CRI: Planning - A Massive and Heterogeneous Data Repository for Computing Research on the Gulf of Mexico

Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi TX

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this planning project is to assemble a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional team of computer scientists, biologists, marine scientist, and environmental researchers to develop a CRI large community resource proposal for building a massive and heterogeneous data repository. The data repository will consist of biological, ecological, and geographical information science (GIS) related data that will enhance cutting-edge computing research in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The repository will incorporate new data, but will largely consist of existing data from a variety of ocean observing systems around the GOM and the Harte Research Institute (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC). The development of the repository will be an interdisciplinary effort involving researchers from computer science, GIS, marine science, biological science, and environmental science, etc. The unique coastal location of TAMU-CC is an ideal environment for the development of the repository. The primary activities of this planning project are: (1) soliciting and analyzing detailed requirements from the research community; (2) examining and identifying data sets from different GOM ocean observation systems and the HRI; and (3) investigating the alternative repository architectures. The research objective is to provide the research community with multi-dimensional data sets for managing, analyzing, storing, sharing, visualizing, querying, and disseminating. The inherent dimensionality of the repository will stimulate the development of novel research supporting integrated research in a wide range of computing areas. The integration of data from different ocean monitoring systems and the HRI will lead to further renewal of demands for the development of novel technologies designed for the organization and mining of the data to enhance computing research. The heterogeneous nature of weather, oceanic and coastal observation, and biological and ecological data?ranging from free-text, image, sound, video, and sensor readings to GIS airborne multi-spectral imaging?provides an excellent research resource and test-bed for development of novel computing technologies. Areas of possible concentration are data integration, database modeling, information storage and retrieval, data mining, human computer interaction, modeling and forecasting, visualization, parallel processing, etc. The integrated repository will not only aid research in the GOM by providing enormous amount of raw data, but also become a valuable resource for the public, local government officials, scientists, natural resource managers and educators. Once completed, the repository will serve as a data resource for students in interdisciplinary science courses. The project will also have strong potential for extended outreach to other institutions in the GOM, including a K-12 outreach component.