--- title: "Functions: Observatory Protocol" description: "Join, Admit, Describe, Time, Observe, Qualify, Federate, Orchestrate, Correct, Exchange, Prove and Exit, with the objects, participants and standards of each." url: https://observatory.global/protocol/functions/ publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc. updated: 2026-10-27 --- [Observatory Protocol](https://observatory.global/protocol/) / [Specification](https://observatory.global/protocol/) / **Functions** # Twelve functions, from first contact to retirement. Join, Admit, Describe, Time, Observe, Qualify, Federate, Orchestrate, Correct, Exchange, Prove, and Exit. Each function names the objects it moves, the participants it involves and the open standards it is drawn against. [Read the specification](https://observatory.global/protocol/) [Contribute](https://observatory.global/open/) **Functions**: 12 **State machines**: 11 **Objects**: 21 **Standards**: 48 ## The practice this part continues. **1881–1884 Coordinated campaigns**: The first International Polar Year, inspired by Karl Weyprecht, took place from 1881 to 1884 as the first series of coordinated international expeditions to the polar regions. It established that comparable measurement across sites is a matter of agreed method before it is a matter of instruments. \[1\] **WMO Global observing as a system**: The World Meteorological Organization’s Global Observing System collects weather, climate, water and environmental data from satellites and surface stations, and is now part of WIGOS, the overarching framework for all WMO observing systems. WIS 2.0 carries the exchange of those data onto open standards and Web technologies. The protocol treats these frameworks as the reference for describing stations and publishing their data. \[2\]\[3\]\[4\] **Federations Networks of networks**: The International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks unites the groups responsible for installing and maintaining seismographs in their own regions; the International GNSS Service has provided open access to high-quality GNSS data products since 1994, giving access to the global reference frame, the ITRF. Each shows that a federation keeps local ownership and still yields one coherent record. The protocol’s rule of one owner per fact, and its federation function, follow that model. \[5\]\[6\]\[7\] **Time A shared clock**: Coordinated Universal Time is computed by the BIPM from data contributed by timing laboratories; IEEE 1588 defines the Precision Time Protocol, and ITU-T G.8275.1 profiles it for phase and time synchronisation across networks. In the protocol, time is a function in its own right: a measurement whose clock cannot be trusted cannot be published as trusted. \[8\]\[9\]\[10\] **2013–2016 Provenance and reuse**: The W3C PROV documents (2013) define an interchange model for provenance; the FAIR Guiding Principles (2016) ask that data be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. The protocol attaches provenance, uncertainty, quality and correction state to every value, so that reuse never strips the conditions of measurement. \[11\]\[12\] **2023 Attested identity**: The IETF RATS architecture (RFC 9334) describes how one party appraises evidence about the state of another. The protocol’s Join and Admit functions apply that model to instruments: a participant begins untrusted and is admitted on evidence, not on assertion. \[13\] ## Twelve functions, from first contact to retirement. Select a function to read its requirements, the objects it moves, the participants it involves and the standards behind it. ### Join A node proves what it is, receives an identity and a policy, then a signed plan. A node MUST present attestation evidence (RATS, RFC 9334, passport model) rooted in a hardware root of trust where the device class has one (TPM 2.0, DICE or a secure element), or a software root explicitly marked SOFTWARE\_ROOT otherwise. A verifier MUST bind the result to a nonce and an expiry. Identity MUST be short-lived and renewable (X.509 SVID, SPIFFE-style URI). Long-lived shared secrets MUST NOT be used. The bootstrap bundle MUST be signed by the site's enrolment key and carry the trust anchors, policy reference and the first plan digest. Evidence: enrolment receipt, attestation result, identity issuance record. **Objects**: 8 **Actors**: 0 **Standards**: 5 **Domains**: 6 #### Objects it moves #### Actors it involves #### Standards it is drawn against #### Domains that rely on it 5G core and edge computing Positioning, navigation and timing Edge hardware and runtime IoT and low-power wireless Security, identity and supply chain Field deployment and operations ## One set of functions across observing domains. 16 observing and technology domains, and the functions on which each relies. | Domain | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Satellite and non-terrestrial links | Does not use Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Uses Time | Uses Observe | Does not use Qualify | Uses Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Ground stations and terminals | Does not use Join | Uses Admit | Uses Describe | Does not use Time | Uses Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Radio access network | Does not use Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Uses Time | Does not use Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | AI-RAN shared compute | Does not use Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Uses Time | Does not use Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | 5G core and edge computing | Uses Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Does not use Time | Does not use Observe | Does not use Qualify | Uses Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Positioning, navigation and timing | Uses Join | Does not use Admit | Does not use Describe | Uses Time | Does not use Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Edge hardware and runtime | Uses Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Does not use Time | Does not use Observe | Does not use Qualify | Uses Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | AI models and agents | Does not use Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Does not use Time | Does not use Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Earth observation | Does not use Join | Does not use Admit | Uses Describe | Does not use Time | Uses Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Uses Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | GIS, maps and twins | Does not use Join | Does not use Admit | Uses Describe | Does not use Time | Does not use Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Uses Correct | Uses Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Sensors and instruments | Does not use Join | Does not use Admit | Uses Describe | Uses Time | Uses Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | IoT and low-power wireless | Uses Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Does not use Time | Uses Observe | Does not use Qualify | Does not use Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Power and energy | Does not use Join | Does not use Admit | Does not use Describe | Does not use Time | Uses Observe | Does not use Qualify | Does not use Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Security, identity and supply chain | Uses Join | Uses Admit | Does not use Describe | Does not use Time | Does not use Observe | Does not use Qualify | Does not use Federate | Uses Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Uses Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Data, pipelines and exchange | Does not use Join | Does not use Admit | Uses Describe | Does not use Time | Uses Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Uses Correct | Uses Exchange | Does not use Prove | Does not use Exit and decommission | | Field deployment and operations | Uses Join | Does not use Admit | Does not use Describe | Does not use Time | Uses Observe | Uses Qualify | Does not use Federate | Does not use Orchestrate | Does not use Correct | Does not use Exchange | Does not use Prove | Uses Exit and decommission | | 6 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | | ## References Sources for the historical and standards statements on this page. 1. NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. "The First International Polar Year: History." [www.pmel.noaa.gov/arctic-zone/ipy-1/History.htm](https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/arctic-zone/ipy-1/History.htm) 2. World Meteorological Organization. "Global Observing System (GOS)." [community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/global-observing-system-gos](https://community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/global-observing-system-gos) 3. World Meteorological Organization. "WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS)." [community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/wigos](https://community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/wigos) 4. World Meteorological Organization. "WMO Information System (WIS) and WIS 2.0." [community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/wis](https://community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/wis) 5. International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks. "About the FDSN." [www.fdsn.org/about/](https://www.fdsn.org/about/) 6. International GNSS Service. "About the IGS." [igs.org/about/](https://igs.org/about/) 7. IGN, ITRF Product Center. "International Terrestrial Reference Frame." [itrf.ign.fr/en/homepage](https://itrf.ign.fr/en/homepage) 8. Bureau International des Poids et Mesures. "Realizing and disseminating international reference time scales: UTC, UTCr and TT(BIPM)." [www.bipm.org/en/time-ftp](https://www.bipm.org/en/time-ftp) 9. IEEE Std 1588-2019. "IEEE Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems." [doi.org/10.1109/IEEESTD.2020.9120376](https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEESTD.2020.9120376) 10. ITU-T Recommendation G.8275.1. "Precision time protocol telecom profile for phase/time synchronization with full timing support from the network." [www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-G.8275.1](https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-G.8275.1) 11. W3C (2013). "PROV-Overview: An Overview of the PROV Family of Documents." W3C Working Group Note, 30 April 2013. [www.w3.org/TR/prov-overview/](https://www.w3.org/TR/prov-overview/) 12. Wilkinson, M. D., et al. (2016). "The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship." Scientific Data 3, 160018. [doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18](https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18) 13. Birkholz, H., et al. (2023). RFC 9334, "Remote ATtestation procedureS (RATS) Architecture." IETF. [www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9334](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9334) 14. Bradner, S. (1997). RFC 2119, "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels." IETF. [www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119) 15. Leiba, B. (2017). RFC 8174, "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC 2119 Key Words." IETF. [www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8174](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8174) ## Read it, test it, propose a change. The Observatory Protocol is an open specification stewarded by the Nexus Consortium. Any party may implement it, and every change is proposed and decided in public. 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