> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.geosamples.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.geosamples.org/metadata-schema/schema-quick-guide.md).

# Schema quick guide

List of all SESAR metadata fields and their definitions

The following table lists all the metadata fields for user input in SESAR, as well as their definitions, examples of their use, and additional instructions. This information was previously available in the "Batch Registration Quick Guide."

<table data-header-hidden="false" data-header-sticky><thead><tr><th>SESAR field name</th><th>Example</th><th>Definition</th><th>Additional instructions</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><mark style="background-color:$info;"><strong>General identifiers</strong></mark></td></tr><tr><td><strong>SESAR Code</strong></td><td><em>IEMEG; IENHR</em></td><td>Unique code given to a SESAR account and used as prefix for IGSNs.</td><td>You will be asked to select a SESAR code when preparing a batch template or registering an individual sample. If you assign IGSNs in the IGSN column, the SESAR code must match the SESAR code in the IGSNs. For example, if the user specifies IEMEG is the SESAR code, any user-specified IGSNs must begin with IEMEG. If a user does not specify the SESAR code to be used, a default SESAR code belonging to the registrant will be used.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>IGSN</strong></td><td><em>IEMEG0001</em></td><td>An IGSN (International Generic Sample Number), "is a globally unique and persistent identifier for physical samples. The core purpose of the IGSN ID is to enable transparent and traceable connections between research activities and objects, including samples, collections, instruments, grants, data, publications, people, and organizations" (DataCite). In SESAR, your IGSN includes your SESAR code + a string of numbers.</td><td>Leave blank or do not select IGSN for your batch template if you want SESAR to assign the IGSN.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sample Name</strong></td><td><em>TR-POW</em></td><td>The name given to a sample by a collector, collection manager, or other sample manager. This should be the primary name used for a sample.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Other names</strong></td><td><em>TRPOW; T-PROW</em></td><td>Other name(s) used for the sample. May include catalog numbers, field numbers, etc.</td><td>Separate multiple names using a semi-colon.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Parent IGSN</strong></td><td><em>IEMEG0002</em></td><td>The IGSN of sample from which your sample was subsampled. </td><td>Use only if your parent sample a) has an IGSN and b) was registered in SESAR. Use <strong>External Parent Name</strong> and <strong>External Parent Object Type</strong> if you have a parent sample that is not in SESAR. Leave blank or do not include in your batch template if a parent IGSN does not exist.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>External Parent Name</strong></td><td><em>RLP-1342</em></td><td>The name of the sample that is not registered in SESAR from which your sample was subsampled.</td><td>Leave blank if parent does not exist</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Parent Object Type</strong></td><td><em>Oriented core</em></td><td>The object type of the sample from which your sample was subsampled</td><td>Use <a href="/vocabularies/vocabularies/object-type.md">Object Type vocabulary</a>. Leave blank if parent does not exist</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Release Date</strong></td><td><em>2018-03-15</em></td><td>Date when sample metadata is publicly accessible and searchable.</td><td>If left blank, release date defaults to date of registration (recommended). SESAR only allows an embargo up to 2 years of sample registration.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><mark style="background-color:$info;"><strong>Sample Description</strong></mark></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Object type</strong></td><td><em>Core; Individual sample</em></td><td>The type of sample being registered.</td><td>Please use <a href="/vocabularies/vocabularies/object-type.md">Object type vocabulary</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>General material type</strong></td><td><em>Rock; Fluid > Water</em></td><td>Broad category of substance that makes up the sample.</td><td><a href="https://docs.geosamples.org/vocabularies/vocabularies/material-type">Please use Material vocabulary</a>. </td></tr><tr><td><strong>Material type</strong></td><td><em>Malachite; Biological material > Organic biological material > Plant material</em></td><td>Formerly classification, this field is meant to capture one or more sub-material or more specific types of materials that make up a sample. </td><td><a href="https://docs.geosamples.org/vocabularies/vocabularies/material-type">Please use Material vocabulary</a>. </td></tr><tr><td><strong>Field Name</strong></td><td><em>basalt; amphibole; sea water</em></td><td>Colloquial or informal classification or identification of sample. Can include material or object type.</td><td>Please use "Other names" for field identifiers.