CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE PLANS FOR THE PALEOMAGNETIC DATABASE

The paleomagnetic community began archiving data some three decades ago and has created 7 electronic data bases over the last decade. The seven so-called "IAGA" databases contain data and metadata for different types of applications such as pole positions (Gpmdb00), archeomagnetic directions (Archeo00), paleointensity (Pint00), etc. Many interesting lines of research cross the boundaries between the separate existing databases and there is a need to integrate the existing databases, augment what is archived to include much more information (e.g., the measurements themselves), and incorporate associated data (e.g., rock magnetic, stratigraphic, geochemical) into a single unified data structure. We have begun developing an online database for paleomagnetism (PMAG). A prototype is now operational under http://earthref.org/databases/PMAG/. This database will store all measurements and their derived properties for studies on paleomagnetic directions (inclination, declination) and intensities. The PMAG database is part of the Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC) that is hosted by the EarthRef.org website and database. For more information on the development of MagIC data and metadata standards, template files and software tools, please visit the http://earthref.org/metadata/MAGIC/ website.