the electronic geophysical year (egy) and the international geophysical year plus 50 (igy + 50)...

The Electronic Geophysical Year (eGY) and the International Geophysical Year

plus 50 (IGY + 50)

Daniel N. BakerLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics,

Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences

University of Colorado, Boulder

Electronic Geophysical Year General Meeting—March 13- 14, 2007

In the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), member countries established geophysical observatories around the world. These nations were pursuing major IGY objectives – to collect geophysical data as widely as possible and to provide free access to these data for all scientists around the globe.

international Geophysical YearEpisode II

Several major international initiatives – such as the International Polar Year, the International Heliophysical Year, and the International Year of the Planet Earth – were proposed to commemorate and to follow on from the original IGY…

e-SCIENCE STRIKES BACK!By the beginning of the 21st century, scientists had achieved an unparalleled ability to acquire data and attained a good understanding of traditional regions – the troposphere, the magnetosphere and other such “spheres.” Much of the new and important science was coming from the study of the boundaries between these regions and of coupling between geophysical domains. Thus, there was a need to make data available in a readily accessible form and much greater quantities to a wider range of scientists than ever before.


The First International Polar Year (1881-1884)

The records of the first IPY offer a rare glimpse of the circumpolar Arctic environment as it existed in the past.

Primary IPY Stations in the Arctic:1. Cap Thordsen2. Bossekop3. Sodankylä4. Maylye Karmakuly5. Kara Sea6. Ssagastyr7. Point Barrow8. Fort Rae9. Fort Conger10. Kingua Fjord11. Godthaab12. Jan MayenAuxiliary Stations


The Second International Polar Year (1932-1933)

The International Meteorological Organization proposed the Second IPY . Forty nations participated : It heralded advances in meteorology, magnetism, atmospheric science, and in the “mapping” of ionospheric phenomena.

Forty permanent observation stations were established in the Arctic. In Antarctica, the U.S. contribution was the second Byrd Antarctic expedition.


International Geophysical Year 1957 – 1958(Third International Polar Year)

• Allowed scientists to participate in global observations of geoscientific phenomena using common instruments and data processing

• Gathered data on geoscientific phenomena from around the world

• Established the World Data Center system

• Educated the public and policy makers on the value of the geosciences


From IGY 1957-58 ….

….. to eGY 2007-08HY

IPY

The Electronic Geophysical Year


International Year of Planet Earth

• The International Year of Planet Earth plans two main lines of activity: a Science Program and Outreach Programs.

• The Science Program will be channeled into ten broad, societally relevant multidisciplinary themes.

• The Outreach Programs set out numerous ways in which greater attention can be drawn to the relevance to society of the Earth Sciences.

1.U.N. Developing Nations Initiative2. “IGY Gold” Historical Initiative3. Education/ Public Outreach

1. Scientists2. Institutes and Scientific Orgs3. Events4. Observatories5. Campaigns

1. IHY Secretariat2. Regional Organizers3. National Organizers4.WorkingGroups

Leadership:

Special Programs:

Organizational Elements:


ICSU and WMO are co-sponsoring:

An intensive burst of internationally coordinated, interdisciplinary, scientific research and observations focused on

the Earth’s Polar regions starting in 2007

International Polar Year 2007-2008


1. Current Status of Polar Regions

2. Change in the Polar Regions

3. Global Linkages

4. New Frontiers

5. Polar Regions as Vantage Points

6. The Human Dimension

The Human Dimension also runs through the first five themes

Data Management and Education, Outreach & Communication run through all six themes

IPY Themes


eGY : Embrace and extend IGY principles

• Exploit evolving e-Science opportunities– International cooperation and sharing – Global, cross-disciplinary scope – Free, universal, open access to data– Timely and convenient access to data– Data preservation– Capacity building, especially in developing. countries– Education and public outreach– Data integration and knowledge discovery


The Electronic Geophysical Year (eGY)

eGY is intended to facilitate, inform, stimulate, encourage, and promote:

– Modern data access and services (e-Science)– Establishment of virtual observatories throughout the

geosciences– Cooperation among international bodies– Data discovery, release, and preservation– Capacity building and outreach


Growth of Internet Connectivity


Growth of Computing Capabilities


The e-Science Environment


The Emergence of the Information SocietyOfficial program for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

Tunis, 16-18 November 2005


More than 20,000 petabytes of digital information are stored in various media in our world every year – and the rate is growing exponentially

240 terabytes/year

627,000 terabytes/year

427,000 terabytes/year

Print Media

Magnetic (Server) Media

Optical (CD –DVD) Media

Film Media

83 terabytes/year

1,066,000 terabytes/year

Magnetic (PC and Tape) MediaEffectively Infinite Information


OUR GOAL: Transform Information into Wisdom

KnowledgeInformation Wisdom

“Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays,let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all. "

Arthur C. Clarke

There is an incredible amount of data being collected and information being generated.

What will we do with it?


