Towards a Common Controlled Vocabulary for Device Types in Helmholtz Research Area Earth and Environment

The Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration (HMC) Hub Earth and Environment aims to establish a framework for semantic interoperability across the diverse research data platforms within the Helmholtz research area Earth and Environment (E&E). Standardizing metadata annotation and harmonizing the use of semantic resources are critical for bridging gaps in data sharing, discovery, and reuse. To develop a common community-driven solution, the HMC, in collaboration with the E&E DataHub, has established the formal "Metadata-Semantics" Working Group, bringing together interested data stewards from key Helmholtz research data platforms in the E&E domain. As part of its strategy to standardize metadata annotation in collaboration with the community, the working group will initially focus on harmonizing device-type denotations in two Helmholtz sensor registries: the O2A REGISTRY, developed at AWI, and the Sensor Management System (SMS), operated by the UFZ, GFZ, KIT and the FZJ. The harmonization process includes the development of a common FAIR controlled vocabulary and establishing a peer-reviewed curation approach for the vocabulary. The common vocabulary enables the creation of referenceable ad-hoc terms when necessary, implements version control and quality control mechanisms, and ensures interlinkage with existing terminologies in the field (e.g., NERC L05, L06, ODM2, GCMD).The vocabulary will be developed in collaboration with experts from various disciplines within Helmholtz E&E, with contributors also from the other data infrastructures so that it will eventually be applicable to other research data entities in Helmholtz E&E (e.g., PANGAEA or GFZ data services). Furthermore, a strategy and governance framework will be developed, allowing for hosting and maintaining the vocabulary using terminology services provided by the Base4NFDI consortium. By consolidating expertise, tools, and infrastructures, this initiative effectively bundles resources from various experts distributed at the Helmholtz centers. We envision that the solution outlined for creating, maintaining and hosting terms for measurement device types is also applicable to the creation of other collaboratively used terminologies relevant in the research field. This effort will result in general recommendations for establishing semantic interlinkages across research data infrastructures.