Terms of Use
Our Site
Last updated: 09/01/2026
This website is the property of the System for Earth and Extraterrestrial Sample Registration (SESAR). SESAR maintains the exclusive right to determine terms and conditions for use of this website, and may revise these Terms from time to time; material changes will be noted with an updated effective date above. Certain features of this website, including MySESAR, require an ORCID to access.
Terms and Conditions for Website Use
This website is designed for both public and academic use. You may use our systems and services only for lawful purposes. By registering samples with SESAR, you warrant that (i) the samples are under your ownership or you have been given permission by the owner to register them, and (ii) doing so does not violate or breach these Terms of Use.
Use of digital materials obtained from our systems are licensed under varying Creative Commons licenses. Site content (text, design, and documentation) is licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA. Sample metadata records are licensed under CC0, consistent with DataCite Commons. You may browse freely, but you may not circulate or publish materials you obtained from this site if you do not accept the terms of providing adequate citation.
How to Cite
All data obtained from SESAR should be adequately cited following license-specific requirements and/or the following structure from DataCite's guidelines for citing IGSNs:
Creator (Year of Registration). Sample Name/Title [Internet]. Publisher (e.g., SESAR). IGSN: [identifier].
Example:
Smith, J. (2023). Basalt sample from Kilauea flank [Internet]. San Diego, CA (USA): System for Earth Sample Registration (SESAR). IGSN: 10.58052/IEJSM0001.
A few notes to include alongside this guidance:
- Register the IGSN as a resolvable identifier. Where possible, express the IGSN as an actionable link (e.g., https://doi.org/10.58052/IEJSM0001 or https://igsn.org/IEJSM0001) rather than plain text, so it resolves to the sample's landing page.
- Follow journal/discipline style where one exists. Many geoscience journals and repositories now request IGSNs be included in data availability statements or sample tables — check your target journal's author guidelines, since exact placement and formatting can vary.
- Note that PID citation is not full metadata citation. The DataCite style citation above supports discovery and attribution; it's not a substitute for describing sample context (collection method, location, etc.) in the body of a publication.
- Cite the registering repository, not just the sample. Since SESAR is the "Publisher" of record for the IGSN, it should appear in the citation regardless of who physically collected or curated the sample.
Accuracy
We make no claims to accuracy of the data identification, acquisition parameters, processing methods, navigation, database entries, or reference information. We ask that you notify us immediately of any contributions that contain objectionable material.
Intellectual Property
Aside from the metadata you contribute (addressed under "Contributing Content" below), all content on this website — including but not limited to the SESAR name and logo, site design, software, and text — is the property of SESAR or its licensors and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, modify, distribute, or create derivative works from this material without prior written permission, except as expressly permitted under the applicable Creative Commons license for a given item of content.
Contributing Content
You retain ownership of your metadata and have the right to edit records in accordance with SESAR policies and data structures. By contributing content to SESAR, you agree that you will adhere to all applicable curatorial policies and terms of use; that SESAR may amend your records in alignment with changes to our curatorial policies, including changes to controlled vocabularies; that SESAR users may contact you through MySESAR to inquire about sample metadata or availability; that your records will be shared with DataCite and made available through the DataCite Commons (read more about what we share with DataCite here); and that other users may access your records unless you deactivate them.
Deletion of Content
Users may request deactivation of sample metadata records at any time (meaning your records will not show up in search, and the metadata record cannot be accessed). However, IGSNs cannot be deleted once minted, and a minimal metadata record will remain resolvable at the IGSN landing page even after deactivation, consistent with IGSN e.V. and DOI persistence requirements. See here for more about IGSN policies.
Failure to Comply
In the case of non-compliance or misuse of services, SESAR reserves the right to disable access and deactivate metadata records without notice.
Contact
If you have any comments or concerns about our services, please contact us.
Acknowledgement
SESAR is hosted at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University and supported by US National Science Foundation (NSF).
