SPIDR on the Web NGDC's online space physics data resource and analysis tool Karen Fay O'Loughlin Solar-Terrestrial Physics Division The National Geophysical Data Center's innovative Space Physics Interactive Data Resource (SPIDR) is a multi-disciplinary online system to search, browse, and access space weather and environmental datasets over the Internet. SPIDR is a tool for the online user to select data or imagery by date and geographical location, and to deliver an image to the user over the World Wide Web (Figure 1). Currently, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite imagery, geomagnetic variations, and ionospheric vertical incidence databases can be accessed by the Space Physics Interactive Data Resource. DMSP imagery displays aurora, city lights, fires, lightning strikes, and cloud coverage. Ionospheric and geomagnetic data can be plotted from interactive menus. The Web user selects the month and year from pull-down menus and clicks the worldwide map in the region of interest. Worldwide contour maps of maximum electron density can also be generated from a global model of the ionosphere. SPIDR was designed to use current technol- and manipulate instru- oloughlin@ngdc.noaa.gov The SPIDR research and analysis tool gives NGDC also needed an easy-to-use mecha- one to use. External users To meet external user requirements NGDC needed to provide access to the archives in a variety of ways to satisfy customer requests and to provide data products and services. Using today's technology on the World Wide Web (WWW), NGDC is able to provide this capability to the external user in an easy-to-use online format. NGDC decided to provide plots and imagery as well as data to customers utilizing commercial off-the-shelf software to create GIF images "on the fly." Selected for this purpose was the Interactive Data Language (IDL) set of software tools to create and display imagery. The SPIDR system retrieves the requested data from a relational - continued on page 2 SPIDR UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ▲ Figure 1. NGDC's Space Physics Interactive Data Resource (SPIDR) logo, overlaying a DMSP satellite image of Hurricane Alison. Through SPIDR, users can select data and/or imagery such as this by date and geographic location, and ionospheric and geomagnetic data can be plotted from interactive menus. SPIDR, from page 1 database management system, generates a plot, prepares a GIF image of the plot, and sends the image to the user over the World Wide Web. An online research tool SPIDR is a tool designed to make accessing data and conducting research easier. Navigating the relational database with SPIDR will assist scientists and researchers in analyzing space weather and environmental data. At NGDC, SPIDR is used as a tool for data management, analysis, and investigations of space environment effects on man's technology in space and on Earth. The average user is in the SPIDR system for a full hour browsing, retriev ing, and manipulating images and plots. Users may capture and download images (Figure 2) for later use or request digital values using E-mail. SPIDR is being used for atmospheric physical sciences homework assignments in the classroom from elementary through graduate levels. Space physics effects seen in the ionosphere can be analyzed in a multidisciplinary environment through the online manipulation of the database management tool. The database management system will enable global quality control both by comparing data and providing input from the database management system to physical models and comparing the model output with the observed values. - continued on page 4 EARTH SYSTEM MONITOR The Earth System Monitor (ISSN 10682678) is published quarterly by the NOAA Environmental Information Services office. Questions, comments, or suggestions for articles should be directed to the Editor, Sheri A. Phillips. Requests for subscriptions and changes of address should be directed to the Associate Editor, Nancy O'Donnell. The mailing address for the Earth System Monitor is: National Oceanographic Data Center 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282 EDITOR Sheri Phillips Telephone: 301-713-3279 ext.127 Fax: 301-713-3302 E-mail: sphillips@nodc.noaa.gov ASSOCIATE EDITOR Telephone: 301-713-3279 ext. 126 DISCLAIMER Mention in the Earth System Monitor of commercial companies or commercial products does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce. Use for publicity or advertising purposes of information published in the Earth System Monitor concerning proprietary products or the tests of such products is not ▲ Figure 3. DMSP satellites collect visible and thermal infrared imagery in global coverage along a 3000-mile swath with the Operational Linescan System (OLS.) Users within SPIDR can select DMSP imagery by date and geographical position anywhere on earth. DMSP images are then returned along with the satellite path and a button tool for navigating the database, i.e., by 'flying' the satellite about the globe. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Ronald H. Brown, Secretary National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration D. James Baker, Under Secretary and Administrator |