An Advanced Data Integration Service for Earth Science Research

Kenneth McDonald, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA

In studies of Earth system science, researchers frequently need to integrate data of multiple types from a wide variety of sources.  An example of this is the Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP), an international program that is assembling a large collection in situ and satellite data and model results to be used in the study of the global water cycle.  And while many advances are continually being made to data systems that provide scientists with better access to data and data services, frequently this is limited by the infrastructure that underlies the various system components.  In the case of CEOP, the field data and model output are served by systems based on the Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP) while many of the satellite data products are made available via interfaces specified by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).

This paper will give an overview and the latest status of a technology development project funded by NASA to develop a gateway between system components built upon the OPeNDAP and the OGC protocols.  The scope of capabilities being addressed includes both catalog and data transformation and access services provided within the two environments.  The project is funded though NASA's Advanced Collaborative Connections for Earth-Sun System Science (ACCESS) Program.  Although the project was initially defined to meet the needs of the CEOP science program and continues to focus on its specific requirements, the resulting capabilities should be useful to a wide range of Earth science research projects.


keywords: data systems, data access, interoperability, Earth science