Geochemical Earth Reference Model: GERM Workshop (May 2003, Lyon, France) and Database Development

地球化学地球参考模型（GERM）倡议是一项基层工作，旨在将地球定义为一个化学和物理模型系统。 在实现这一目标的道路上，GERM举办研讨会，为地球参考模型定义科学愿景，并确定实现GERM所需的关键技术进步。 GERM解决了数据发布方面的重要问题，并创建了一个网站，其中有几个支持全球地球化学研究的数据库。 GERM研讨会提供了一个半年度的审查地球作为一个化学系统，确定了一个国家的最先进的愿景GERM活动，并指导最需要的技术和科学努力，以推进地球的参考模型的论坛。我们在此建议扩大GERM在线数据库的内容，并要求提供资金，使GERM网站和数据库更方便使用和更好地检索。 这些努力将使GERM成为一个经常使用的地球化学研究设施。我们的大部分开发工作将侧重于通过开发数据填充协议和上传能力来实现社区参与。 这将最终使GERM成为一种资源，最大限度地自我维持，最少（因此具有成本效益）的帮助，由一个永久的数据库工作人员。按照我们将数据库活动与科学研讨会相结合的传统，我们将于2003年5月在法国里昂举办第四次全球环境风险管理研讨会。 我们将负责所有非本地会议的组织，并为美国科学家和研究生的参与费用做出贡献。

StaudigelEAR-0230121The Geochemical Earth Reference Model (GERM) Initiative is a grass-roots effort to define the earth as one chemical and physical model system. On its path towards this goal, GERM holds workshops that define a scientific vision for an earth reference model and identify critical technical advances that are needed to move towards a GERM. GERM has addressed important problems in data publication, and it created a website with several databases that support global geochemical research. GERM workshops offer a bi-annual review of the earth as a chemical system, defining a state-of-the-art vision for GERM activities, and a forum for directing technical and scientific efforts most needed to advance a reference model of the earth. We propose here to expand the contents of GERM on line databases and we request funds for making the GERM website and database more convenient to use and better searchable. These efforts will make GERM into a much-used facility for geochemical research. Much of our development work will be focused on enabling community participation, through the development of a data population protocol and upload capabilities. This will eventually make GERM into a resource that is maximally self-sustaining with minimal (and therefore cost effective) help by a permanent database staff. Following our tradition of combining database activity with scientifically motivated workshops, we will hold a fourth GERM workshop in May 2003 in Lyon, France. We will be responsible for all non-local meeting organization, and contribute to participant costs for US scientists and graduate students.