Emily CoBabe-Ammann (CU-LASP) Peter Fox (NCAR) Crafting access to virtual observatories and their data: The challenge of the non-specialist user Emily CoBabe-Ammann (CU-LASP) Peter Fox (NCAR) Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

Virtual Observatories : Overview VOs are distributed data systems. Multiple databases linked through a single portal -- A ‘one-stop shop’ for data on a given theme Solves some level of the idiosyncrasies of individual databases VO DB2 DB1 DB3 … … … … DBn DB1 Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

Data has Lots of Audiences More Strategic Less Strategic There are lots of different kinds of audiences interested in data. While we are talking about using data in the classroom today, several other audiences of are importance to Virtual observatories. In particular, on the more strategic end are groups that, while smaller, have great impact on the public’s and the government’s perception of the value of the data and its providers. In this category, I would place both science policy specialists and the media. Policy specialists and decision makers have a tremendous impact on budgets, but also feel, at least at some level, beholden to the tax payers. They want to see the impact that data has on people’s lives. They are also looking for information that will help them made an informed decision. In addition, the media plays a critical role, providing about 85% of the science content to the general public. A third group that is worth considering is the educated general public (the science-attentive public). They take science very seriously and can be a vocal advocate for a scinetific resource -- look at the Hubble scenario as an example. From “Why EPO?”, a NASA internal report on science education, 2005 Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

The eGY Education Vision (ca. 2004) Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

VOs are Talking to Themselves VOs can answer the questions that they are designed to answer. And they have been designed to answer questions to a specific set of specialist scientist, not the general user. Sometimes you have to know a lot about the data you want in order to retrieve it… Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

What is a Non-Specialist Use Case? Someone should be able to query a virtual observatory without having specialist knowledge Teacher accesses internet goes to An Educational Virtual Observatory and enters a search for “Aurora”. Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

What should the User Receive? Teacher receives four groupings of search results: 1) Educational materials: http://www.meted.ucar.edu/topics_spacewx.php and http://www.meted.ucar.edu/hao/aurora/ 2) Research, data and tools: via VSTO, VSPO and VITMO, knows to search for brightness, or green/red line emission 3) Did you know?: Aurora is a phenomena of the upper terrestrial atmosphere (ionosphere) also known as Northern Lights 4) Did you mean?: Aurora Borealis or Aurora Australis, etc. Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

What does a VO need to make this happen? A set of rules that define the users needs…Use Case! This use case can be applicable across VOs… But there are some other kinds of visionary leaps that have to be made… Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

Semantic mediation layer - SWEET, .. Education, clearinghouses, other services, disciplines, etc. VO3 VO1 VO2 Semantic mediation layer VITMO (ITM) VMO (magnetospheric - east) VMO (magnetospheric - west) VIRBO (radiation belt) VHO (heliospheric) Madrigal (“VISRO”, …) VSPO (space-physics) VGMO (geo-magnetic) GAIA (auroral) And lots more… DBn DB2 DB3 … … … … DB1 Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data

What will the Use Case mean? Universal pathway by which VOs can make data accessible Increased ability by educators, scientists and policy makers to connect from their backyard to a global picture Dec. 15, 2006 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2006 Emily CoBabe-Ammann : Crafting Access to VOs and Their Data