Updating IT Infrastructure: Reducing Energy Consumption and Enhancing Data Flow to Researchers

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(Public Law 111-5)资助的。尽管国家冰雪数据中心(NSIDC)的冰冻圈研究记录了气候变化的证据，但具有讽刺意味的是，其计算系统的碳足迹是巨大的。NSIDC正在为其研究计算设施安装节能、减少碳足迹的升级，包括重新配置其计算机设备的布局；用间接蒸发冷却系统取代传统的空调；安装屋顶安装的太阳能电池板；以及升级到互联网的连接。升级后的设施对NSIDC进行冰冻圈研究的科学家产生了积极的影响；确保关键数据流向数百名非现场科学家；扩展了NSIDC的IT系统可靠性和提供快速数据浏览和在线数据分析等互联网网络服务的能力。它还展示了几种类似的数据中心如何减少碳足迹并维持对未来科学活动至关重要的网络基础设施的方法。NSIDC的科学家正在致力于NSF、NASA和NOAA资助的研究，以解决地球的冰冻圈--它的雪和海冰覆盖、永冻土、冰川和冰盖--既是一个关键指标，也是气候变化的驱动因素。科学问题包括：为什么北极海冰的缩小速度快于预期；北极变暖将如何影响永久冻土，变暖可能导致目前储存在这些冻土中的碳释放；南极冰盖正在发生什么变化？几个当地合作伙伴加入了NSIDC的这一努力。一个本科生工程研究项目正在评估这个节能项目，并将开发一个网站，向公众提供监测和设计支持数据。国家可再生能源实验室(NREL)正在共同撰写一份技术报告，将这一概念分发给全国各地的其他数据中心。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).While cryospheric research at National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) documents evidence of climate change, it is ironic that the carbon footprint of its computing systems is large. NSIDC is installing an energy-efficient, carbon footprint reduction upgrade to its research computing facility that includes reconfiguring the layout of its computer equipment; replacing conventional air conditioners with indirect evaporative cooling systems; installing a roof mounted solar power array; and upgrading connectivity to the Internet.The upgraded facility positively impacts NSIDC's scientists conducting cryospheric research; assures the flow of critical data to hundreds of off-site scientists; expands NSIDC's IT systems reliability and ability to provide internet web services such as rapid data browse and online data analysis. It also illustrates several ways how similar data centers can reduce carbon footprints and sustain the cyberinfrastructure critical to future scientific activities.NSIDC's scientists are working on NSF, NASA, and NOAA funded research addressing the Earth's cryosphere - its snow and sea ice cover, permafrost, glaciers and ice sheets - both as a key indicator and as a driver of climate change. Science questions include: why is the Arctic's sea ice cover shrinking at a faster rate than expected; how will Arctic warming affect the permafrost and could warming lead to release of carbon presently stored in these frozen soils; and how is the Antarctic ice sheet changing?Several local partners join NSIDC in this effort. An undergraduate engineering research project is evaluating this energy conservation project and will develop a website to make monitoring and design support data available to the public. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is co-authoring a technical report, to distribute the concept to other data centers across the country.