COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: A TRANSPARENT-MIDDLE-LAYER COMPUTATIONAL AND DATA MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SYNOPTIC APPLICATIONS OF COSMOGENIC-NUCLIDE GEOCHEMISTRY

该项目将发展计算和数据管理知识和基础设施，以便能够在全球范围内应用宇宙生成核素地球化学。宇宙成因核素地球化学是一种地质测年方法，广泛用于研究地球表面活跃的地质过程，包括冰川和冰盖变化、侵蚀和沉积、构造变形以及地震规模和频率。宇宙成因核素地球化学并不直接测量存款的年龄，而是依赖于岩石和沉积物的地球化学性质，这些性质随时间而变化，因此与年龄有一定的关系。将地球化学测量结果解释为精确的、地质上有用的年龄需要一系列的计算和相关数据，这些数据本身就是积极研究的主题。因此，对在不同地点或不同时间收集的数据进行任何综合，都需要使用不断改进的方法，根据不断增加的原始地球化学观测数据集不断重新计算年龄。该项目的重点是开发一个网络基础设施系统，使计算自动化，并对有兴趣分析大型数据集的用户透明，并培训地球科学研究人员和学生如何使用该系统。总的来说，目标是提高地球科学研究人员利用地质年代学数据研究地球表面过程的能力，该项目将在试用成功的原型基础上，为宇宙生成核素地质年代学开发一个透明的中级计算基础设施。该资源将自动进行中级计算，允许持续同化数据和改进计算方法，并允许用户专注于大规模数据分析。本研究将涉及：1.现有原型的扩展和专业化，2.支持涉及大型数据集分析或可视化的新研究和教育应用;以及3.研究人员和学生的参与和培训，旨在将透明的中层概念和基础设施纳入研究工作流程。总的来说，目标是建立计算基础设施，以及能够并有动力使用它的研究人员社区，这是将该领域从单一的特定地点调查转向快速增长的数据集的区域和全球综合所必需的。此外，该项目的要素侧重于整合地球科学研究和教育，包括：1。用户作为共同开发者的参与和项目指导策略，2.将天气分析和数据可视化纳入本科教学资源的策略; 3.培训地球科学研究人员和学生计算和地理空间技能的计划。将网络基础设施发展纳入本科生和研究生地球科学教育，将建立一个学生和研究人员社区，使他们能够更好地在地球科学和其他领域取得成功，并建立将小规模实地研究与更广泛的区域或全球规模类似观测数据集联系起来的能力。该项目的创新方面可能提供通过在地球科学的其他领域的网络基础设施的发展，使科学调查的模式。该项目是由地球科学司的地理信息学和地貌学和土地利用动态计划联合资助，以及极地计划办公室。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的学术价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

This project will develop computational and data management knowledge and infrastructure to enable global-scale applications of cosmogenic-nuclide geochemistry. Cosmogenic-nuclide geochemistry is a geologic dating method that is widely used to study geologic processes active at the Earth's surface, including, for example, glacier and ice sheet change, erosion and sedimentation, tectonic deformation, and earthquake size and frequency. Cosmogenic-nuclide geochemistry does not directly measure the age of a deposit, but instead relies on geochemical properties of rocks and sediments that change over time and thus have some relation to age. Interpreting the geochemical measurements as a precise, geologically-useful age requires a series of calculations and associated data, which themselves are the subjects of active research. Thus, any synthesis of data collected in different places or at different times requires constant recalculation of ages from a growing data set of raw geochemical observations, using a continually improving method. This project focuses on developing a cyberinfrastructure system that automates calculations and makes them transparent to users interested in analysis of large data sets, and training Earth science researchers and students in how to use the system. Overall, the goal is to improve the ability of Earth science researchers to use geochronological data to study Earth surface processes.The project will develop a transparent middle-level computational infrastructure for cosmogenic-nuclide geochronology, based on a prototype that has been successful in trial applications. The resource will automate middle-level calculations, allow continual assimilation of data and improvement of calculation methods, and allow users to focus on large-scale data analysis. This research will involve: 1. expansion and professionalization of the existing prototype, 2. support for new research and education applications that involve analysis or visualization of large data sets; and 3. engagement and training of researchers and students aimed at embedding transparent middle-level concepts and infrastructure into research workflows. Overall, the aim is to build the computational infrastructure, and the community of researchers who are able and motivated to use it, that is necessary to move the field from single, site-specific investigations toward regional and global syntheses of rapidly growing data sets. In addition, elements of this project focus on integrating Earth science research and education, including: 1. a users-as-co-developers strategy for engagement and project guidance, 2. a strategy of incorporating synoptic analysis and data visualization into undergraduate teaching resources, and 3. a program of training Earth science researchers and students in computational and geospatial skills. Integrating cyberinfrastructure development into undergraduate and graduate Earth science education will build a community of students and researchers who are better prepared to succeed in both Earth science and other fields, as well as building the capability to link small-scale field research to the broader regional- or global-scale data set of similar observations. Innovative aspects of this project may provide models for enabling scientific investigation through cyberinfrastructure development in other areas of Earth science.This project is jointly funded by the Geoinformatics and the Geomorphology and Land Use Dynamics programs in the Division of Earth Sciences, as well as the Office of Polar Programs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.