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Data management

Data management performs the following functions:
  • systematic capture and storage of data during MSP expeditions (offshore and onshore phases), using documented procedures, formats and standards using the 'mobile Drilling Information System' (mDIS)
  • the generation of metadata (a description of the data and its content)
  • quality control of the data
  • access to the data, initially by the expedition scientists only, and later by the scientific community, via the metadata
  • archival of the expedition data as IODP legacy (PANGAEA, SEDISLDEO IODP Log Database)

During the Onshore Science Party (OSP) the hardware and software systems will be similar to those used during the offshore phase:

The 'mobile Drilling Information System' (mDIS) is the primary database system used for storing expedition curatorial metadata of sites, holes, cores, sections and samples. In addition to this, it is used to store lithological descriptions, section images, and other files (e.g. scanned VCD sheets) which can be assigned to any given database element (e.g. section splits).

The mDIS is a so-called client – server system, wherein the server (backend) is hosted in the IT housing centre on Campus and accessed by client computers through a php-based frontend executed in standard web browsers, which makes it client OS independent. Further, the frontend is fully responsive and thus can also be opened on mobile devices, such as tablet or smartphones.

  • Database server and client PCs running the Expeditions instance of mDIS for capturing metadata of all OSP samples, as well as core descriptions, and other files that can be assigned to split sections, e.g. line scan images, VCD files, etc.
  • File Server and Network Attached Storage to store and exchange data files and documents (ESO Cloud)
  • All computers are networked, including printers

Additional hardware and software can be set up if needed (e.g. seismic-core integration, CT scanning data workstation). 

A central piece in the OSP hardware setup is the so-called CoreWall system. Running the Corelyzer software, the system can display section line scans on a multiscreen setup. Depending on availability, several additional tracks (e.g. CT orthogonal slices) can be displayed along with the line scan images. The system supports the visual core description process and lithological interpretation of cored sections.

For the period between the OSP and the end of the moratorium (1 year after the OSP), Expedition science party members will have access to all data through a Cloud server.

After end of the moratorium, Expedition datasets will be migrated to PANGAEA, except for the downhole logging data, which will be migrated to the LDEO IODP Log Database. All data will be freely accessible to the scientific community after the moratorium through the IODP MSP Expedition Data Portal.

References
R Conze, H-J Wallrabe-Adams, C Graham, and F Krysiak (2007): Joint Data Management on ICDP Projects and IODP Mission Specific Platform Expeditions.- Scientific Drilling 4: 32-34, doi:10.2204/iodp.sd.4.07.2007

IODP MSP Expedition General Data Flow
IODP MSP expedition general data flow.

  

MSP OSP General Data Flow
General onshore data flow during an MSP OSP. Expedition mDIS being the central database fed (green arrows) during offshore & onshore, but as well producing output (red arrows) e.g., for the CoreWall and VCD sheets.

 

 

mDIS389 Dashboard
Dashboard of the Expedition 389 (Hawaiian Drowned Reefs) mDIS instance.
Data capture onshore I
Data capture onshore II
Data capture during OSP. Both Photo credit: [Bitte aktivieren Sie Javascript]_IODP
CoreWall
CoreWall setup during Expedition 364 (Chicxulub Impact Crater) Onshore Science Party aiding visual core decription of sections on the table.