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Data Access, Querying, Analysis, and Data Mining in a Distributed Framework for Earth System Science Support

KAFATOS, Menas (mkafatos@gmu.edu), George Mason University, Center for Earth Observing and Space Research, 4400 University Drive, MSN 5C3, Fairfax, VA 22030

Key Words: data access, data mining, remote sensing, distributed databases

Over the next decade, remote sensing missions of the National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), National Space Development Agency (NASDA), and other international missions, will be observing the Earth's oceans, lands, and atmosphere and producing very large volumes of geoscience data sets. These data will be used by many communities beyond the traditional science communities, including interdisciplinary and process studies and applications. To facilitate data access, users need to query search engines and obtain information on the content of data before they proceed to order data sets that may or may not serve their needs. At George Mason University, we have developed the concept of distributed data access; querying and on-line analysis through a working prototype termed the Virtual Domain Application Data Center (VDADC).

The VDADC maintains global geophysical, gridded L3 data sets supporting interdisciplinary Earth science, and provides on-line analysis capabilities of these data sets.