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sample Description</strong></td><td><em>dredge with 50 pieces of basalt and mud; inner core scrapings; split core</em></td><td>Description of the sample. May include additional details about the sample's material type, textures, dimensions, reasons for collection, methods of collection, information about the sample context, etc.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Age (min)</strong></td><td><em>4.2</em></td><td>Numerical value for the minimum age of a sample</td><td>Must be a number</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Age (max)</strong></td><td><em>4.6</em></td><td>Numerical value for the maximum age of a sample</td><td>Must be a number</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Age Unit</strong></td><td><em>Ma</em></td><td>Unit for the age provided</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Age Description</strong></td><td><em>age estimated based on radiocarbon dates</em></td><td>Qualifier to indicate if age assignment is exact, if there are know uncertainty bounds on numeric age, if age is questionable, etc.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Geological Age</strong></td><td><em>Cretaceous</em></td><td>Age of a sample as described by the stratigraphic era, period, state, etc.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Geological Unit</strong></td><td><em>Coconino Sandstone; Fig Tree Formation</em></td><td>A body of rock established as a distinct entity in the classification of the Earth’s rocks, e.g. Supergroup, Group, Formation, or Flow</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sample Size</strong></td><td><em>2x4; 45</em></td><td>Size of the registered sample, such as the dimension of a specimen, the length of a core, or the weight of a dredge.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Size unit</strong></td><td><em>cm; kg</em></td><td>Unit for the numerical value provided for ‘size’.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Purpose</strong></td><td><em>Stratigraphic investigation; Geochronology</em></td><td>Brief explanation of why sample was collected. May include descriptions of field season, grant, research goals, etc</td><td></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><mark style="background-color:$info;"><strong>Sampling location</strong></mark></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Latitude (WGS84)</strong></td><td><em>5.89634</em></td><td><p></p><p>Latitude of the location where the sample was collected. Coordinate system: WGS 84.  Needs to be entered in decimal degrees. Negative values for South latitudes.<br><br><em>Field used for "Start latitude’ for linear object types or sampling features, such as dredges.</em></p></td><td>Please supply no more than 6 decimal places (meter scale resolution) in the actual number (not just display format.) No letters are allowed.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Latitude end</strong></td><td><em>5.89222</em></td><td>End latitude of the location where the sample was collected. Coordinate system: WGS 84<br><br><em>Used only linear object types or sampling features, such as Dredges.</em> </td><td>Please supply no more than 6 decimal places (meter scale resolution) in the actual number (not just display format.) No letters are allowed.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Longitude (WGS84)</strong></td><td><em>-103.785</em></td><td>Longitude of the location where the sample was collected. Coordinate system: WGS 84. Needs to be entered in decimal degrees. Negative values for ‘West’ longitudes.<br><br><em>Field used for ‘Start longitude’ for linear sampling features such as dredges.</em> </td><td>Please supply no more than 6 decimal places (meter scale resolution) in the actual number (not just display format.) No letters are allowed.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Longitude (end)</strong></td><td><em>-103.285</em></td><td>End longitude of the location where the sample was collected. Coordinate system: WGS 84<br><br><em>Used only linear object types or sampling features, such as Dredges.</em> </td><td>Please supply no more than 6 decimal places (meter scale resolution) in the actual number (not just display format.) No letters are allowed.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Northing (m)</strong></td><td><em>4111279</em></td><td>Geographic Cartesian coordinate of where the sample was collected, in meters, as in UTM. </td><td>To be geolocated in the SESAR system, latitude and longitude must be filled out. UTM coordinates can be specified for reference but will not place the sample on the map. There are several web tools for converting from UTM to latitude/longitude, such as http://www.earthpoint.us/Convert.aspx.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Easting (m)</strong></td><td><em>305294</em></td><td>Geographic Cartesian coordinate of where the sample was collected, in meters, as in UTM. </td><td>To be geolocated in the SESAR system, latitude and longitude must be filled out. UTM coordinates can be specified for reference but will not place the sample on the map. There are several web tools for converting from UTM to latitude/longitude, such as http://www.earthpoint.us/Convert.aspx.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Zone</strong></td><td><em>11R</em></td><td>Zone for the geographic Cartesian coordinate "11R".</td><td>UTM zone, use a number from 1 to 60, followed by a letter between A and Z to specify UTM zone with no spaces in between. Letter must be capitalized.