Why Geoinformatics? (The view of a working class geophysicist) G. Randy Keller - University of Oklahoma and UTEP It is too hard to find and work with data that already exist, and too much data is in effect lost. It is too hard to acquire software and make it work. We have too little access to modern IT tools that would accelerate scientific progress. The result is too little time for science! To remedy this situation, a number of geoscience groups are being supported by the National Science Foundation to develop the cyberinfrastructure needed to move us forward.

Worldwide Earthquake Epicenters A quick overview of a major scientific revolution

Volcanic Chains

Mountain Chains

Plates of the World

EarthScope Instrumentation 3.2 km borehole into the San Andreas Fault 875 permanent GPS stations 175 borehole strainmeters 5 laser strainmeters 39 Permanent seismic stations 400 transportable seismic stations occupying 2000 sites (”BigFoot”) 30 magneto-telluric systems 100 campaign GPS stations 2400 campaign seismic stations (“LittleFoot”) from Greg Van der Vink

GeoTraverse An Integrated Geologic Framework for EarthScope’s USArray

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES strongly data drivenThe Geosciences are a discipline that is strongly data driven, and large data sets are often developed by researchers and government agencies and disseminated widely. tradition of sharing of dataGeoscientists have a tradition of sharing of data, but being willing to share data if asked or even maintaining a website accomplishes little. Also we have few mechanisms to share the work that has been done when a third party cleans up, reorganizes or embellishes an existing database. waste a large amount of human capitalWe waste a large amount of human capital in duplicative efforts and fall further behind by having no mechanism for existing databases to grow and evolve via community input. The goal is for data to evolve into information and then into knowledge as quickly and effectively as possible. Some Thoughts About Data (sets, bases, systems)

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES A Scientific Effort Vector Background Background Research Research Data Collection and Data Collection and Compilation Compilation Science Back- Back- ground ground Research Research Data Collection Data Collection and and Compilatio n Compilatio n Science Science Science - Analysis, Modeling, Interpretation, Discovery

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Data layers DEM (USGS, SRTM) Geology (mostly 1:500,000) Landsat 7 / ASTER Magnetics Gravity Petrology/Geochron. (e.g. NAVDAT) Drilling data (State surveys, USGS) ………. To get 3-D, start with tomography: add gravity, geologic interfaces, seismic interfaces, …. Provide input to geodynamic models

Building a gravity data system Major steps in the process: Build community support via workshops and annual meetings (AGU) Build community support via workshops and annual meetings (AGU) Determine what the community really needs and wants (e.g., base stations)Determine what the community really needs and wants (e.g., base stations) Work out interagency agreementsWork out interagency agreements Reach agreement on standardsReach agreement on standards Publish the resultsPublish the results Compile the data from as many sources as possibleCompile the data from as many sources as possible Undertake quality controlUndertake quality control Set up a web portal for dissemination of data and the uploading of new dataSet up a web portal for dissemination of data and the uploading of new data Develop new software as needed and add to a software toolboxDevelop new software as needed and add to a software toolbox Advertise the project and continuously seek inputAdvertise the project and continuously seek input Evolve as the field and situation changesEvolve as the field and situation changes

U.S. gravity database project Participants are UTEP, USGS, NGA, NOAA, and industry.Participants are UTEP, USGS, NGA, NOAA, and industry. Approach is to initially compile gravity data for the conterminous U.S. by merging data primarily from the NGA, NGS, USGS, and UTEP.Approach is to initially compile gravity data for the conterminous U.S. by merging data primarily from the NGA, NGS, USGS, and UTEP. Remove the duplicate pointsRemove the duplicate points Remove bad pointsRemove bad points Terrain correct the dataTerrain correct the data Include base stations, analysis tools, and tutorialsInclude base stations, analysis tools, and tutorials

Data available in ~900,000 stations

Terrain corrected stations in the new database

GeoNet Interface

Search Engine

Search Results

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES 4-D Evolution of Continents The Accretionary orogen perspective --Plate Tectonics --Crustal Growth Through Time --Terranes --Terrane Recognition --Integration of Distributed Databases --Knowledge Representation of Domains --Domain Ontology --Databases --Data Providers High Level Data Level

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Some examples of databases needed Geological mapsFaultsGeochronology Petrology/Geochemistry Gravity anomaliesMagnetic anomalies StratigraphyBasin historyPaleontology Seismic images/crust Seismic images/mantlePhysical properties Stress indicators/equakesGPS vectorsPaleoelevation PaleomagneticMetamorphic historyDEM Remote sensing……….

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Some examples of domain cybertools needed Visualization -- 1 to 4-D Domain modeling (processes, geometry) Geodynamic modeling Integration (visual and computational models) Uncertainty and error propagation ……

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Testbeds GEON Testbed s Science Themes

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Science Challenges Rocky Mountain Testbed The Rocky Mountain region is the apex of a broad dynamic orogenic plateau that lies between the stable interior of North America and the active plate margin along the west coast. For the past 1.8 billion years, the Rocky Mountain region has been the focus of repeated tectonic activity and has experienced complex intraplate deformation for the past 300 million years. During the Phanerozoic, the main deformation effects were the Ancestral Rocky Mountain orogeny, the Laramide Orogeny, and late Cenozoic uplift and extension that is still active. In each case, the processes involved are the subject of considerable debate.

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Science Questions Rocky Mountain Testbed  The nature or the processes that formed the continent during the Proterozoic  Influence of old structures on the location and evolution of younger ones  What processes were at work during the numerous phases of intraplate deformation  What caused the uplift of the mountains and high plateaus that are seen in this region today  What were the effects of mountain building on the distribution of mineral, energy, and water resources  What is the nature of interactions among Paleozoic, Laramide, and late Cenozoic basins

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES In the Proterozoic, a series of island arc and/or oceanic terranes were accreted to the rifted margin of the Archean Wyoming craton. Following this period of accretion, extensive magmatism (1.4Ga) spread across Laurentia and adjacent portions of Baltica probably creating an extensive mafic underplate. The following Grenville/Sveco- norwegian orogeny largely completed the formation of Rodinia. Crustal Domains

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES The early/middle Paleozoic was a time of stability. Passive margins formed around the edges of Laurentia. The late Paleozoic Ancestral Rocky Mountain orogeny included the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen and represents extensive deformation of the foreland. Paleozoic

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Isostatic residual map

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES SOA index

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Crustal model derived by integrated analysis of seismic, geologic, and gravity data

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES The Cordilleran orogenic plateau that includes the Southern Rocky Mountains can in part be traced back to Laramide time. Its history is a continuing controversy. Mid-Tertiary magmatism was extensive. Late Cenozoic extension (Basin and Range/Rio Grande rift) followed the Laramide orogeny. Mesozoic Cenozoic

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Rio Grande Rift Similar to Kenya rift in most respects Deep (up to 7 km), linked basins Extension increases, crust thins, and elevation decreases from Colorado southward Magmatism and magmatic modification of the crust are minor if “mid-Tertiary” volcanic centers are considered pre-rift Deep crustal structure correlates well with near-surface geologic manifestations (symmetrical) Differences (volume of volcanism, amount of uplift?, mantle anomaly?)

Depth to Moho (Crustal Thickness)

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Isostatic residual map

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Integrated lithospheric model Albuquerque area

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES LA RISTRA

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES SHEAR WAVE TOMOGRAPHY West et al. 2004

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Kenya vs Rio Grande rifts

CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GEOSCIENCES Thank You!