GeoSamples (SESAR)

GeoSamples (hosted at geosamples.org) is the online catalogue and services platform of the SESAR² initiative (“System for Earth and Extraterrestrial Sample Registration”), conceived to register, index and make physical samples from the earth, environment, and planetary sciences globally Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR).
Key elements:

• It acts as an Allocating Agent of the IGSN (International Generic Sample Number) system: when you register a sample via SESAR², you are assigned a globally unique IGSN (for example prefix 10.58052/). 
• It provides a searchable catalog of sample metadata (including geospatial coordinates, sample type, archival repository, etc) so researchers can discover existing samples in institutions worldwide. 
• It supports registration of new samples (individual, batch, via web services) plus metadata management for researchers and institutions. 

Why it matters

• Samples (rocks, soils, sediments, core‐samples, extraterrestrial samples) are often irreplaceable, and their metadata often scattered across labs or institutions. GeoSamples provides a global infrastructure to track these physical assets and their associated metadata. 
• Because each sample gets a persistent identifier (IGSN) and metadata, you can cite samples in publications, link them to data and publications, and trace sample provenance, reuse, and analysis workflows. This supports reproducibility and transparency in the geosciences. 
• It promotes sample reuse: via catalogues of existing samples, researchers might identify relevant samples already collected (reducing duplication) and request access. 
• It fosters metadata standardisation: the platform encourages consistent metadata schemas for samples (type, location, collection method, repository), which enhances interoperability. 

Key features & advantages

• Searchable catalog: You can search by location (lat/long), sample type, repository, etc to find registered samples. geosamples.org
• Unique identifiers (IGSNs): Assigns a persistent ID to each sample so that it becomes referenceable in publications and datasets. geosamples.org+1
• Registration workflows: Multiple options for registering samples: single (via web form), batch uploads, or via APIs/web services. geosamples.org+1
• Metadata management: Researchers/institutions can manage sample metadata (images, field notes, collection details), control access, transfer ownership. geosamples.org
• Web services/API: For automation, integration with institutional systems or sample‐tracking workflows. geosamples.github.io+1

Limitations & things to watch

• While the system is broad, coverage may still be incomplete: not all samples or collections worldwide are registered yet, so absence of a sample in the catalog doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
• Metadata quality still depends on user submission: completeness and accuracy of sample metadata may vary across submissions, which affects discoverability and reuse.
• For large institutional workflows, integrating sample registration and metadata management may require effort (user training, batch uploads, metadata mapping).
• Access to physical samples still depends on repositories/institutions, the catalog indicates the sample and metadata but obtaining the sample may involve separate processes or restrictions.

Why your lab/institution might use it

• If your lab collects physical samples (rocks, sediments, soils, cores, water etc.), registering them via GeoSamples/SESAR² ensures they have persistent IDs and metadata, which strengthens your data management, reproducibility and citation practices.
• When publishing research that uses samples, you can include the IGSN in your methods/metadata, which makes your research more transparent and traces sample provenance clearly.
• For collaborative projects or institutions with many stored samples, the system helps managing collections (metadata, ownership, transfer) and making them discoverable to external researchers, increasing visibility.
• In a pitch deck or funding proposal, you can highlight that “all sample metadata will be registered and publicly discoverable via GeoSamples (IGSNs assigned)” to show alignment with open science, FAIR data and reproducible sample workflows.
• If you plan to reuse archived samples or look for existing samples outside your collection, using the catalog search helps you discover what exists globally and might save you the effort of collection.