A new resource, the Registry of Polar Observing Networks (RoPON), is now available, making information about high-latitude scientific observation and monitoring more findable and accessible. RoPON is a catalog of systems and related organizations that coordinate or track observing activities & infrastructure across the Arctic, Antarctic, and Southern Oceans. Visit RoPON at PolarObservingRegistry.org.
Each observing network is presented with a description, link, and contact information – along with observational scope, spatial extent, related organizations, and associated data repositories. Also shown is whether the network has an inventory of observing assets (such as sites, mobile platforms, satellites, projects, campaigns, and initiatives), whether that inventory is publicly available, and if so, how to access it.
RoPON is growing. Initially released as a prototype, it now contains dozens of networks. The backend database, systems architecture, and frontend user experience have been re-engineered and refined based on use cases, user feedback, and a structured metadata model. It is designed as a distributed resource; authorized network representatives can sign into a dashboard to add or update content. Visit the homepage to suggest additional networks for inclusion.
RoPON provides a comprehensive perspective on polar observing for science planners, network & facility managers, funding officers, researchers, data managers, educators, and community members. The overarching goal is to showcase and integrate across efforts, helping to: clarify status and gaps, co-locate and optimize limited resources, facilitate collaboration, and inform local communities.
RoPON was created as a collaboration among the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks initiative (), the Arctic Portal, and the University of Colorado Boulder, with funding from and the GOMO Arctic Research Program. Feedback is appreciated.