Physical samples (or specimen or artefacts) represent the origin of research results in many scientific disciplines. Assigning persistent identifier (PID) to samples is a fundamental step to make them discoverable and traceable in unambiguous way over the Web. The International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) is a PID for physical samples and connecting these with their online description following a dedicated metadata schema.
Sample descriptions of samples are available in various formats and detail. In order to publish them in a standardized manner and to automate and standardize the preparation and processing, the software product SAMIRA (Sample IGSN Registration Automation) was created as part of the Project FAIR WISH, funded by the Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration (HMC).
SAMIRA aims to automate the generation of Metadata XML-Files for the Registration of PIDs from different input sources (e.g. the FAIR Samples Template, Wiezcorek et al., 2023). This first version of SAMIRA implements the creation of IGSN metadata and Datacite metadata and the respective registration.
FAIR Workflows to establish IGSN for Samples in the Helmholtz Association” (FAIR WISH) is a joint project between the Helmholtz Centres GFZ, AWI and Hereon funded within the HMC Project Cohorte 2020 of the Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration Platform HMC.
The International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) is a globally unique and persistent identifier (PID) for physical samples and collections with discovery function in the internet. IGSNs enable to directly link data and publications with samples they originate from and thus close one of the last gaps in the full provenance of research results.
FAIR WISH will (1) develop standardised and discipline specific IGSN metadata schemes for different samples types within the research field Earth and Environment (EaE) that are complementing the core IGSN metadata schema; and (2) develop workflows to generate machine-readable IGSN metadata from different states of digitisation (from templates to databases) and to automatically register IGSNs. Our use cases were selected to include the large variety of sample types from different sub-disciplines across the project partners (e.g. terrestrial, marine environments, rock, soil, vegetation, water samples) and represent all states of digitization: from individual scientists, collecting sample descriptions in their field books to digital sample management systems fed by an app that is used in the field.
