National Academies Press: OpenBook
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R8
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1991. Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information.. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18584.
×
Page R9

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

REFERENCE COPY FOR LIBRARY ItfE ONLY Solving the Global Change Puzzle A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information A Report by the Committee on Geophysical Data Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources National Research Council PROPERTY OF National Academy Pr: Washington, D.C., 1< 1MRC LIBRARY

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Frank Press is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Robert M. White is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Stuart Bondurant is acting president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Frank Press and Dr. Robert M. White are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council. Support for this project was provided by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense (U.S. Navy), the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Copies of this report are available from: Committee on Geophysical Data National Academy of Sciences 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20418 Printed in the United States of America QC 981.8 .C5 S6 1991 Delving the global change uzzle i

OCLC. J Committee on Geophysical Data Chairman; Ferris Webster, University of Delaware Committee Members: Shelton S. Alexander, Pennsylvania State University Peter Cornillon, University of Rhode Island Murray Dryer, Space Environment Laboratory, NOAA Joan Feynman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Glenn R. Flierl, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Robert E. Gold, Johns Hopkins University Dorothy K. Hall, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center William J. Hinze, Purdue University Roy L. Jenne, National Center for Atmospheric Research Kenneth C. Jezek, Ohio State University Robert L. McPherron, University of California, Los Angeles Richard J. Reed, University of Washington Liaison Member to NRC Committee on Global Change: Francis P. Bretherton, University of Wisconsin, Madison NRC Staff: Pembroke J. Hart, Staff Officer Lorraine W. Wolf, Staff Officer Charlene E. Anderson, Administrative Secretary in

Board on Earth Sciences and Resources Chairman: William L. Fisher, University of Texas, Austin Board Members: Samuel S. Adams, Colorado School of Mines Albert W. Bally, Rice University Sandra L. Blackstone, University of Denver Donald J. DePaolo, University of California, Berkeley Gordon P. Eaton, Columbia University W. Gary Ernst, Stanford University Robert N. Ginsburg, University of Miami Perry R. Hagenstein, Resources Issues, Inc. Harrison C. Jamison, Petroleum Exploration Consultant Thomas H. Jordan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Charles J. Mankin, University of Oklahoma Carel Otte, Jr., Unocal Corporation (retired) Frank M. Richter, University of Chicago Steven M. Stanley, Johns Hopkins University Irvin L. White, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority NRC Staff: Kevin C. Burke, Staff Director Lally Anne Anderson, Administrative Specialist Gaylene Dumouchel, Administrative Assistant Judith L. Estep, Administrative Secretary Thomas M. Usselman, Senior Staff Officer iv

Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources Chairman: M. Gordon Wolman, Johns Hopkins University Commission Members: Robert C. Beardsley, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution B. Clark Burchfiel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ralph J. Cicerone, University of California, Irvine Peter S. Eagleson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Helen M. Ingram, University of Arizona Gene E. Likens, Institute of Ecosystem Studies, New York Botanical Gardens Syukuro Manabe, Princeton University Jack E. Oliver, Cornell University Philip A. Palmer, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Frank L. Parker, Vanderbilt University Duncan T. Patten, Arizona State University Maxine L. Savitz, Allied Signal Aerospace Co. Larry L. Smarr, National Center for Supercomputing Applications Steven M. Stanley, Johns Hopkins University Sir Crispin Tickell, U.K. Representative to the United Nations Karl K. Turekian, Yale University Irvin L. White, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority James H. Zumberge, University of Southern California NRC Staff: Stephen Rattien, Executive Director Stephen D. Parker, Associate Executive Director Janice E. Mehler, Assistant Executive Director Jeanette Spoon, Financial Officer Carlita Perry, Administrative Assistant

Contents Preface ix Summary 1 1. Introduction 7 Purpose of this Report, 7 Global Change Research, 8 The Need for Data and Data Management, 10 2. Information for Global Change 12 Priority Requirements, 12 Functions of a Data and Information Management System, 15 3. The Present System 17 Will and Commitment, 17 Data Centers, 18 Effectiveness of the Centers, 21 Finding Data and Information, 24 User Participation Issues, 24 4. A Data Management Strategy for Global Change 28 Scientific Involvement, 28 Creating a New System, 30 A Federal Data Policy, 36 A National Information System, 36 5. A Vision of a National Information System for Global Change 38 Hierarchical Structure, 38 Functions of Each Level, 41 User View, 42 VII

A Virtual National Information System, 43 Necessary Steps, 44 6. The Next Steps 49 References 50 Abbreviations and Acronyms 52 viii

Preface The U.S. government is giving unprecedented priority to the creation and implementation of the U.S. Global Change Research Program. The plans for this program, as first described in the federal Committee on Earth Sciences report entitled Our Changing Planet: The FY1990 Research Plan (Committee on Earth Sciences, 1989a), recognize the critical importance of data management. In developing program plans, the involved federal agencies created a group to look at data and information management needs—the Interagency Working Group on Data Management for Global Change (IWG). The IWG's work has addressed operational, technical, and policy questions of data management, broadly and in detail. In 1988, it turned to the Committee on Geophysical Data (CGD) for guidance and advice. The CGD membership represents all relevant geophysical disciplines. Its members are nominated by National Research Council (NRC) boards and committees dealing with geophysical areas. In addition, the CGD has a formal link to the NRC's Committee on Global Change. Members of the CGD have met regularly with members of the IWG, and the two groups have had representatives at each other's meetings. In response to the IWG's request, the CGD addressed the basic principles of data management for the U.S. Global Change Research Program. In so doing, it took into account the extensive work of the IWG (Committee on Earth Sciences, 1989a, Interagency Working Group on Data Management for Global Change, 1990), the recommendations in the report of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-sponsored Earth System Sciences Committee (NASA Advisory Council, 1988), the findings of the NRC Committee on Global Change (1989, 1990a), and the work of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme of the International Council of Scientific Unions (unpublished report, 1988). IX

The findings and conclusions in this report have been reviewed by the chairmen or other designated representatives of the NRC Committee on Global Change and the various NRC boards and committees nominating members to the CGD. The CGD acknowledges the assistance of these groups and of the following individuals who assisted in the preparation of this report William D. Harrison, University of Alaska; Paul Kanciruk, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; John E. Walsh, University of Illinois; and Victor Zlotnicki, Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Ferris Webster, Chairman Committee on Geophysical Data

Next: Summary »
Solving the Global Change Puzzle: A U.S. Strategy for Managing Data and Information. Get This Book
×
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF
  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!