Publication and use of large data sets

Scientific information comes in many sizes, types and levels of quality. Because of the diversity of the scientific information being published, different issues will arise in publishing different types of information electronically. In this paper, we will address issues related to electronic publication of large scientific data sets, a subset of scientific information often overlooked in discussions on electronic scientific publications. First, we establish the parameters that define large scientific data sets. Then we identify examples from a variety of scientific disciplines. Large data sets (LDS) require special technology for their creation and management, and that technology is briefly described, as well as traditional publication and use of LDS. We discuss electronic publication of large scientific data sets and their uses as they exist today. Finally, we look into the future of electronic publication of LDS, including issues such as intellectual property rights (IPR), and LDS as a source of new discovery and economics.