The backbone of PAGES 2k: data management and archiving

he PAGES 2k Network has formed to study climate change over the last two millennia at a regional scale, based on the most com- prehensive dataset of paleoclimate proxy-re- cords possible. In 2011, at its second network meeting in Bern, Switzerland (von Gunten et al. 2012) the network formally acknowledged that the envisioned data-intensive multi- proxy and multi-region study must be built on the foundations of efficient and coordinat - ed data management. In addition, the group committed to PAGES general objective to pro- mote open access to scientific data and called for all records used for, or emerging from the 2k project to be publicly archived upon publi- cation of the related 2k studies. Architects of the home for 2k data The National Climatic Data Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offered to host the primary 2k data archive. They set up a dedi- cated NOAA task force to tailor the 2k data archive to the specific needs of the 2k project and to coordinate archiving with NOAA's data architecture and search capabilities. The 2k groups nominated regional data managers to provide input from the users' end. Over the last two years, the regional 2k data managers have worked closely with NOAA to tailor the database infrastructure and prepare the upload of the 2k data. In addi- tion, they provided expertise to help promote improvements in NOAA's archival of paleosci- entific data in general. Since the data manag - ers of the regional 2k groups are spread across the globe, the collaboration was organized around bi-monthly teleconference meetings under the lead of NOAA. In spite of the occa- sional unearthly meeting hours for some, the interaction between the 2k data and NOAA database groups has worked fruitfully, as the following achievements show.