Dataset Redistribution Evidence Audit

Status: release-evidence audit, initially reviewed 2026-09-25, workbook/package scope rechecked 2026-09-30, and derived-asset records verified 2026-10-03. This is a release-planning record, not legal advice. It supplements the concise provenance_inventory.md.

Purpose and release rule

EnvGeo-Seawater currently reads several consolidated workbooks from dataset/. A source being downloadable, cited, or visible in a public repository does not by itself establish that the derived workbook may be redistributed in a Git repository, Python wheel, Zenodo archive, or another release artifact.

The project policy is to retain the current scholarly-use approach: identify the dataset DOI or canonical source, cite it as requested, record access date and transformations, and do not present third-party data as project-owned. This audit does not call for removing the currently cited public workbooks. No additional provider enquiry is planned before public release or manuscript submission. A future installed-package or Zenodo design must preserve this metadata and revisit an item only if an explicit restriction, reviewer concern, or rights-holder request arises.

Recorded current-distribution decision for NASA GISS and CoralHydro2k

The project has decided to continue the current scholarly-use distribution of the NASA GISS and PAGES CoralHydro2k-derived workbooks through public use and manuscript submission. This decision is based on their traceable public source records, the documented source-to-workbook checks and transformations, and the project’s prior communication about data-quality findings. Retain the source URL, version, DOI where applicable, access date, required citation, and transformation record. Do not describe either dataset as project-owned.

Private correspondence, contact details, replies, and attachments are not release metadata and must not be copied into the repository, wheel, release notes, Zenodo archive, or public documentation. Reconsider the decision only if an explicit restriction, a rights-holder request, or a concrete reviewer concern arises.

Current package-data decision (2026-09-28)

All current dataset/*.xlsx workbooks are included in the EnvGeo-Seawater package. This is the project’s documented scholarly-use distribution decision for the current cited, public data collection. Each workbook must retain its source citation, DOI or canonical source where available, access date, and known project-side schema or display transformations. Inclusion does not make the underlying records project-owned, and does not automatically apply to a future dataset added to the collection.

Verified package snapshot (2026-09-30)

A read-only comparison confirmed that the five dataset/*.xlsx workbooks selected by pyproject.toml are byte-identical in the canonical working folder and the stable seawater_map clone. Their filenames, worksheet names, row/column counts, and SHA-256 checksums are recorded in provenance_inventory.md. No workbook content was modified by this audit. The tracked local_data/user_data.xlsx sample is a zero-row, 22-column public template in both locations. On 2026-10-03, its workbook metadata was regenerated without a local absolute-path field; its headers, zero-row state, and visible template formatting were retained.

The unused legacy files data/reference.xlsx and data/seawater_data_sample.xlsx were removed from both application trees on 2026-10-03. Byte-identical recovery copies are retained only in a local historical archive outside the application and public-release trees; they are not wheel, GitHub Release, or Zenodo inputs.

Findings by resource

Resource Evidence confirmed Ongoing release safeguard Packaging decision now
local_data/user_data.xlsx Project-created, zero-value template; headers, zero-row state, visible formatting, and absence of a local absolute-path metadata field were verified 2026-10-03. Maintain its zero-value state and metadata-safe workbook form in public synchronization. May remain tracked and bundled as a sample.
Natural Earth land and derived coastline CSVs Natural Earth states that its data are public domain. Natural Earth 50m land is documented separately; 50m/110m CSV intermediates, output checksums, and numerical correspondence were verified 2026-10-03. Retain credit, intermediate-file record, and output checksums. Original raw-download checksums were not retained. Included under the documented public-domain source record.
Derived bathymetry/GEBCO_2025_6min.nc GEBCO states that the Grid is public domain and allows redistribution subject to attribution, disclaimer, and non-navigation terms. NetCDF history, retained generator, grid dimensions, and output checksum were verified 2026-10-03. Retain the GEBCO 2025 citation, disclaimer, non-navigation notice, generator, and output checksum. Original input-grid checksum was not retained. Included under the documented GEBCO source record.
01_ECS_JAPAN_SEA_Kodam_et_al_2024.xlsx Publication DOI/citation, analytical record, current row count, and output checksum are recorded. Preserve the source location, version/access date when available, citation, and transformation record. Included in the current package under the documented scholarly-use policy.
11_AROUND_JAPAN_PUB_20260305.xlsx Four regional source labels, citations, current row count, and output checksum are recorded. Preserve the row/source mapping, citations, and transformations for contributing records. Included in the current package under the documented scholarly-use policy.
71_GLOBA_NASA_20260226.xlsx data_text/NASA_references.md records the GISS reference URL, database v1.22 citation, source URL, and access date 2026-03-01. external_dataset_workbook_notes.md records the 25,514-row comparison, schema labels, and Transect = Nasa_database. Retain the source/version/access record, the Transect convention, and the change record. Review only if an explicit restriction, reviewer concern, or rights-holder request arises. Retain current scholarly-use distribution with citation; do not represent it as project-owned.
71_GLOBAL_Atwood_et_al_2026_v02.xlsx data_text/CoralHydro2_references.md records the NCEI study URL, project DOI, cited Atwood et al. reference, and access date 2026-03-16. external_dataset_workbook_notes.md records the 18,598-row comparison, source-column mapping, the 2026-10-06 short-reference completion, Transect field, and date-format representation. Retain the DOI, source/access record, requested citation, and change record. Review any study-specific restriction if it is identified. Retain current scholarly-use distribution with citation; do not represent it as project-owned.
72_GLOBAL_RECENT_REPORTS_20260302.xlsx It is a 35-row project compilation currently labelled Sakamoto et al. (2022); its current output checksum is recorded. Preserve its row/source mapping, citations, and transformations for report-derived records. Included in the current package under the documented scholarly-use policy.

Scientific-provenance consequence for T–S Stage 2

The NASA GISS database documentation cautions that temperature can be either in-situ or potential temperature and that original references may be needed to resolve missing information. Therefore the current global workbook must not be treated as a uniform, TEOS-10-ready source for automatic SA/CT conversion. Any Stage 2 calculation needs row-level declarations for salinity type, temperature type, pressure/depth, and latitude/longitude, with an explicit skip/fallback for rows without verified metadata.

Terms review result (2026-09-25)

NASA GISS. The database page provides a specified v1.22 citation and a research download, while describing a collection assembled from independent sources. The project will use the database under ordinary scholarly practice: retain its requested citation, source URL, access date, and transformation record. No additional contact is planned before release or manuscript submission. If a rights-holder, reviewer, or explicit restriction raises a concern, reassess the affected records promptly.

Known NASA selection convention. The source database has no transect metadata usable by the application. For the application’s sub-dataset selector, every NASA row is assigned Transect = Nasa_database. This is an application grouping label, not a source-supplied oceanographic transect and must be described as such in future data documentation.

PAGES / NCEI. The collection has a public study page, a dataset DOI, and a specified scholarly citation. NCEI’s general policy distinguishes federally produced data from external deposits, and the CC BY 4.0 on the ESSD article is the article licence rather than a substitute dataset licence. The project will retain the existing cited-workbook distribution with complete provenance. No additional contact is planned before release or manuscript submission. Any explicit study-level restriction or request will be recorded and acted on.

Evidence package for future additions or changes

For a new source, or when replacing a currently bundled workbook, add a small machine- and human-readable record for each source:

  1. Dataset title, owner/publisher, canonical landing URL, DOI or identifier.
  2. Dataset version, retrieval date, original filename/checksum, and local output checksum.
  3. Licence or terms where stated, plus required attribution and any known restrictions.
  4. Exact input rows/fields used and every transformation, filter, unit change, or manually curated correction.
  5. Required scientific citation and acknowledgement text.
  6. Recorded scholarly-use decision and any restriction or escalation path that becomes relevant.
  1. Maintain this evidence package for the project-owned and regional workbooks; add source-level detail when a workbook is changed or a new source is added.
  2. Retain DOI/source, access-date, citation, and transformation records for each third-party source. Do not make additional enquiries before release or manuscript submission unless a concrete issue requires it.
  3. Keep the selected full-data scholarly-use package scope: all current dataset/*.xlsx workbooks remain included, with source citations and provenance records retained per source.
  4. Record this mode in pyproject.toml package-data declarations, README installation instructions, release notes, Zenodo metadata, and the future JOSS archive.

Primary sources checked