Long-term data archiving

Several issues involved in long-term data archiving using the example of Raman spectral databases are discussed. The databases including common data format libraries and proprietary libraries do not satisfy the stringent criteria for long-term data archiving, which include readability for long times into the future, robustness to changes in computer hardware and operating systems. In order to facilitate data archiving, Raman data needs calibration as well as some other kinds of data treatment like abscissa calibration. For abscissa calibration, the ASTM E1840 guide recommends several means utilizing a round-robin methodology to determine the peak wave numbers for eight different readily available materials having no known polymorphs, selected to cover a wide wave number range for both solids and liquids. The ASTM E1840 although recommends peak wave numbers, but some search routines are also influenced by line widths, so that library spectra obtained with instruments of different spectral resolution could result in identification errors.