Securing the Integrity of Time Series Data in Open Science Projects using Blockchain-based Trusted Timestamping

The open science movement has become a synonym for modern, digital, and inclusive science. At the same time, open science introduces new challenges for digital libraries, as well as the longterm preservation and quality assurance of open science datasets. According to open science principles, not only researchers but also citizens should be able to contribute data, e.g., so-called ‘citizen science projects.’ For such democratized projects, securing the integrity and longevity of research data is a particular concern. We propose an approach capable of securing the integrity of time series data directly as it is generated. The data is automatically stored in a decentralized and tamper-proof manner while using blockchain technology to prevent any subsequent modification. Our prototype demonstrates how time series data recorded by sensors, e.g., temperature, current, and vibration sensors, can be transparently and immutably stored. By demonstrating an inexpensive modular hardware prototype in combination with open source software, we show that the entry barrier is low for implementing open science projects capable of securing data integrity and offering decentralized long-term data storage. Our approach, in turn, can increase the legitimacy of open science datasets and citizen science projects in particular.