Data Policy

The public domain data available from MPLNET are contributed by the International MPLNET Federation. All project operations, calibrations, and data processing are coordinated by MPLNET staff at NASA. Each site has a Principal Investigator(s) (PI), responsible for deployment, maintenance, and data collection. The PI(s) has priority use of the data collected at the site(s). The PI(s) is entitled to be informed of any other use of the data.

Although journal paper authorship and acknowledgement is the domain of the senior author and no policy is universally applicable, the MPLNET contributors ask that every practical attempt be made to honor the following general guidelines.

Using MPLNET data:

Please consult with the PI(s) of the data to be used. If planning a further investigation or paper it is best to collaborate earlier than later, especially if you are unfamiliar with lidar and/or MPLNET.

Publishing MPLNET data:

Please identify the type of data usage in your publication:

• Significant contribution to the paper/presentation: Please offer co-authorship to the PI(s).
• Minor contribution to the paper/presentation: Please consider co-authorship for the PI(s).

Please provide final citation information to the PI(s) upon publication. This helps us identify use of project data and ensure continued support to the earth science community.

MPLNET Citations:

MPLNET publications must be cited for use of our data. Appropriate citations are available on our Publications page.

Acknowledgements:

Please include the following acknowledgements in any publication or presentation of MPLNET data, regardless of co-authorship status.

• The MPLNET project is funded by the NASA Radiation Sciences Program and Earth Observing System.
• The site PI(s) may provide any additional specific funding acknowledgements.

Please include the following for any PI(s) not included as co-author:
We thank the MPLNET (PI) for (its/theirs) effort in establishing and maintaining (site name(s)) sites.

Please contact the relevant MPLNET project PI and MPLNET partner site PI(s) according to our data policy above.