[ESP] Invitation to next ESP Meeting

[Glenn Rutledge]

Chris-
Here's my input for the subject meeting.  They are somewhat random 
thoughts, but hopefully will help you develop the Agenda for further 
discussion and consideration.

1) the selection and development or support of several 
standards/conventions for multiple data formats and metadata.

Particularly NetCDF and GRIB/BUFR formats; and COARDS/CF conventions. 
WHere do these fall short?  How to leverage this work with other 
projects efforts such as THREDDS.

2) Long term goal?--- The adoption and promotion of a WMO based 
convergence of formats.  While NetCDF has gained popularity, it is not a 
good archive format (volume). It's also a pblm for NCEP.  While GRIB is 
a good archive and processing format, it does not have the utilities, or 
ease of use that NetCDF has.  Data/File management systems such as MARS 
are good examples of the need for a single format / description- however 
is it realistic in a distributed environment at least in the short term 
for us to pursue?   Thus the need to at least propose WMO based 
convergence for our data.  I don't believe in this for the short term, 
and who will champion this?  So, in the meantime:

3) The interoperability between the CLimate (NetCDF) and Weather 
(GRIB/BUFR) communities is requested and needs to be considered.

4) Discussion on attribution to agencies/data centers and providers is 
needed.  How should we approach this?  How should I (NOMADS) operate 
under / with ESG, NCAR, CDC, the Ocean side (NVODS or GODAE) or NERC 
DataGrid, PRISM and CAPRI project or BADC?

5) intercomparison btwn gridded models and btwn gridded models and 
observational (in-situ) datasets needs consideration.

6) The aspect of a common portal may be difficult to achieve.  UNder 
NOMADS, the framework allows multiple portals representing each 
participating centers own unique interests, but provides 
interoperabiltiy based upon DODS/ and hopefully a metadata convention 
that this group addresses.  One single entry point maybe showing logo's 
of participating centers/project as discussed in the past may suffice: 
"Powered by ESG" or "Powered by NOMADS or DODS", etc. The point is to 
provide the framework for new users and more importantly new data 
providers under a distributed network.  The grid is the logical 
extension of this but of course has some development yet to achieve.  As 
does search capabilities outlined in THREDDS or the Digital Libraries 
efforts.  I still look to these efforts for resolve- so their efforts 
and directions should be considered.

7) real-world science projects or experiments need to be forged using 
these technologies between collaborating centers (e.g., ECMWF or Hadley 
and NCAR, GFDL, PCMDI).

Regards, Glenn

Christopher Kerr wrote:
> ESP Member:
> 
> The next Earth Science Portal Meeting is going to be held on September 29 and 
> 30, 2003 at the Daresbury Laboratory, England. The workshop will focus on 
> Data Portal Design and Meta Data. (That title should not supprise anyone!)
> 
> Following the format of our last meeting at NCAR, we would like to keep the 
> discussions highly interactive and hence keep the number of partipants to a 
> reasonable number. If you have any colleagues from other institutions who you 
> think should attend, let me know and I will send them an invitation.
> 
> Please send me the title of a talk that you would like to give and any other 
> thoughts on the format of the meeting.
> 
> I look forward to hearing from you soon.
> 
> Christopher
>