standard.
The purpose of the FDSN StationXML schema (`fdsn-station.xsd `_)
is to define an XML representation of the most important and
commonly used structures of SEED 2.4 metadata with enhancements.
The goal of this document is to allow mapping between SEED 2.4 dataless SEED volumes and the StationXML schema with as little
transformation or loss of information as possible, while at the same time simplifying station
metadata representation when possible. Also, content and clarification has been added where
lacking in the SEED standard.
ChangeLog
=======================
History of changes to FDSN schema
.. include:: changelog.rst