AASG-USGS PLAN FOR A NATIONAL GEOSCIENCE INFORMATION NETWORK

National Geoscience Information Network In early 2007, the nation's geological surveys agreed to the development of a national geoscience information network that is distributed, interoperable, uses open source standards and common protocols, respects and acknowledges data ownership, fosters communities of practice to grow, and develops new web services and clients.

Geological surveys have unique resources and mission-specific requirements that include the gathering, archiving, and dissemination of data. Together these data represent one of the largest, most extensive long-term information resources on the geology of the United States. Currently, however, these data are available in disparate systems which require time and resources to explore, extract, and reformat. Using modern information technology and a virtual “service oriented architecture” that provides common discovery tools and standards, the Surveys and the general science community will benefit in multiple ways. First, online data and other informational products from each Survey will be more readily available to the world audience and will be more valuable because they will be interoperable. Second, data and applications from external sources, such as USGS's more than 1,000 databases, catalogues, and inventories will be readily accessed and integratable with each participating Survey's own data system. Third, a large federated data network will create inestimable opportunities for the broader community, including academia and the private sector, to build applications utilizing this huge data resource, and integrate it with other data. The work of each geological survey will be enhanced by access to these new data and applications.

By demonstrating national cooperation for data access and interoperability among the federal and state geological surveys, we may be able to serve as a model for broader cooperation in geoinformatics across the entire earth science community and linkages to other scientific disciplines, especially those with a geospatial aspect. We intend to coordinate the development of this network with other efforts including the National Science Foundation's “Cyberinfrastructure Vision for 21st Century Discovery,” and the emerging academic and international efforts in informatics. This “community of practice” approach means that we will learn, develop, evolve, and coordinate the building of the network with each other and our partners.

When initiated among the geological surveys, any user may go to a geological survey (or other participating) website, enter a distributed science data catalog, and view available data. Because all these data will use a common mark-up language, the user can select and download needed data and load them into any number of their own applications, including in-house, freeware, and proprietary commercial products. The interface would be seamless and near-instantaneous and the original data source would be credited with the download. The information network will expand as others participate.

Roles of Geological Surveys Geological Surveys have dual requirements to collect, archive, and disseminate data for their stakeholders and customers to use, on one hand, and on the other, to access data held by others that will enable the Surveys to better carry out their analytical and research duties. Data accessibility enhances this two-way exchange of information.

The geological surveys are primary geoscience data providers and have mandated responsibilities to collect, organize, and distribute this information to the public. Currently, information assets exist in many databases and in many forms. Similarly, organizations have implemented a wide variety of solutions to manage, process, and support research and data stewardship requirements. Some organizations have integrated their data to provide products to the public, and others have developed accessible Internet Map Services. Because of the large investment in these distributed systems, the emerging service architecture must build on existing systems and use protocols, standards, and services to help integrate the information systems and scientific information.

Geological Surveys have unique resources and functions as institutions with statutory mandates to collect, archive, and disseminate data permanently. These missions can complement and facilitate development of a national geoscience information network as well as benefit greatly from the result. Geological surveys also contribute to the building of standards of practice and fundamental baseline geologic information such as lexicons, geologic maps, and time scales. These contribute directly to the overall geoinformatics efforts. The breadth and depth of survey-based data are so large that collectively they constitute one of the largest if not the largest data resources in the geosciences, in essence, a national data “backbone.”

Vision for a National Geoscience Information Network The Surveys agreed to the following principles and activities to be undertaken in the next few years to achieve the vision:

• Develop a coordinated national geoscience information network to access and integrate state survey and USGS information resources (data bases, maps, publications, methods, applications, and data services).

• Function as a “community of practice” in development of geoinformatics and the geoscience network.

• Develop prototypes (pilots, test beds) to show proof of concept and determine realistic levels of effort and compare costs and benefits while providing immediate benefits in the form of user services.

• Build the network through an iterative and evolutionary process.

• The basic architecture of the framework should be distributed and leverage existing systems, map services, and data, with local autonomy but using standards to enable interoperability.

• Review and adopt standards and protocols for developing the network (including metadata).

•New and existing systems should communicate with an open source (e.g., Open Geospatial Consortium-based) protocols to promote interoperability.

• Test and consider accepting GeoSciML (geoscience mark-up language) as a protocol and consider proposing as a standard to FGDC.

• Recognize there are priority data for which we have mission requirements and inherent partnerships amongst the geological surveys. Review these and adopt service definitions, and protocols as appropriate:

o Geologic maps, hazard data and maps, topographic data, existing map services

o Publications and bibliographies

o Observations and analytical measurements, samples and site information

o Applications and methods, analytical tools

o Legacy analog data

o Resource data and maps (minerals, energy, water etc.)

• Encourage clients and services to be developed and facilitate participation and implementation by others; preferably with low overhead and improving business models and needs.

• Reduce philosophical and cultural barriers that impede system development.

• Adhere to a code of conduct that respects and acknowledges data ownership and the work of others. Respect intellectual property and data provenance, use “branding” in data services to acknowledge data sources. Develop usage measurements and utilize them in clients and web services.

• Develop a database citation format.

• Policy – acknowledge that Geological Surveys need to recognize interoperable, web-enabled information resources as part their mission. Seek partnerships to leverage resources, develop, and implement the vision.

References

Kumar, Mohi, 2006, “Geoinformatics 2006,” EOS, American Geophysical Union, vol.87, no.44, Oct 31, p.481.

Allison, Lee, Tammy Dickenson, and Linda Gundersen, 2007, “Role of State Geological Surveys and USGS in a Geophysical System for the Nation: A report to the AASG and USGS on the results of a workshop conducted February 21-22, 2007,” http://www.geoinformatics.info/Resources.html.