Geoscience information is defined on both discrete and continuous spatial domains. Discrete spatial domains include point locations of observations at measurement sites and GIS coverages of point, line and area features used for observation and data interpretation. Continuous spatial domains are used in geophysical fluid sciences such as for the atmosphere, oceans, and land subsurface to describe arrays of measured or modeled variables defined on a mesh of uniformly spaced points. Data defined on either discrete or continuous spatial domains may also vary discretely or continuously in time, ranging from one-time samples, to samples at random points of time, to samples at regularly spaced intervals of time. This project builds upon previous work called "Crossing the Digital Divide" focused on integrated discovery of common information themes including precipitation in discrete data from the CUAHSI hydrologic information system and continuous data from the Unidata THREDDS data server. This project will advance that work by investigating in the first year creating new technologies for publishing and discovery of information through the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Common Infrastructure, the definition of a Common Information Model for discrete and continuous data, development of shard software tools for using this Common Information Model, and extension of the concepts to similar information in the Polar, Ocean and Solid Earth Sciences.
This work builds on existing NSF data infrastructures and extends them in a reasonable way between two domains, Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, which are closely related intellectually, but have very different data environments. Some further extension into the Polar, Ocean and Solid Earth Sciences is also attainable. The project include the engagement of an international spectrum of collaborators through the Global Earth Observing System of Systems.
