5.3.1. NIAC: The NeXus International Advisory Committee
The purpose of the NeXus International Advisory Committee (NIAC) 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.
- To establish policies concerning the definition, use, and promotion of the NeXus
format.
- 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.
- 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.
- To ensure that documentation of the NeXus format is sufficient, current, and
available to potential users both on the internet and in other forms.
- 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.
- To coordinate with other organizations that maintain and develop related data
formats to ensure maximum 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.