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Vertical datum</strong></td><td><em>NAVD88; MSL</em></td><td>Vertical datum used to calculate the elevation.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Depth in Core (min)</strong></td><td><em>0.001</em></td><td>Numerical value to record the minimum depth at which a sub-core sample was taken.</td><td>This field is used if the parent is a core.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Depth in Core (max)</strong></td><td><em>0.003</em></td><td>Numerical value to record the maximum depth at which a sub-core sample was taken.</td><td>This field is used if the parent is a core.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Depth scale</strong></td><td><em>MBSF, MCD</em></td><td>Depth scale or unit used for depth values.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Elevation</strong></td><td><em>678.5; -4536</em></td><td>Elevation at which a sample was collected.</td><td>Use negative values for depth below sea level. Minimum elevation if a range is provided for the elevation/depth below sea level.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Elevation end</strong></td><td><em>673.5; -4520</em></td><td>Elevation at which a sample was collected.</td><td>Use negative values for depth below sea level. Maximum elevation if a range is provided for the elevation/depth below sea level.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Elevation unit</strong></td><td><em>meters; feet, miles, kilometers</em></td><td>Unit in which elevation start and/or end are provided in.</td><td>Must be one of the following: meters, feet, miles, kilometers. Must be provided if elevation is included.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Navigation/location method</strong></td><td><em>GPS</em></td><td>Navigation type</td><td><a href="http://www.marine-geo.org/tools/search/vocab.php?use_is_displayed=T&#x26;vocab=vocab_nav_type">Please use controlled list</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Locality</strong></td><td><em>Franklin Mine; west side of 1980–1986 lava dome</em></td><td>Name of the specific place where your sample was collected. This could be the name of a mine, a volcanic field, a vent field, or similar</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Locality description</strong></td><td><em>on private land; 10 ft west of bend in river</em></td><td>Additional information about the specific place where your sample was collected</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Primary location name</strong></td><td><em>Mt. Saint Helens; Craters of the moon National park</em></td><td>Name of the broader location from which your sample was collected. This could be a mountain, a river, a national park, etc.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Location description</strong></td><td><em>flank of volcanic cone</em></td><td>Free text description of the location</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Country</strong></td><td><em>United States</em></td><td>Country where the sample was collectedName of primary phyiographic feature</td><td><a href="/vocabularies/vocabularies/country.md">Please use controlled list</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Province / state</strong></td><td><em>Alaska</em></td><td>State or Province where the sample was collected</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>County</strong></td><td><em>Bristol County</em></td><td>County where the sample was collected</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>City</strong></td><td><em>Palisades</em></td><td>City or Township where the sample was collected</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Continent</strong></td><td>Antarctica</td><td>Continent where sample was collected</td><td></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><mark style="background-color:$info;"><strong>Sampling method</strong></mark></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Cruise/Field program</strong></td><td><em>TN182</em></td><td>An activity related to sample collection or stewardship. Includes cruises, field programs, expeditions, funded projects, etc.</td><td><a href="http://www.rvdata.us/catalog">For ship cruises, we recommended using the R2R Cruise ID at http://www.rvdata.us/catalog</a><br><br>You can maintain your or your team's list of initiatives in MySESAR</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Platform Type</strong></td><td><em>Ship</em></td><td>Type of platform for the cruise.</td><td>Please use suggested list</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Platform</strong></td><td><em>R/V Roger Revelle</em></td><td>Name of the platform used to collect the sample (for example, vessel or drill rig).</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Platform Description</strong></td><td><em>Oceanographic research vessel</em></td><td>Description of the platform for the cruise.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Launch platform</strong></td><td><em>Alvin; Jason II</em></td><td>The name of the launch used to collect the sample.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Launch type</strong></td><td><em>HOV</em></td><td>The type of launch used to collect the sample.