NeXus Advisory Committee

I. Terms of Reference

The purpose of the NeXus Advisory Committee is to supervise the development and maintenance of the NeXus common data format for neutron, x-ray, and muon science.

This purpose includes, but is not limited to, the following activities.

1. To establish policies concerning the definition, use, and promotion of the NeXus format.
2. To ensure that the specification of the NeXus format is sufficiently complete and clear for its use in the exchange and archival of neutron, x-ray, and muon data.
3. To receive and examine all proposed amendments and extensions to the NeXus format. In particular, to ratify proposed instrument and group class definitions, to ensure that the data structures conform to the basic NeXus specification, and to ensure that the definitions of data items are clear and unambiguous and conform to accepted scientific usage.
4. To ensure that documentation of the NeXus format is sufficient, current, and available to potential users both on the internet and in other forms.
5. To coordinate with the developers of the NeXus Application Programming Interface to ensure that it supports the use of the NeXus format in the neutron, x-ray, and muon communities, and to promote other software development that will benefit users of the NeXus format.
6. To coordinate with other organizations that maintain and develop related data formats to ensure maximum compatibility.

II. Membership

The NeXus Advisory Committee will consist of at most one representative from each major neutron and synchrotron x-ray facility in the world, and a representative of the muon science community. Membership would normally be for a three year renewable term. Members will be nominated by each facility and approved by the existing committee. There should be representatives from different fields of neutron, x-ray, and muon science community, and from facility computing staff.

III. Organization

1. Accountability

The NeXus Advisory Committee will ensure that their decisions are reported both on the NeXus web site and on the NeXus mailing list. Committee business will be conducted either through a mailing list, to which non-committee members can subscribe and whose archive will be available on the web, or through meetings, which will be advertised on the NeXus mailing list and which non-committee members may attend.

The NeXus Advisory Committee will nominate a Chair to coordinate the committee's activities.

2. Voting

Only members of the NeXus Advisory Committee will be able to vote on specific proposals that come under the remit of the committee. However, all debates will be conducted publicly and non-committee members are both allowed and encouraged to participate.

3. Special Interest Groups

Th e NeXus Advisory Committee will appoint editors to be in charge of particular groups that wish to specify instrument definitions or develop specialized uses of the NeXus format. The groups will establish their own mode of operation, but will be expected to consult widely with the community relevant to their work, and to refer back to the NeXus Advisory Committee any matters that involve a change in the current NeXus specification. Specific proposals produced by these groups will be presented to the NeXus Advisory Committee for comment and formal ratification.

[NeXus Home Page | NeXus Site Map]