This page is out of date.  It reflects early work on the CZOData project, which ended in mid 2016.

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CZO Data System Architecture:

The CZO data system will substantially leverage cyberinfrastructure efforts in related earth science fields, including CUAHSI HIS, IEDA, EarthChem, DataONE, OpenTopography, LTER, NEON. We are sharing information management experience, data, and software with these groups and with our other partners.

CZO Data System Products:

• CZO Dataset Listings >
• Power search via the CZO Data Search Portal >
• Map search via the CZO Data Visualization Portal >
• CZ-IGSN Registration Agent
  • International Geo-Sample Number with CZ-relevant metadata options
• CZO Display File v2
  • Templates for ingesting diverse data into ODM2 data systems, including CZChemDB
  • Archival text format
• Granular data discovery of CZO data via:
  • CUAHSI Water Data Center (WDC)
  • Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA-EarthChem)
• 2nd Generation Controlled Vocabulary System
  • Based on ODM2 & hosted at WDC

Integrated Data Management for CZOs

Integrating data within and between critical zone disciplines and observatories is a fundamental goal of the CZO program.  The approach taken by the CZO network is that:

• Each CZO is responsible for managing its own data locally as it choses, but that data must be shared following the CZO Data Sharing Guidelines (see Submit CZO Data) and the CZO Data Sharing Policy.
• The national CZO Data System then automatically harvests meta-data into the CZO Central Catalog, for advanced search at the CZO Data Search Portal, the CZO Data Visualization Portal and any other Geoportal Server that federates with the CZO Central Catelog (Zaslavsky et al. 2011).

Data management staff from each CZO get online support through CZO Data Cyber-Seminars, 1:1 Consults, phone/email help and annual workshops with the CZOData Development Team.  In late 2012, the CZOData Information Management Committee (IMC) was formed to enhance exchange between CZO investigators, CZO data managment staff and CZO Central data systems developers. 

The meta-data standards and cyber-infrastructure being developed for the integrated CZO data system has substantially leveraged the Hydrological Information System (HIS) developed by the Consortium for the Advancement of Hydrological Sciences, Inc. (CUAHSI) and will increasingly leverage other cyberinfrastructure efforts in related earth science fields.  See CZO CyberInfrastructure Development >

For more information contact CZOData PI Anthony Aufdenkampe or others on the CZOData Development Team.