EarthCube Capabilities: Cloud-Based Accessible and Reproducible Modeling for Water and Sediment Research

自然过程影响着美国的人口、经济和基础设施。许多这些过程都围绕着水和土壤。例子包括洪水、地下水运动、土壤侵蚀、山体滑坡、永久冻土融化和海岸线变化。在管理风险和最大化与这些类型的过程相关的资源潜力方面，计算机模拟建模和数字数据分析提供了至关重要的技术。研究人员使用计算机模拟和数字数据来执行各种功能，从基础研究和发现，到预测和“假设”情景规划。然而，某些技术障碍阻碍了寻找、访问和操作建模软件以及相关工具和数据集。该项目旨在通过结合两种互补技术的优势来提高研究能力：现有的用于查找和共享水相关数据的网络平台HydroShare，以及现有的用于水和土壤相关过程的计算机模拟工具套件，该工具套件由社区表面动力学建模系统（CSDMS）开发。将CSDMS Workbench仿真建模工具与HydroShare平台集成将通过简化查找、学习和运行适当模型的过程来提高研究效率；通过将模型和数据放在同一个计算机系统上；通过使打包、共享和重用发表研究成果的数字数据文件和软件变得更加容易。在了解和预测地球表面附近的过程方面取得进展需要不断地整合数据和数值模型。目前，技术障碍阻碍了查找、访问和操作建模软件及相关工具和数据集，阻碍了技术进步。该项目测试基于云的平台的可行性，用于访问和运行模型、开发模型数据工作流和共享可重复的结果。该项目汇集了由两个重要社区设施开发的网络基础设施：HydroShare，这是促进水文科学大学联盟（CUAHSI）的在线协作环境，以及社区表面动力学建模系统（CSDMS），它代表了大约1800名地球表面过程科学家的社区。在HydroShare平台上托管CSDMS模型和工具将促进开放、可访问和可复制的模型数据集成，用于处理地球表面和近地表的水、土壤和沉积物的科学。除了对这些领域的研究产生直接影响外，该项目还将通过在原型CSDMS@HydroShare Workbench上提供一系列社区讲习班来促进教学、培训和学习。这些拓展和培训机会将包括代表两个主要社区的全国性会议，以及以地球科学为导向的“黑客周”活动。Workbench还将在两个研究生水平的面向计算的课程中进行测试。此外，关于新平台的介绍性网络研讨会将在网上进行介绍、录制和分享，以供以后访问，为该试点项目开发的教程将在HydroShare上公开发布。该项目还将为两名博士后提供专业发展机会。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Natural processes influence the United States’ population, economy, and infrastructure. Many of these processes center around water and soil. Examples include flooding, groundwater movement, soil erosion, landsliding, permafrost thaw, and coastline change. In managing the risks and maximizing the resource potential associated with these types of process, computer simulation modeling and digital data analysis provide vital technologies. Researchers use computer simulations together with digital data to perform a variety of functions, ranging from fundamental research and discovery, to forecasting and “what if” scenario planning. However, certain technical barriers inhibit finding, accessing, and operating modeling software and related tools and data sets. This project seeks to enhance research capabilities by combining the strengths of two complementary technologies: an existing web-based platform for finding and sharing water-related data, HydroShare, and an existing suite of computer simulation tools for water- and soil-related processes, the tool suite, developed by the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS). Integrating the CSDMS Workbench simulation modeling tools with the HydroShare platform will increase research productivity by simplifying the processes of finding, learning, and running appropriate models; by bringing models and data together on the same computer system; and by making it easier to package, share, and re-use the digital data files and software that result from published research.Progress in understanding and predicting processes near the Earth's surface requires an ongoing integration of data and numerical models. Advances are currently hampered by technical barriers that inhibit finding, accessing, and operating modeling software and related tools and data sets. This project tests the feasibility of a cloud-based platform for accessing and running models, developing model-data workflows, and sharing reproducible results. The project brings together cyberinfrastructure developed by two important community facilities: HydroShare, which is the online collaboration environment for the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI), and the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS), which represents a community of about 1800 Earth surface process scientists. Hosting CSDMS models and tools on the HydroShare platform will foster open, accessible, and reproducible model-data integration for the sciences that deal with water, soil, and sediment at and near Earth's surface. In addition to its direct impact on research in these domains, the project will promote teaching, training, and learning by providing a series of community workshops on the prototype CSDMS@HydroShare Workbench. These outreach and training opportunities will include national meetings that represent the two primary communities involved, as well as a geoscience-oriented “hack week” event. The Workbench will also be tested in two graduate-level computing-oriented courses. In addition, an introductory webinar about the new platform will be presented, recorded, and shared online for later access, and the tutorials developed for this pilot project will be published openly on HydroShare. The project will also provide professional development opportunities for two postdoctoral scientists.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.