Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics

Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Kerstin Lehnert Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Geoinformatics The application of advanced information technologies to build a distributed, integrated digital information system and working environment that provides innovative means for the study of Earth as a complex system. www.geoinformatics.info AGU: ESSI Focus Group GSA: Geoinformatics Division EGU: ESSI Section

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Drivers of Geoinformatics • The need to handle an ever-increasing volume of Earth and space observation data. • The need to discover, access, integrate, and understand multi-disciplinary data in order to deal with more complex problems and respond more rapidly. • The need for processing power, storage, network bandwidth, and analysis tools to support data-based and data-intensive science.

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Benefits to Science & Education • Democratizes access to research resources • Ensures broad dissemination & application of scientific data & knowledge (education, general public, decision makers) • Provides new opportunities for research & education • Provides innovative tools for data discovery, data analysis, data integration, modeling, etc. • Facilitates new cross-disciplinary approaches • Facilitates more efficient use of resources • Allows sharing of instrumentation, computing, data, samples • Minimizes duplication of data collection • Ensures preservation of unique data • Offers new ways for collaboration (collaboratories, virtual observatories & organizations)

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Components of Geoinformatics • collections of scientific data & digital objects • software toolkits for resource discovery, modeling, and interactive visualization • online instruments & sensor arrays • computational centers • collaboration services Diagram from M. Leinen, 2004: “Cyberinfrastructure for the Geosciences - An agency perspective”,

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Developing Geoinformatics • Development/adoption of technologies • New organizational structures • Policy framework • Funding • Culture change Geoinformatics From: Arzberger et al., Science, 2004

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Status of Geoinformatics • Many ‘local’ systems exist or are emerging. • Disciplinary & programmatic databases • Visualization & mapping tools • Tools for capturing field observations & sensor data • Digital working environments, workflow • Networking of systems (interoperability) is advancing • Policy development & implementation is evolving

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Disciplinary Databases (Examples) • Geophysics: IRIS-DMC, MGDS • GPS, satellite & radar data: UNAVCO (UniData) • LIDAR: GEON • Igneous geochemistry: GEOROC, NAVDAT, PetDB • Geochronology: GEOCHRON(under development) • Experimental petrology: LEPR • Metamorphic Petrology: MetPetDB (under development) • Marine sediment geochemistry: SedDB, Pangaea • Stratigraphy: GeoStratSys • Paleobiology Database

Data Portal Data Library Search Search Bibliographical Information federated databases LDEO Geodynamics Seminar: “The 5th Dimension of Geochemistry” Databases User Interface Search Data Metadata Data Storage

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Geochemical Databases • Integrative data model • Access to individual values, not data sets • Comprehensive data documentation (metadata) • Sample location, sampling process, description & classification, geological context • Analytical procedure and data quality • Interactive & dynamic user interface • Build customized data sets that integrate data across original disparate sources (publications, theses, unpublished data sets)

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics A Typical Question • “Are high MgO basalts (MgO >8 wt%) from Lau Basin more enriched than high MgO basalts from the Mariana Trough?” • Query PetDB database • Set location: Lau Basin, Mariana Trough • Set sample type: Basalt • Set Chemistry Constraint: MgO > 8 wt% • Select data types: Trace elements, REE • Output data table (.txt, .xls) with data from >300 publications in ca. 2 minutes

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Success • Hundreds of citations in the literature • Thousands of unique users/month • Extensive use in education Herzberg et al. (2007) Stracke & Hofmann (2005) Putirka et al. (2007)

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Visualization (Examples) • GEON • Integrated Data Viewer • OpenEarth Framework (under development) http://www.geongrid.org/

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Visualization (Examples) • CoreWall Suite • real-time stratigraphic correlation, core description and data visualization system to be used by the marine, terrestrial and Antarctic science communities. http://www.corewall.org/

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Visualization (Examples) • GeoMapApp • Data Exploration and Visualization Tool • browse bathymetry data from the world’s oceans • generate & download custom grids and maps • make 3D perspective images • map and display variety of data sets, including seismic reflection profiles, geochemical analyses, seismicity, and shipboard measurements • import your own data & display on the map. www.geomapapp.org

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics GeoMapApp

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Networking: EarthChem • International collaboration of geochemical databases • Operates EarthChem Portal to discover & access data in federated databases • >13 million analytical values, >600,000 samples (PetDB, NAVDAT, GEOROC, USGS) • Interactive maps, tools for plotting, animations

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics EarthChem: Other Services • Compilation of new EarthChem datasets • Deep Lithosphere Dataset • Central Atlantic Magmatic Province • Geochemical Resource Library • Hosting & serving geochemical datasets • Datasets registered with DOI for citation • Promote standards & policies for geochemical data

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Networking: GeosciNET • Integrated network of Geoinformatics data and tools

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Data Acquisition Data Dissemination Visualization Collaboration Data Integration Data Analysis

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Physical Samples & Geoinformatics • Need access to information about the samples • to ensure proper evaluation and facilitate interpretation of sample-based data. • Need links to physical specimens • to make observations & measurements and the science derived from them reproducible. • to allow discovery & re-use of samples for improved use of existing collections. • Requires unique sample identification

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics System for Earth Sample Registration • Provides and manages global unique identifiers for Earth samples • Supports personal & institutional sample management • Builds a Global Sample Catalog International Geo Sample Number Register your samples at www.geosamples.org

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Geoinformatics & Education • Using Geoinformatics resources in the classroom • Educating teachers & students in the use of Geoinformatics resources • Involving educators in the creation of Geoinformatics educational resources • Educating a new workforce for Geoinformatics

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Using Geoinformatics for Education • Work with real data • Easy access to large volumes of data • Regional comparisons • Global synthesis • Statistical approaches • Visualization • Real-time participation in data acquisition • Social networking

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Education Resources • Science Education Resource Center SERC http://serc.carleton.edu/

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Mini-Lessons at SERC (Examples) • Global Geochemistry of Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts • Plate Tectonics as Expressed in Geological Landforms and Events: An Exploration using Google Earth™ and GeoMapApp • What Can (and Cannot) Be Learned from Scientific Drilling Using Examples from Margins Initiatives • Cenozoic Volcanic History of the Western United States • Igneous Rock Compositions and Plate Tectonics • Crystallization-Differentiation of Basaltic Magma • Compositional Diversity in Volcanic Suites

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Education: Upcoming Workshops

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Education: Short Courses EarthChem Short Courses

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics Concluding Remarks • GI is necessary to support Geoscience research & education. • While the number of GI systems is growing, coordination and integration of systems is insufficient. • Open access to scientific data is fundamental. • Organizational and cultural challenges need to be addressed to make GI a real science infrastructure. • Scientists and educators need to actively participate in the development of GI.

K. Lehnert: Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics What can be done • Data Managers • Enhance available resources (digital lab book, convenient data submission • Education & outreach • Scientists • Recognize the need of and comply with data policies • Engage in dialog with data managers • Support funding of new ‘coordinated’ database initiatives • Societies • Improve visibility of DATA issues • Facilitate the global dialog on data issues • Agencies • Provide incentives for data sharing • Encourage & support collaboration among databases (nationally & internationally)

Supporting Science & Education with Geoinformatics