Intellectual Merit: This project implements Phase II of the creation of an on online digital data collection (SedDB) that archives, manages, and makes accessible geochemical data of sediments in a new, user-friendly way. It allows users to create customized data sets that integrate data from any number of publications and unpublished sources. SedDB provides efficient access to NSF-funded datasets that are of fundamental interest to many fields in the Geosciences associated with Earth history, tectonics, the atmosphere, life, and climate; thereby maximizing the utility of these data. Through its interface and linking with data visualization products, SedDB allows researchers to easily discover, access, and analyze data, integrate it with other data types, and develop new cross-disciplinary approaches to important scientific questions. Goals for Phase II are to expand the data holdings through continued data compilation from the literature and addition of new focus sites, to implement user-friendly data submission procedures for investigators, and to develop authentication procedures that will allow users to add and integrate their unpublished data with restricted access. Linking and collaborating with other database and Geoinformatics world-wide are a priority in order to take advantage of synergies, insure the broadest possible access to data holdings, and contribute to the development of global data networks.
Broader Impacts: This project primarily builds crucial infrastructure in the geosciences. Outreach and education activities such as short courses and workshops will be conducted to advance use of the system, seek buy-in and feedback from potential user communities with the goal to integrate SedDB into research and education, and identify and respond to community needs and concerns. Students at both the graduate and undergraduate level will be trained in geoinformatics.
