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SDR-0024: Generate deterministic deposits from neutral metadata

Context

A scientifically complete evidence bundle is not yet repository-ready. DOI services require discovery and citation metadata, while repository-specific records can drift if authors maintain DataCite and Zenodo descriptions separately. Ordinary ZIP creation also embeds incidental timestamps and may include unrelated files, preventing stable deposit fingerprints.

Decision

Maintain one strict, versioned, repository-neutral archive metadata record. Generate DataCite and Zenodo projections from it, package only manifest-verified evidence plus paired publication signature files, and inventory every deposited file by byte length and SHA-256. Create ZIP entries in a canonical order with fixed timestamps, permissions, and compression settings.

Keep upload and DOI publication outside this command. Repository credentials, record reservation, embargo policy, and the irreversible act of publishing need an explicit later workflow and human review.

Consequences

The same inputs yield the same deposit bytes, repository metadata shares one authorship source, and a recipient can verify an archive offline. The neutral v1 schema intentionally supports the shared, high-value subset; repository-specific features such as communities, grants, and embargoes remain future extensions.

Alternatives considered

  • Treat .zenodo.json as canonical: rejected because it couples the product to one repository and weakens direct DataCite interoperability.
  • Archive the entire output directory: rejected because undeclared files and platform metadata would enter deposits silently.
  • Upload directly from the analysis command: rejected because deposition and especially DOI publication have different authorization and review boundaries.

Revisit trigger

Add a repository adapter when an authenticated sandbox deposition demonstrates a stable need. Preserve the neutral record and deterministic package as the review boundary.