Space Physics Research Environment: Meeting the Challenges of Integrating Disparate Data Systems III
Presiding: D Morrison, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University; J Holt, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory
SH44A-01 INVITED 15:30h
Data systems and data frameworks within the Virtual Observatory concept.
This presentation discusses the attributes of Virtual Observatories, Grid technologies and data frameworks in general terms as they have been applied to providing data to diverse and interdisciplinary science communities. We discuss general user requirements, design and architectural considerations, development and provision of services in a web environment that arise out of past experience with data systems over the last 8-10 years.
SH44A-02 15:50h
Solar and space physics datasets within a Virtual Observatory: the AstroGrid experience
Virtual Observatories (VOs) are being developed all over the world to enable seamless access to a diverse range of astronomical datasets. Key to the VO ideal is the definition of standards for interoperability, and to this end the International Virtual Observatory Association (IVOA, www.ivoa.net) has been established. AstroGrid (www.astrogrid.org) is the UK's Virtual Observatory and one of the main partners in the Euro-VO and the IVOA. AstroGrid integrates both night-time astronomy and solar system datasets. We will describe the AstroGrid architecture, and demonstrate its capabilities, with particular emphasis on the AstroGrid Workflow environment. This allows users to define complex sets of operations on a variety of datasets, to be submitted for remote execution to the AstroGrid Common Execution Architecture. Examples of workflows operating on solar and space science datasets will be presented.
SH44A-03 16:05h
Data Format Standardization of Space Weather Model Output at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center
The disparate nature of space weather model output provides many challenges with regards to the portability and reuse of not only the data itself, but also any tools that are developed for analysis and visualization. We are developing and implementing a comprehensive data format standardization methodology that allows heterogeneous model output data to be stored uniformly in any common science data format. We will discuss our approach to identifying core meta-data elements that can be used to supplement raw model output data, thus creating self-descriptive files. The meta-data should also contain information describing the simulation grid. This will ultimately assists in the development of efficient data access tools capable of extracting data at any given point and time. We will also discuss our experiences standardizing the output of two global magnetospheric models, and how we plan to apply similar procedures when standardizing the output of the solar, heliospheric, and ionosphereic models that are also currently hosted at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center.
http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov
SH44A-04 16:20h
SPIDR III: A Web Services Based System for Managing and Accessing Solar Terrestrial Physics Data
We present SPIDR III, a web based data access, visualization and data management system for the space environment community, allowing a solar terrestrial physics customer to intelligently access and manage historical space physics data for integration with environmental models and space weather forecasts. SPIDR III is the newly redesigned Space Physics Interactive Resource (SPIDR) web application and was redesigned with input from it's user community via an intensive usability study. We will present on SPIDR III's new features, improved use and on lessons learned in usability and federating multi-source data. In 2004, SPIDR II underwent extensive rework yielding a completely redesigned interface for improved user interaction and the addition of many enhanced and complex features. The usability alterations were motivated in large part by a usability study performed by outside professional site reviewers and involving key data managers and current SPIDR II users. SPIDR III is built following the application direct to data archive paradigm, using Web Services both for internal and external exchange of data and information. It is now a framework and application set of Web Services. This application suite is fully open source and is designed to operate as a standalone VO as well as seamlessly integrate with other existing VOs. This extensible and open design yields easy mirroring worldwide for free and open exchange of scientific data and information. Data managed by SPIDR includes Geomagnetic Indices, GOES, Ionospheric, and DMSP which is archived/ingested from many data providers including WDC, IIWG, SAO, HDF, AFCCC, SEC, NASA, and this list is easily extendable. SPIDR III may be accessed via http://spidr.ngdc.noaa.gov/spidr/ A guest login is provided for convenience. Becoming a full access user, is free and only requires completing a short registration form.
http://spidr.ngdc.noaa.gov/spidr/
SH44A-05 16:35h
A Virtual Metadata Generator for the TIMED Program
Virtual metadata generators allow complex calculations to be performed in the search process for satellite and ground based data sets (Morrison et al, 2004, Virtual Metadata for Multi-Satellite Data Discovery, EOS Trans. AGU, 85 (47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract SA51A-0234) and greatly enhance the search capability for coordinated searches beyond the existing metadata. These calculations can include items such as coordinate conversions, coincidences between satellite instruments and ground based stations, time transformations, model runs, etc. When coupled automatically into the search process, these allow the user to easily select data based on complex criteria, e.g. "Locate GUVI limb retrievals over Millstone Hill at night when Kp is greater than 3". We have developed a virtual metadata generator and implemented it into the TIMED Mission Data Center catalog and developed a search interface to use it. In this paper, we discuss how this metadata generator was developed and implemented as well as how it has enhanced searching for the TIMED program. These virtual metadata generators will play a key role in enhancing the search capabilities of Virtual Observatories for the ITM community and other disciplines. We will show how this capability can be expanded to the broader community to integrate and greatly enhance the data search capabilities of data repositories dealing with multiple satellites and ground-based sites.
SH44A-06 16:50h
A SOAP Web Services Interface to ACE Data
Since early in 1998, NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft has provided continuous measurements of solar wind and energetic particle activity from L1, located approximately 0.01 AU sunward of Earth. ACE data from nine instruments are being used to measure and compare the elemental and isotopic composition of the solar corona, the nearby interstellar medium, and the Galaxy, and to study particle acceleration processes that occur in a wide range of environments. The spacecraft has enough fuel to stay in orbit about L1 until at least 2020. The ACE Science Center (ASC) provides access to ACE data, and performs level 1 and browse data processing for the science instruments. Available on-line are solar wind, solar energetic particle, and galactic cosmic ray intensity and composition data, as well as solar wind and magnetic field parameters on a variety of time scales. We describe our recent efforts to provide enhanced access to ACE data via a SOAP Web Services interface. The interface utilizes the Space Physics Archive Search and Extract (SPASE) dictionary, and will be compatible with emerging virtual observatories.
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/ACE/ASC