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Standards index

A survey of approaches that record metadata about environmental-exposure data for reuse, reproducibility, and meta-analysis. Two classes are kept apart deliberately: general standards intended to be reusable across producers, and pipeline sidecars — structured but per-pipeline documentative formats. Generated from standards.yaml; do not edit by hand.

General standards

Standard Unit Purpose Layer Derivation? Relevance EnVar relation
ACDD dataset find discovery absent in_scope Overlaps source_dataset (geospatial_resolution, temporal_resolution, creator, institution); complementary at dataset level.
CDIF dataset find discovery absent peripheral Overlaps source_dataset at discovery and cross-domain linkage level; complementary — EnVar could serve as a domain profile within a CDIF-governed ecosystem.
CF Conventions variable_type define conceptual partial in_scope Overlaps variable_identity and temporal_reference; complementary — CF standard_name is the primary slot in EnVar VariableIdentity.cf_standard_name.
CODATA / GEO Essential Variables variable_type define conceptual absent peripheral Overlaps variable_identity (what to measure); complementary — Essential Variables inform target_vocab_concept in EnVar VariableIdentity.
Croissant dataset define conceptual partial peripheral Overlaps source_dataset and data_layout for ML training use of exposure datasets; complementary but ML-focused.
DataCite Metadata Schema dataset cite discovery partial peripheral Overlaps deposit_metadata and source_dataset citation; complementary — DataCite DOI is the persistent identifier for upstream products an EnVar sidecar documents.
DCAT dataset find discovery absent in_scope Overlaps source_dataset discovery; complementary, operates at dataset layer not instance layer.
DCAT-AP dataset find discovery absent peripheral Overlaps source_dataset discovery; complementary — European environmental datasets documented with an EnVar sidecar would use DCAT-AP for portal interoperability.
DDI variable_type define conceptual partial peripheral Overlaps variable_identity at study/variable level; complementary — DDI variable metadata maps to EnVar VariableIdentity for survey-linked exposure assessments.
Dublin Core dataset find discovery absent peripheral Overlaps source_dataset at minimum-metadata level; complementary — Dublin Core elements (title, creator, date, subject) are typically inherited by the richer standards EnVar targets.
Frictionless Data Package file define conceptual absent peripheral Overlaps data_layout for CSV/tabular exposure outputs; complementary — could describe the companion data file that an EnVar sidecar annotates.
GA4GH Human Exposome Data Standards dataset define conceptual absent in_scope Directly overlaps variable_identity and health_layer_linkage for genomics-linked exposure studies; complementary — EnVar could serve as a domain profile within a future GA4GH exposome framework.
NASA/GCMD DIF dataset find discovery partial peripheral Overlaps source_dataset for NASA-hosted exposure products; complementary — DIF records discovery metadata for datasets whose EnVar sidecar provides instance-level detail.
GeoSPARQL produced_value define conceptual absent peripheral Overlaps spatial_reference for Linked Data encoding; complementary — GeoSPARQL geo:hasGeometry carries the geometry referenced by EnVar SpatialReference.
