Practical Application of the Definition and Conversion of Units in PSDI

Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure (PSDI) is an integrated data infrastructure for empowering physical sciences research data and streamlining its processes. Its version 1, released in spring 2025 hosts example data, services, tools and guidance which are grouped into resource themes and top-level metadata which describes these. We are taking a top-down approach of development of the PSDI metadata and the next step will be to formally describe the properties in the different data sets and their units, with a view to standardising services which access their data such as the PSDI Cross Data Seach. Here we outline the requirements that we have for capturing units in PSDI and an evaluation of M-Layer against those requirements in the first instance. As such, we will illustrate how a practical application of M-Layer might look in practice: the metadata in PSDI which could capture units, the use of M-Layer web services to support conversion into permitted units and suggested developments in M-Layer to make its use easier for consumers.

Aileen Day

11/27/2025 5:23:39 PM