Collaborative Proposal for Facility Support: Development and Maintenance of the Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC)

University Of California-San Diego Scripps Inst Of Oceanography, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

Intellectual Merit: Modern scientific research is increasingly dependent on timely access to digital in-formation, and the ability to conduct sophisticated searches of datasets for information matching specific criteria, often with the goal of exploiting previously unconsidered connections among datasets. Although the paleomagnetic community had a good start in the establishment of digital databases, the existing database infrastructure no longer meets the needs of the research community. Critical information is widely disseminated in scientific journals and because of space limitations important details never see the light of day. There is no publicly sponsored mechanism for making data rapidly available to the general research community. This collaborative proposal is to establish a multi-user facility to be known as the Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC). There are two major goals we hope to accomplish. The first is to establish and maintain state-of-the-art relational databases that will form a digital archive for rock and paleomagnetic data. The second is to provide an information technology infrastructure and web portal for these and other research-oriented digital databases run by the international magnetics' community. As its name implies, MagIC will not be restricted to paleomagnetic or rock magnetic data, although the scope of material to be archived will initially focus on these kinds of information. In the longer term we anticipate that MagIC will effectively act as a kind of digital library for the range of magnetic data collected in basic research of the kind typically (but not exclusively) sponsored by NSF. Because existing databases catalog other kinds of magnetic data or information that are used in magnetic studies there is also a need for cyber tools that will allow the exploitation of database efforts by other groups. The project will not only have tremendous impact on the way that magnetic research is routinely carried out but will make educational and research contributions to other areas of the earth sciences (for example, geochronology, petrology, studies of Earth's deep interior, paleoclimate and environmental studies). A number of magnetic data products like time scales, magnetic field models and animations of magnetic field variations are routinely used in a wide range of research as well as in education. In addition to providing software and visualization tools MagIC can act as a storage facility for these data products. It is anticipated that in the long term the database will be accessible at a range of expert levels. The scope of the work to be carried out under this proposal will be: (1) Establish flexible metadata structures for archiving of rock and paleomagnetic data via a process that involves extensive consultation with the research community; (2) Provide a web portal (that can be adapted to individual users' needs) to upload data for archival or download data for research or educational uses; (3) Educate the community in operation of the database and encourage researchers to archive data as they collect it; (4) Bring legacy data into searchable archives; (5) Provide tools for searching databases; (6) Provide visualization and software tools; (7) Develop optimal cross linking and/or integration with related databases. Existing resources will be exploited as much as possible (including efforts already invested at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) in EarthRef.org and the Geochemical Earth Reference Model, GERM) and to coordinate efforts among researchers at the Institute for Rock Magnetism (IRM), SIO and the University of Western Australia (UWA). Substantial effort will need to be invested to establish metadata that are specific to each of the rock and paleomagnetic aspects of the project, but the goal is to coordinate overlapping information. MagIC data will reside at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, which is a significant resource in terms of information technology, database, and programming expertise. Broader Impact: Access to a wide range of magnetic data is useful across almost all geoscience disciplines, including but not limited to tectonics, climate change, Studies of Earth's Deep Interior, crustal processes, stratigraphy and the dating of geological processes. The interface and visualization tools to be developed will enable easy access to current as well as historically important research in a format suitable for a variety of educational purposes. In this regard the undergraduate population will be especially well-served. Researchers generally will benefit from access to information presented at a range of levels of expertise, and enhanced ability to conduct cross-disciplinary research.