HL7 FHIR geocoded_row define linkage partial peripheral Overlaps health_layer_linkage at the clinical record level; complementary — FHIR can receive exposure values from an EnVar-documented pipeline.
INSPIRE Directive dataset find discovery partial peripheral Overlaps source_dataset (ISO 19115 compliance requirement); complementary — European exposure datasets used by EnVar-documented pipelines must satisfy INSPIRE metadata requirements.
ISO 19115 dataset find discovery partial in_scope Overlaps source_dataset and spatial_reference; complementary at dataset layer, silent at instance/linkage levels.
OGC Observations, Measurements, and Samples produced_value define instance partial in_scope Overlaps variable_identity, spatial_reference, temporal_reference, and exposure_model; complementary — closest general standard to EnVar's instance-level observation model.
ODM2 produced_value reproduce_pool instance carried in_scope Overlaps variable_identity, exposure_model, uncertainty, and tool_run; most competitive standard with EnVar for in-situ data; EnVar extends scope to gridded/modeled exposures and health linkage.
OGC API Records dataset find discovery absent in_scope Overlaps source_dataset discovery; complementary — OGC API Records surfaces datasets whose instance-level detail is captured in an EnVar sidecar.
OGC SensorThings API produced_value define instance partial in_scope Overlaps variable_identity, spatial_reference, and temporal_reference at observation level; complementary — SensorThings endpoints could serve as upstream data sources documented in EnVar source_dataset.
OMOP CDM geocoded_row reproduce_pool linkage partial in_scope Directly overlaps health_layer_linkage and deposit_metadata; EnVar health_layer_linkage.target_cdm targets OMOP; competing at schema level but complementary as output consumer.
PROV-O produced_value reproduce_pool instance carried in_scope Directly overlaps provenance_chain and tool_run; complementary — EnVar ProvenanceChain is a domain-constrained PROV-O profile.
RO-Crate file reproduce_pool instance carried in_scope Overlaps tool_run and provenance_chain; complementary — RO-Crate WorkflowRun profile is the closest existing standard to EnVar's reproducibility intent at file/package level.
schema.org / science-on-schema.org dataset find discovery absent peripheral Overlaps source_dataset discovery and variable_identity (variableMeasured); complementary — landing page markup linking to EnVar-documented datasets.
SOSA/SSN produced_value define instance partial in_scope Overlaps variable_identity, exposure_model, and provenance_chain; complementary — sosa:usedProcedure maps to EnVar exposure_model.
STAC file find discovery partial in_scope Overlaps source_dataset and spatial_reference; complementary — STAC items provide asset-level discovery linking to EnVar-documented datasets.
WaterML 2.0 produced_value define instance partial peripheral Overlaps variable_identity and temporal_reference for water-quality exposures; complementary — WaterML serializes observations that an EnVar sidecar documents.
WMO WIGOS Metadata Standard dataset define conceptual partial in_scope Overlaps source_dataset and exposure_model (instrument inputs); complementary at station/instrument layer.

