Collaborative Research: ITR: Software for Interpretation of Cosmogenic Isotope Inventories - Combination of Geology, Modeling, Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence

该项目旨在提高基于宇宙成因同位素数据的地质年代学的准确性。它结合了对各种过程对地质构造中宇宙成因同位素积累速率影响的计算机模型的研究，开发了对宇宙成因同位素定年有用的数据数据库（如同位素丰度）和环境参数数据库（如太阳输出和不同时间的地球磁场状态），以及支持在定年中使用宇宙成因同位素积累模型的人工智能（AI）系统。人工智能系统将作为一个专家系统，指导用户选择建模工具和数据，并整合所选择的模型和数据。结合人工智能/数据库/建模系统将使用基于组件的架构来构建，以便在添加新流程和数据集时更容易修改和扩展。由于地质构造年代的确定对地质推断具有重要意义，因此该项目的成功将对研究和应用地质学中的许多问题有所帮助。该项目还将加强地质界和计算机科学研究界之间的联系，一方面是通过合作本身，另一方面是通过展示利用信息技术进一步开展地质研究的潜力。

This project aims to improve the accuracy of geological chronologies based on cosmogenic isotope data. It combines research on computer models of the effects of various processes on the rate of accumulation of cosmogenic isotopes in geological formations, the development of a database of data (such as isotope abundances) and environmental parameters useful for cosmogenic isotope dating (such as solar output and the state of the terrestrial magnetic field at different times), and an artificial intelligence (AI) system to support the use of cosmogenic isotope accumulation models in dating. The AI system will act as an expert system guiding the user in the choice of modeling tools and data, and integrating the selected models and data. The combined AI/database/modeling system will be built using a component-based architecture to make it simpler to modify and extend as new processes and data sets are added.Because of the central importance to geological inference of establishing the age of geological structures, this project, if successful should be helpful in a number of problems in research and applied geology. The project will also strengthen the connections between the geological and computer science research communities, both by virtue of the collaboration itself and by demonstrating the potential for exploiting information technology to further geological research.