NSF Convergence Accelerator Track E: A Globally Coordinated, Universally-Accessible Digital Twin Network for the Coral Reef Blue Economy

国家科学基金会融合加速器E轨道：全球协调、普遍可及的珊瑚礁蓝色经济数字孪生网络本项目提出开发“数字孪生”技术，以改善珊瑚礁生态系统的管理。数字双胞胎是虚拟复制品，该技术在许多领域的应用正在增长，提供了虚拟协作、可视化整个系统、进气传感器数据和实时更新系统状态、设计假设场景、预测拟议干预的结果、制定策略以改善双胞胎虚拟代表的现实世界特征的机会。这项技术尚未应用于珊瑚礁的分析和管理，但有可能促进不同利益集团之间的合作，这是保护这些关键生态系统所需要的。该团队已经确定了三个限制科学知识在珊瑚礁生态系统管理、保护和恢复中的应用的关键差距，他们相信数字孪生方法可以解决这些差距：i)缺乏完整的系统方法，ii)缺乏数据集成、分析和可视化的全球平台，以及iii)缺乏对数据和知识的普遍访问，这反过来又禁止了共享和协作。这项工作的最终目标是建立一个全球规模的、相互关联的数字珊瑚礁网络，有可能改变珊瑚生态系统的管理、保护、恢复和可持续收获，以实现21世纪的蓝色经济。珊瑚礁生态系统在全球蓝色经济中发挥着核心作用。在美国，珊瑚礁每年为蓝色经济贡献数十亿美元，创造就业机会，保护沿海基础设施。然而，世界各地的珊瑚礁正在以人类历史上前所未有的速度和规模下降。该项目纳入了宝贵的多样性和专门知识，其中包括关岛大学，这是一所经认可的亚裔美国人、美洲土著、太平洋岛民服务机构；马绍尔群岛保护协会（MICS）对珊瑚礁的可持续性有着强烈的利益相关者利益；大自然保护协会，其珊瑚礁项目在全球30多个国家建立。作为这项研究的一部分产生的所有产品将通过项目特定的网站和现有的门户网站以及其他媒体，如电影，游戏化，以及与美国大型公共水族馆的合作，向公众提供。这一强大的网络将有助于确保与广泛的利益攸关方共同开发，并确保所开发的工具在全球得到利用。该团队将在太平洋上的美国领土巴尔米拉环礁上开发珊瑚礁数字双胞胎原型，然后在第二阶段将数字双胞胎模型扩展到联邦机构和保护组织的合作者确定的优先地点。活体珊瑚礁的三维虚拟复制品将有助于整合、分析和获取来自世界各地的各种地质、物理、化学、生物和社会经济数据和模型。这些数据将被整合到活珊瑚礁的整体表现中，可以以3d形式可视化，在任何时间和空间点进行分析，并在不同的未来情景下进行模拟。通过传感器、机器人和卫星将实体珊瑚礁与其数字复制品连接起来，将使数字孪生体能够近乎实时地接收和整合珊瑚礁状态的更新，为管理者、修复从业者和利益相关者（包括旅游经营者、渔民和沿海社区）提供关键信息。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。

OIA - 2137882 NSF Convergence Accelerator Track E: A Globally Coordinated, Universally-Accessible Digital Twin Network for the Coral Reef Blue EconomyThis project proposes to develop a “digital twin” technology to improve stewardship of coral reef ecosystems. Digital twins are virtual replicas and the use of this technology is growing in many sectors, providing opportunities to collaborate virtually, visualize entire systems, intake sensor data and update system status in real time, design what-if scenarios, predict results of proposed interventions, and create strategies to improve the real-world features that the twin represents virtually. This technology has not yet been applied to analysis and stewardship of coral reefs but has the potential to facilitate the collaboration among diverse interest groups that is needed to preserve these crucial ecosystems. The team has identified three critical gaps that limit the utility of scientific knowledge in the management, conservation, and restoration of coral reef ecosystems which they are confident can be addressed by the digital twin approach: i) lack of a whole systems approach, ii) absence of a global platform for data integration, analysis and visualization, and iii) lack of universal access to data and knowledge, which in turn prohibits sharing and collaboration. The end goal of the effort is a global-scale, interconnected network of digital reefs with the potential to transform the management, conservation, restoration, and sustainable harvest of coral ecosystems for the 21st century blue economy. Coral reef ecosystems play a central role in the global blue economy. In the US, coral reefs contribute billions of dollars to the blue economy each year, create jobs, and protect coastal infrastructure. However, coral reefs everywhere are declining at a pace and scale unprecedented in human history. This project incorporates valuable diversity and expertise, including includes the University of Guam, an accredited Asian American, native American, Pacific Islander-serving institution; the Marshall Islands Conservation Society (MICS), with strong stakeholder interests in coral reef sustainability; and the Nature Conservancy, whose coral reef program is established in over thirty countries around the world. All products generated as part of this research will be made publicly available via a project-specific website and existing portals as well as other media such as film, gamification, and collaborations with large public aquariums in the US. This strong network will help ensure co-development with a broad range of stakeholders and global utilization of the tools developed. The team will develop the prototype Coral Reef digital twin on Palmyra Atoll, a US territory in the Pacific, and then during Phase 2 will expand the digital twin model to priority sites identified by collaborators from federal agencies and conservation organizations. The 3-dimensional virtual replica of a living reef will facilitate the integration, analysis and accessibility of a diversity of geological, physical, chemical, biological and socio-economic data and models from anywhere in the world. The data will be incorporated into a holistic representation of the living reef that can be visualized in 3-D, analyzed at any point in space and time, and simulated under different, future scenarios. Connection between the physical reef and its digital replica, via sensors, robotics and satellites, will allow the digital twin to receive and integrate updates on coral reef status in near-real time, providing critical information to managers, restoration practitioners, and stakeholders, including tourism operators, fishermen and coastal communities.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.