Pipeline sidecars

Standard Unit Purpose Layer Derivation? Relevance EnVar relation
DeGAUSS geocoded_row reproduce_pool linkage carried in_scope Directly overlaps linkage_method and health_layer_linkage; DeGAUSS container invocation metadata is the primary reference implementation for EnVar LinkageMethod in pediatric cohort studies.
FHIR PIT geocoded_row reproduce_pool linkage carried in_scope Directly overlaps linkage_method and health_layer_linkage for FHIR-based clinical data; complementary — FHIR PIT invocation metadata is the primary reference implementation for EnVar LinkageMethod in FHIR-based EHR cohorts.
gridMET / Daymet / PRISM sidecars file reproduce_pool instance partial peripheral The gap that EnVar source_dataset and tool_run are designed to replace; competing in intent, complementary until EnVar adoption grows.
PEGS GIS Exposure Codebook variable_type define conceptual carried in_scope Directly overlaps variable_identity, data_layout, source_dataset, spatial_reference, temporal_reference, and exposure_model at the cohort-codebook level; complementary — PEGS per-variable GIS documentation is a reference exemplar for EnVar's variable-level exposure record, not a competing general standard.

Reconciliation with the niehs inventory

Standard Status Where
ISO 19115 already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §8.4 (NASA SEDAC uses ISO 19115 metadata; §12 cross-cutting standards silos discussion)
OGC Observations, Measurements, and Samples new
SOSA/SSN new
CF Conventions already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §3.5 (EPA CMAQ uses CF Conventions/NetCDF), §7.2 (MESA Air uses CF Conventions for model output), §12 (standards silos: CF Conventions named explicitly)
ACDD new
STAC new
OGC API Records new
WMO WIGOS Metadata Standard new
PROV-O new
RO-Crate new
DCAT already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §1.2 (GAIA Toolchain uses DCAT for dataset discovery via meta_dcat_*.json files)
DataCite Metadata Schema new
Frictionless Data Package new
schema.org / science-on-schema.org already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §1.1 (OHDSI GIS WG uses Schema.org for catalog metadata) and §1.2 (GAIA Toolchain uses Schema.org JSON-LD for meta_json-ld_*.json files)
DDI new
Croissant new
CDIF new
OMOP CDM already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §1 (OMOP/OHDSI ecosystem throughout; §1.1 OHDSI GIS WG, §1.2 GAIA, §1.3 N3C, §1.4 SDoH)
HL7 FHIR already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §2.2 (FHIR PIT project uses HL7 FHIR; §9.4 gap analysis explicitly names FHIR; §12 standards silos cross-cutting)
ODM2 new
WaterML 2.0 new
CODATA / GEO Essential Variables new
NASA/GCMD DIF new
GeoSPARQL new
DeGAUSS already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §9.1 (DeGauss listed as primary geocoding tool) and §1.1 (DeGauss named in OHDSI GIS WG linkage method)
gridMET / Daymet / PRISM sidecars new
PEGS GIS Exposure Codebook new
GA4GH Human Exposome Data Standards already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §10.3 (GA4GH Human Exposome Data Standards has a dedicated entry with architecture, Phenopackets linkage, and EnVar relevance notes)
OGC SensorThings API already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §10.2 (OGC Health Domain WG explicitly lists SensorThings API in its standards suite)
DCAT-AP new
Dublin Core new
FHIR PIT already_catalogued projects_inventory.md §2.2 (FHIR PIT has a dedicated project entry including architecture, public resources, and key people)
INSPIRE Directive new

Triaged out

Candidates considered and ruled out of the first-class index, kept for auditability.

