DATA ARCHIVING AND RETRIEVAL FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY OBSERVATORIES

As the demand for complex, integrated, multidisciplinary models of natural systems grows, the need for a robust system for archiving and providing access grows with it. The National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics (NCED) – an NSF Science and Technology Center comprised of biologists, civil engineers, ecologists, geologists, geomorphologists, and social scientists - develops integrated, ecogeodynamic models of Earth surface processes. NCED is in the process of creating a multidisciplinary observatory at its field site, and is actively grappling with the multidisciplinary data collection, archival, and retrieval problem. This talk is a report on our progress to date and an overview of the outstanding issues.