Collaborative Proposal for Facility Support: Development and Maintenance of the Magnetics Information Consortium (MagIC)

智力优势：现代科学研究越来越依赖于及时获取数字信息，以及对数据集进行复杂搜索以获得符合特定标准的信息的能力，其目标通常是利用以前未考虑到的数据集之间的联系。虽然古地磁学界在数字数据库的建立方面有一个良好的开端，但现有的数据库基础设施已不能满足研究界的需要。关键信息在科学期刊上广泛传播，但由于篇幅限制，重要细节从未曝光。目前还没有一个由公众赞助的机制，可以让一般研究界迅速获得数据。这项合作建议是建立一个多用户设施，称为磁性信息联盟（MagIC）。我们希望实现两个主要目标。首先是建立和维护最先进的关系数据库，形成岩石和古地磁数据的数字档案。第二个目标是为这些和其他由国际磁学团体运行的研究型数字数据库提供信息技术基础设施和门户网站。正如它的名字所暗示的，MagIC将不局限于古地磁或岩石磁数据，尽管要存档的材料范围最初将集中在这类信息上。从长远来看，我们预计MagIC将有效地作为一种数字图书馆，用于通常（但不是唯一）由NSF赞助的基础研究中收集的磁性数据范围。由于现有的数据库收录了用于磁性研究的其他类型的磁性数据或信息，因此还需要网络工具，以便其他小组利用数据库的成果。该项目不仅将对磁学研究的常规开展方式产生巨大影响，而且将对地球科学的其他领域（例如，地质年代学、岩石学、地球深部研究、古气候和环境研究）的教育和研究作出贡献。许多磁性数据产品，如时间尺度、磁场模型和磁场变化动画，在广泛的研究和教育中经常使用。除了提供软件和可视化工具外，MagIC还可以作为这些数据产品的存储设施。预期从长远来看，该数据库将可供各种级别的专家使用。根据本提案开展的工作范围将是：(1)通过与研究界广泛协商的过程，建立灵活的元数据结构，用于存档岩石和古地磁数据；(2)提供门户网站（可根据个人用户的需求进行调整），上传数据存档或下载数据用于研究或教育用途；(3)教育社区如何操作数据库，并鼓励研究人员在收集数据时将数据存档；(4)将遗留数据纳入可搜索的知识库；(5)提供数据库检索工具；(6)提供可视化和软件工具；(7)开发与相关数据库的最佳交叉链接和/或集成。现有的资源将尽可能被开发（包括已经在地球地球化学参考模型（GERM）和地球地球化学研究所（SIO）在EarthRef.org上投入的努力），并协调岩石磁学研究所（IRM）、SIO和西澳大利亚大学（UWA）的研究人员之间的努力。需要投入大量的精力来建立特定于项目的每个岩石和古地磁方面的元数据，但目标是协调重叠的信息。MagIC数据将驻留在圣地亚哥超级计算机中心，该中心是信息技术、数据库和编程专业知识方面的重要资源。更广泛的影响：获得广泛的磁数据对几乎所有地球科学学科都是有用的，包括但不限于构造学、气候变化、地球深层内部研究、地壳过程、地层学和地质过程的年代测定。即将开发的界面和可视化工具将使人们能够以适合各种教育目的的格式轻松访问当前和历史上重要的研究。在这方面，本科生将得到特别好的服务。一般来说，研究人员将受益于获得在各种专业水平上提供的信息，并增强进行跨学科研究的能力。

Intellectual Merit: Modern scientific research is increasingly dependent on timely access to digital in-formation, and the ability to conduct sophisticated searches of datasets for information matching specific criteria, often with the goal of exploiting previously unconsidered connections among datasets. Although the paleomagnetic community had a good start in the establishment of digital databases, the existing database infrastructure no longer meets the needs of the research community. Critical information is widely disseminated in scientific journals and because of space limitations important details never see the light of day. There is no publicly sponsored mechanism for making data rapidly available to the general research community. This collaborative proposal is to establish a multi-user facility to be known as the MagneticsInformation Consortium (MagIC). There are two major goals we hope to accomplish. The first is to establish and maintain state-of-the-art relational databases that will form a digital archive for rock and paleomagnetic data. The second is to provide an information technology infrastructure and web portal for these and other research-oriented digital databases run by the international magnetics' community. As its name implies, MagIC will not be restricted to paleomagnetic or rock magnetic data, although the scope of material to be archived will initially focus on these kinds of information. In the longer term we anticipate that MagIC will effectively act as a kind of digital library for the range of magnetic data collected in basic research of the kind typically (but not exclusively) sponsored by NSF. Because existing databases catalog other kinds of magnetic data or information that are used in magnetic studies there is also a need for cyber tools that will allow the exploitation of database efforts by other groups. The project will not only have tremendous impact on the way that magnetic research is routinely carried out but will make educational and research contributions to other areas of the earth sciences (for example,geochronology, petrology, studies of Earth's deep interior, paleoclimate and environmental studies). A number of magnetic data products like time scales, magnetic field models and animations of magnetic field variations are routinely used in a wide range of research as well as in education. In addition to providing software and visualization tools MagIC can act as a storage facility for these data products. It is anticipated that in the long term the database will be accessible at a range of expert levels.The scope of the work to be carried out under this proposal will be: (1) Establish flexible metadata structures for archiving of rock and paleomagnetic data via a process that involves extensive consultation with the research community; (2) Provide a web portal (that can be adapted to individual users' needs) to upload data for archival or download data for research or educational uses; (3) Educate the community in operation of the database and encourage researchers to archive data as they collect it; (4) Bring legacy data into searchablearchives; (5) Provide tools for searching databases; (6) Provide visualization and software tools; (7) Develop optimal cross linking and/or integration with related databases.Existing resources will be exploited as much as possible (including efforts already invested at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) in EarthRef.org and the Geochemical Earth Reference Model, GERM) and to coordinate efforts among researchers at the Institute for Rock Magnetism (IRM), SIO and the University of Western Australia (UWA). Substantial effort will need to be invested to establish metadata that are specific to each of the rock and paleomagnetic aspects of the project, but the goal is to coordinate overlapping information. MagIC data will reside at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, which is a significant resource in terms of information technology, database, and programming expertise. Broader Impact: Access to a wide range of magnetic data is useful across almost all geoscience disciplines, including but not limited to tectonics, climate change, Studies of Earth's Deep Interior, crustal processes, stratigraphy and the dating of geological processes. The interface and visualization tools to be developed will enable easy access to current as well as historically important research in a format suitable for a variety of educational purposes. In this regard the undergraduate population will be especially well-served.Researchers generally will benefit from access to information presented at a range of levels of expertise, and enhanced ability to conduct cross-disciplinary research.