  • AGI Glossary of Geology (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Pure geological glossary; not a metadata format.
  • Agroportal (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Agronomic ontology portal; not a metadata format.
  • AGROVOC (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: SKOS thesaurus for agriculture and food; not a metadata format.
  • ANZSRC 2020 (other) — out_of_scope: Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification; research classification scheme, not an environmental-exposure metadata standard.
  • Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Thesaurus (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Pure vocabulary for aquatic and fisheries domain.
  • Astronomical Environment Ontology (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Out of domain for terrestrial environmental-exposure data.
  • BARTOC (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Registry of thesauri and ontologies; not a metadata standard.
  • BCO-DMO (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office repository; platform, not a standard.
  • BioPortal (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Biomedical ontology repository hosting SWEET, ENVO, and others; not a metadata format.
  • CAB Thesaurus (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: CABI agriculture and environment thesaurus; pure vocabulary.
  • CGI Vocabularies Register (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Controlled vocabulary register for geoscience terms; not a metadata format.
  • Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (other) — out_of_scope: Habitat classification scheme for coastal and marine environments; not a metadata format for environmental-exposure data.
  • Collections Descriptions (other) — out_of_scope: TDWG biodiversity collection descriptions; out of scope for environmental-exposure metadata.
  • CSDMS Standard Names (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Variable naming convention for earth surface models; vocabulary-level, not a metadata format.
  • Darwin Core (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Biodiversity observations vocabulary; not designed for environmental-exposure metadata.
  • EcoPortal (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Ecology ontology portal; not a metadata format.
  • ECSO Ecosystems Ontology (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: OWL ontology for ecosystem descriptions; pure vocabulary.
  • EFG (other) — out_of_scope: Extension for Geosciences (biodiversity natural history collections); out of domain.
  • Environment Ontology (vocabulary) — peripheral: OBO ontology for environmental features and biomes; used for concept annotation in SOSA/SSN and EnVar VariableIdentity but is a vocabulary, not a metadata format.
  • Environmental Thesaurus (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: SKOS thesaurus for environmental terms; pure vocabulary.
  • ESIP Community Ontology Repository (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Vocabulary registry and hosting service; not a metadata format.
  • EU Vocabularies (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Controlled vocabularies for EU institutions; not environmental-exposure metadata standards.
  • 4TU.ResearchData (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Dutch research data repository; platform, not a metadata standard.
  • GBIF Vocabulary Service (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Biodiversity vocabulary service; not a metadata format for environmental-exposure data.
  • GCMD Science Keywords (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Pure controlled vocabulary for tagging NASA Earth science datasets; not a metadata format.
  • Global Change Master Directory (project_or_platform) — peripheral: NASA Earth science dataset catalog platform; relevant as the origin of the DIF metadata standard (covered in entries as gcmd-dif) but not itself a metadata standard.
  • GeoCore Ontology (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Core vocabulary for geospatial data concepts; not an adopted metadata format standard.
  • GeoNames (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Geographic names gazetteer; not an exposure-metadata standard.
  • Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Pure geographic names vocabulary.
  • IODE Ocean Data Portal parameter dictionary (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Vocabulary/parameter list for oceanographic data; not a metadata format standard.
  • Marine Metadata Interoperability Project (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Community project for marine metadata vocabulary management; not itself a metadata standard.
  • MIDS (other) — out_of_scope: Minimum Information about a Digital Specimen (TDWG); natural history specimen metadata; out of scope.
  • MINDAT (other) — out_of_scope: Mineralogy and geology database; out of domain.
  • MMI Ontology Registry and Repository (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Marine metadata vocabulary registry; not a metadata format.
  • NERC Vocabulary Server (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: BODC/NERC vocabulary management service; not a metadata format.
  • OBO Foundry (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Ontology community framework and registry; not a metadata format.
  • Ontology Resources for Environmental Health Sciences (other) — out_of_scope: Survey/article on ontology resources for environmental health; not a metadata standard.
  • Ontobee (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: Ontology browser and SPARQL endpoint; not a metadata standard.
  • Orbital Space Domain Knowledge Models (other) — out_of_scope: Space domain ontologies and vocabularies; out of domain for terrestrial exposure data.
  • QUDT (vocabulary) — peripheral: Quantities, Units, Dimensions, and Types ontology; used for unit annotation in exposure data alongside EnVar but is a vocabulary, not a metadata format.
  • Research Vocabularies Australia (project_or_platform) — out_of_scope: National vocabulary service for Australian research; not a metadata format.
  • RRUFF (other) — out_of_scope: Mineral Raman spectra database; out of domain for environmental-exposure data.
  • Semantic interoperability in environmental sciences survey (other) — peripheral: Survey paper on semantic interoperability in environmental sciences; relevant background literature but not a metadata standard.
  • Scientific Variables Ontology (vocabulary) — peripheral: Ontology for decomposing scientific variable names into components; relevant to variable identity in exposure research but is a vocabulary, not a metadata format.
  • SWEET (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: OWL ontology for earth and environmental science concepts; pure vocabulary, not a metadata format.
  • TERN Controlled Vocabularies (vocabulary) — peripheral: Australia's TERN SOSA/SSN-based controlled vocabularies for ecosystem observation; the underlying TERN data model is a SOSA/SSN profile (in-scope tier) but the standalone CV set is a vocabulary.
  • USGS Thesaurus (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Pure thesaurus for USGS subject terms; not a metadata format.
  • vocabularies repositories catalog (other) — out_of_scope: Generic category label in source list, not a specific standard.
  • vocabulary resources (other) — out_of_scope: Generic category label in source list, not a specific standard.
  • WorldBank Thesaurus (vocabulary) — out_of_scope: Pure vocabulary for World Bank subject terms.
  • WoRMS (other) — out_of_scope: World Register of Marine Species; taxonomy database, not an exposure-metadata standard.