HR: 11:40h
AN: SF32A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: EarthRef.org: Exploring aspects of a Cyber Infrastructure in Earth Science and Education
AU: * Staudigel, H
EM: hstaudig@ucsd.edu
AF: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 United States
AU: Koppers, A
EM: akoppers@ucsd.edu
AF: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 United States
AU: Tauxe, L
EM: ltauxe@ucsd.edu
AF: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 United States
AU: Constable, C
EM: cconstable@ucsd.edu
AF: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 United States
AU: Helly, J
EM: jhelly@ucsd.edu
AF: San Diego Supercomputing Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 United States
AB: EarthRef.org is the common host and (co-) developer of a range of earth science databases and IT resources providing a test bed for a Cyberinfrastructure in Earth Science and Education (CIESE). EarthRef.org data base efforts include in particular the Geochemical Earth Reference Model (GERM), the Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC), the Educational Resources for Earth Science Education (ERESE) project, the Seamount Catalog, the Mid-Ocean Ridge Catalog, the Radio-Isotope Geochronology (RiG) initiative for CHRONOS, and the Microbial Observatory for Fe oxidizing microbes on Loihi Seamount (FeMO; the most recent development). These diverse databases are developed under a single database umbrella and webserver at the San Diego Supercomputing Center. All the data bases have similar structures, with consistent metadata concepts, a common database layout, and automated upload wizards. Shared resources include supporting databases like an address book, a reference/publication catalog, and a common digital archive making database development and maintenance cost-effective, while guaranteeing interoperability. The EarthRef.org CIESE provides a common umbrella for synthesis information as well as sample-based data, and it bridges the gap between science and science education in middle and high schools, validating the potential for a system wide data infrastructure in a CIESE. EarthRef.org experiences have shown that effective communication with the respective communities is a key part of a successful CIESE facilitating both utility and community buy-in. GERM has been particularly successful at developing a metadata scheme for geochemistry and in the development of a new electronic journal (G-cubed) that has made much progress in data publication and linkages between journals and community data bases. GERM also has worked, through editors and publishers, towards interfacing databases with the publication process, to accomplish a more scholarly and database friendly data publication environment, and to interface with the respective science communities. MagIC has held several workshops that have resulted in an integrated data archival environment using metadata that are interchangeable with the geochemical metadata. MagIC archives a wide array of paleo and rock magnetic directional, intensity and magnetic property data as well as integrating computational tools. ERESE brought together librarians, teachers, and scientists to create an educational environment that supports inquiry driven education and the use of science data. Experiences in EarthRef.org demonstrates the feasibility of an effective, community wide CIESE for data publication, archival and modeling, as well as the outreach to the educational community.
UR: http://earthref.org/
DE: 3094 Instruments and techniques
DE: 1094 Instruments and techniques
DE: 1594 Instruments and techniques
DE: 0400 Biogeosciences
SC: Special Focus: Advances in Data Acquisition, Management, Analysis and Display [SF]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting