Open Exchange of Science Data through the WDC System – Impacts on Society

Susan McLean, Director, World Data Center for Solid Earth Geophysics, USA

Tsunamis are infrequent events that can affect major sections of coastlines, irrespective of national boundaries.  Indeed, ocean-wide tsunamis will damage coastlines of many nations, as shown with the Sumatra event of 2004.  Effective and timely warnings are often based on models, which are validated by and dependent on open access to many types of geophysical data.  Seismic observations indicate the location and strength of earthquakes, the most common cause of tsunami.  Deep-ocean tsunameter observations can confirm the generation of a tsunami wave in deep ocean while coastal sea-level observations confirm the arrival, impact, and direction of travel.  Tsunami forecasts, based on propagation and inundation models, rely on global bathymetry, high-resolution coastal relief data, and past tsunami event information. When this intricate system of real-time observation, forecast modeling, and warning dissemination works, lives can be saved.  However, the system relies on the open exchange of data and real-time sharing of information.  The World Data Center System plays a role in the collection, quality assurance, and open exchange of tsunami and other geophysical data to the benefit of society.  This paper looks at two examples of global science impacting society and the challenges and successes of international data exchange from the World Data Center for Solid Earth Geophysics, Boulder perspective.  It also examines some of the technology enhancing open exchange of data and discusses some examples where challenges to data exchange and access remain.  

Keywords: World Data Center, geophysical data exchange, tsunami, geomagnetism