6.3.1. NIAC: The NeXus International Advisory CommitteeΒΆ

The purpose of the NeXus International Advisory Committee (NIAC) [1] 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 (fields) 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 the maintenance of the NeXus Application Programming Interface 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 reach compatibility.

The committee will meet at least once every other calendar year according to the following plan:

  • In years coinciding with the NOBUGS series of conferences (once every two years), members of the entire NIAC will meet as a satellite meeting to NOBUGS, along with interested members of the community.

  • In intervening years, the executive officers of the NIAC will attend, along with interested members of the NIAC. This is intended to be a working meeting with a small group.