Challenges: distributed data, cross-disciplinary data, large and complex data sets, open data access and sharing, data discovery, data preservation, data rescue, .. interoperability …

• Complex System science

• Higher resolution – space and time

• Rapid response

• Data assimilation into models

Drivers of science in the 21st century


Complex Systems: The Global Climate Change Science Program


GEO - Group on Earth ObservationsGEOSS - Global Earth Observation System of SystemsGEM – Global Environment Modelling projectGMES – Global Monitoring for Environment and SecurityIWGEO – Interagency Working Group on Earth ObservationIGOS – International Global Observing StrategyIGOS-P - International Global Observing Systems PartnersIGOSS – International Global Observing System of SystemsIGGOS – Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System GOS - Global Observing SystemsGCOS - Global Climate Observing System GOOS - Global Ocean Observing System GTOS - Global Terrestrial Observing System GOSIC - The Global Observing Systems Information Center

GOS/GAW - Global Observing System/ Global Atmosphere Watch (WMO) ESONET – European Sea Floor Observatory NetworkEOSDIS – Earth Observing System Data and Information System

Earth Observing Systems


Attributes of an Integrated Global Observing System

India INSATIndia INSATU.S. GOESU.S. GOES

• Sustained

• Integrated

• Comprehensive

• Global


““Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity.”Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity.”Adama SamassekouAdama SamassekouConvener of the United Convener of the United Nations World Summit on the Nations World Summit on the Information SocietyInformation Society

“The Information Commons”


eGY Declaration

We have a shared responsibility to create and implement strategies to realize the full potential of digital information for present and future generations. In the 21st century and beyond, access to digital information and new technologies for information integration and knowledge discovery will influence the free and productive development of societies around the world. In the geosciences, as elsewhere, providing ready and open access to the vast and growing collections of cross-disciplinary digital information is the key to understanding and responding to complex Earth system phenomena that influence human survival.

Article 1: Data accessArticle 2: Data releaseArticle 3: Data descriptionArticle 4: Data persistenceArticle 5: Data rescueArticle 6: Common standards

and cooperationArticle 7: Capability building Article 8: Education and public

outreach

“Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity”


eGY Impact

eGY will provide a springboard to the future in much the same way that the IGY did 50 years ago.

Growing out of the eGY and other I*Y efforts will be a global, comprehensive, and engaging program of geoscience research that motivates and enables scientists, policy-makers, students, and teachers to move forward into the 21st century and exploit fully the information that pervades the modern world.


How can digital technologies enhance information management

and knowledge discovery in our global society?


Recommendations for the I*Ys• Don’t reinvent the wheel• Use existing software – relational databases, metadata

management, visualization packages, etc.• Consider the Open Archival Information Systems (OAIS) reference

model as a good starting point• Consider a structured storage where data are stored in tiers (real-

time, recent, campaign, deep archive). • Portal site should include community tools like a Wiki, software

libraries.• The eGY has a “Best Practices” for scientific archives group. • Use standards, like FGDC, SPASE to get broader buy-in.


eGY Working Groups• Virtual Observatory Working Group

– Facilitating interoperability– Closely linked to the AGU focus group on informatics

• Best Practices for Data Management– What are the attributes of successful systems (including people)– Focus on access and usability– Initial effort sponsored by CODATA

• Data Integration and Knowledge Discovery– Truly interdisciplinary understanding of data and information

• Education and Outreach– Connecting teachers to virtual observatories

• Data Rescue and Preservation


Structure• Executive Director

– Dan Baker, LASP• Secretariat: To conduct eGY business; located at LASP & NOAA,

Boulder– Secretary: Bill Peterson– Communications: Marissa Rusinek– Public Relations : Emily CoBabe-Ammann

• International Committee: Policy, planning, opportunity identification, scientific links (representatives from key participants and regions)– Chair: C. Barton

• Thematic Working Groups– Virtual Observatories (Peter Fox, V. Papitashvili, Aaron Roberts)– Data Integration & Knowledge Discovery (Paul Berkman)– Best Practices - joint with CODATA (Herb Kroehl, Eric Kihn)– Education/Public Outreach (Emily CoBabe-Ammann)


Attractions of eGY• Timely – Virtual Observatory software is becoming available; e-

Science initiatives are spreading• Interdisciplinary - data sharing and data accessibility are common

issues in all areas of the geosciences• Affordable – low budget needs; technology development is funded

elsewhere• Inclusive – opportunities for developed and developing countries• Appealing to young scientists - fast, convenient, comprehensive

data access• Complements I*Y initiatives - IPY, IYPE, IHY, and CAWSES• Education and Outreach - Connecting teachers, students, policy

makers and the public to scientific data.• Capacity Building - can be used to reduce the digital divide


Suppose you study space weather and…you need to know more about the Sun’s output?

How do you find the data?


Suppose you study Mars and…you need to know how solar outputs affect the Martian atmosphere? Where do you get satellite information?


The Interoperability Era


Meeting Announcement

• An eGY Open Forum will be held in the Cassiopée Room from 17:30 to 19:30 on Friday 22 July.

• eGY representatives will also be in the room from 16:00 to discuss eGY issues with interested individuals.


[Courtesy of J.C. Green, CU/LASP]

Virtual Radiation Belt Observatory (VRBO)


To get scientific data from various, mostly distributed sources, scientists have had to:

5. … finally, do some science

4. process data using mostly proprietary codes, run models…

3. ingest retrieved data into a local database…

2. get data via snail-mail, air-mail, e-mail, Web…

1. Search through data centers, various institutions, observatories, contact colleagues…

the electronic geophysical year (egy) and the international geophysical year plus 50 (igy + 50)...

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geophysical data

data processinggathered

geophysical observatories

geophysical domains

data available

atmospheric science

science program

important science