</td><td><a href="http://www.marine-geo.org/tools/search/vocab.php?use_is_displayed=T&#x26;vocab=vocab_launch_type">Please use controlled list</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Launch ID</strong></td><td><em>3969; J2-434</em></td><td>Further identifying information about the launch</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Collector(s)</strong></td><td><em>Natalie Raia; Annie Alexander</em></td><td>Name of the person who collected the sample. In case of larger field programs, name of chief scientist responsible for sample collection.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sampling method</strong></td><td><em>Dredging; Manual</em></td><td>Method by which a sample was collected</td><td><a href="https://docs.geosamples.org/vocabularies/vocabularies/sampling-method">Suggested list</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sampling method description</strong></td><td><em>Hand sample collected from the top part of a large boulder</em></td><td>Description of the sample collection method.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sampling start date</strong></td><td><em>2015-03-31</em></td><td>Date/time when sampling started.</td><td>Use UTC if available. HH:MM:SSZ, format this column in the spreadsheet as 'Text'. If 'Z' is not specified, United States Eastern Time is assumed.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sampling end date</strong></td><td><em>2015-04-13</em></td><td>Date/time when sampling finished.</td><td>Use UTC if available.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sampling date precision</strong></td><td><em>minutes, hours, month</em></td><td>Precision for sampling date/time (for example year, month, day, minute).</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Collection time</strong></td><td><em>12:05:03Z</em></td><td>Time when the sample was collected.</td><td>HH:MM:SSZ, format this column in the spreadsheet as 'Text'. If 'Z' is not specified, United States Eastern Time is assumed.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Collection date (end)</strong></td><td><em>2015-03-31</em></td><td>Date when the sample collection was finished (if a date range is provided).</td><td>YYYY-MM-DD: for best results, format this column in the spreadsheet as 'Text'</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Collection time (end)</strong></td><td><em>13:05:01Z</em></td><td>Time when the sample was collected.</td><td>HH:MM:SSZ, format this column in the spreadsheet as 'Text'. If 'Z' is not specified, United States Eastern Time is assumed.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><mark style="background-color:$info;"><strong>Curation</strong></mark></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Availability</strong></td><td><em>yes; no</em></td><td>Whether the sample is available for use</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Collection type</strong></td><td><em>Personal; curated</em></td><td>Whether the sample is stored in a personal or curated collection</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Archive's parent institution</strong></td><td><em>Smithosonian; University of Arizona</em></td><td>The name of the parent institution that houses a sample archive or collection</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Current Archive</strong></td><td><em>Lamont Deep Sea Core Repository</em></td><td>Name of institution, museum, or repository where the sample is currently stored. </td><td>Use GRSciColl if possible to select archive name — or add your archive to GRSciColl!</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Current Archive Contact</strong></td><td><em>curator@ldeo.columbia.edu</em></td><td>Address and/or email of the person who should be contacted for information about or access to the sample.</td><td>Sharing an email is not mandatory, but helps for communication about samples.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Original Archive</strong></td><td><em>La Brea Tar Pits Museum; Laboratory of Tree Ring Research</em></td><td>Name of institution, museum, or repository where the sample was originally stored.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Original Archive Contact</strong></td><td><em>curator@ldeo.columbia.edu</em></td><td>Address and/or email of the person who should be contacted for information about the sample’s original archive.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Personal collection storage location</strong></td><td><em>KINS Lab, Harvill building</em></td><td>Description of the storage location for personal collections</td><td>This is a public field; do not share private addresses or information unless you wish to share it</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><mark style="background-color:$info;"><strong>Data &#x26; outputs</strong></mark></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Related URL</strong></td><td><em>https://doi.org/10.1594/IEDA/999999</em></td><td>Related URL associated with the samples</td><td>Must be a valid URL (e.g., http://www.geosamples.org)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Related URL Type</strong></td><td><em>DOI</em></td><td>Related URL type. Either DOI or Regular URL</td><td>Must be either 'DOI' or 'Regular URL'</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Related URL Description</strong></td><td><em>DOI for related published data</em></td><td>Free text description of the related URL</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>


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