U.S. Dept. of Commerce / NOAA
/ OAR / GFDL
*Disclaimer
9. TECHNICAL SERVICES
GOALS
Provide a computational facility to support research conducted at
GFDL with emphasis on supercomputing and networked desktop systems for
developing, running, and analyzing results from numerical models.
Provide software tools for managing, manipulating, and visualizing
large amounts of multi-dimensional data.
Maintain systems which provide documentation and time-sensitive
information to users, create products for presentation and publication,
and communicate GFDL's accomplishments to other agencies and to the public.
9.1 COMPUTER SYSTEMS
9.2 DATA MANAGEMENT
M. Harrison H.
Vahlenkamp
J. Sheldon
ACTIVITIES FY00
The latest version
of PMEL's "Live Access Server" has been installed for both internal and
external use. The Live Access Server (LAS) is a configurable Web server
designed to provide flexible access to geo-referenced scientific data.
It can present distributed data sets as a unified virtual data base through
the use of DODS (Distributed Oceanographic Data System) networking. DODS
enables existing software to access remote data transparently and also
provides tools for making local data accessible to remote locations. Ferret
is the typical visualization application used by LAS, though other applications
(MATLAB, IDL, GrADS, ...) can also be used. The Live Access Server enables
the Web user to visualize data with on-the-fly graphics, request custom
subsets of variables in a choice of file formats, and access background
reference material about the data (metadata).
The first installation
of LAS is on a special-purpose server visible to the Internet, with a URL
of "data1.gfdl.noaa.gov".
This server is a Dell 410 workstation serving approximately 35GB of atmospheric
and oceanographic data from GFDL model experiments. With security a concern,
this server has been stripped of all IT services except those that are
necessary for DODS and LAS, and none of the rest of GFDL's network is accessible
to users of this server.
The second installation
of LAS is on GFDL's "compute server" discussed above (a Dell 420 Workstation
with 1GB of memory and ~100GB disk). Several datasets for ongoing experiments,
which change more frequently than those on the data1 server, are
served from this platform, but are strictly for internal distribution.
A Dell Precision
420 PC running Windows NT 4.0 has been installed to function as a "Media
Station". Intended initially to provide a means of importing and exporting
large amounts of data to/from collaborators, it can currently read and
write CDs, 40GB DLT tapes, and 250/100MB Zip disks. Eventually, this platform
will also host animation editing and videotape production.
PLANS FY01
Depending on the
traffic on the "data1" server and demand for GFDL products, additional
resources may be purchased for this server. The most likely such upgrade
would be additional disk space.
Over time, GFDL's
collection of netCDF file manipulation software will be rebuilt using the
new version 3.4 library, in order to realize the speed improvement offered
by the new version. Utility updates are expected, as are new utilities,
such as "nctranspose" which reorders the dimensions of a dataset
to comply with the COARDS (Cooperative Ocean/Atmosphere Research Data Service)
conventions.
When netCDF version
3.5 is released (expected in late 2000), it will be installed and tested.
Applications will be relinked using the new library, as necessary.
9.3 DATA VISUALIZATION
ACTIVITIES FY00
Following the upgrade
of most of the Lab's workstations to Irix 6, new versions of several analysis/visualization
packages were installed (MATLAB, Iris Explorer, S-PLUS, and IDL). These
new versions offer significant new capabilities.
A number of improvements
have been made to GFDL's "Gallery" web page (http://www.gfdl.gov/~jps/GFDL_VG_Gallery.html)
over the past year. These include more animations of recent hurricanes,
now including AVI formatted versions which are more appropriate for visitors
using Windows platforms.
GFDL staff participated
in the "Visualization Development Environments 2000" workshop and presented
a variety of high-end graphics and animations that demonstrated the use
of the Iris Explorer visualization package. The presentation included descriptions
of the large number of locally-written modules that have been donated to
the Explorer community.
GFDL has provided
graphic materials in several forms to outside agencies and the media (HPCC,
Science magazine, BBC, Newsweek, Discovery Channel, World Book Publishing).
These interactions provide a valuable mechanism for informing the public
on scientific issues related to NOAA's mission (see also section 9.5).
PLANS FY01
If, as expected,
GFDL's new workstations include substantially improved graphics performance,
some work will be required to adapt existing software to the new hardware.
It is hoped that the graphics performance improvement of the new desktop
systems (of order 20-30x) will revitalize interest in higher-end graphics
within the lab. In addition, the Onyx-3 class graphics capabilities included
as part of the new HPCS will be exploited, with the possible addition of
special headwear (glasses) for a more immersive 3D experience.
One long-standing
need that will be addressed in the coming year is an upgrade to the Lab's
animation/video editing capabilities. The current hardware is approximately
10 years old, and most of the software is homegrown. Creating a videotape
of even a few minutes length requires overnight processing. New technology
should radically improve this situation.
9.4 INFORMATION AND PRESENTATION RESOURCES
G. Haller T.
Taylor
C. Raphael H.
Vahlenkamp
J. Sheldon J.
Varanyak
ACTIVITIES FY00
A major improvement
in GFDL's web pages was realized with the addition of a local-area search
engine based on the ht://Dig search system. With a variety of configurable
options, visitors to GFDL's web site can search any of the web pages and
other documents available through the Lab's web server. This is a critical
step toward the "Virtual Help Desk" "which is envisioned to provide immediate
help to users at any time of the day or night.
A second software
package intended to further information dissemination has been installed.
The new GFDL "Ultimate Bulletin Board" (UBB) allows for public and private
forums to foster discussion about particular subjects, and maintains `threads"
of conversations for specific topics. Forums have been established for
the Modular Ocean Model (MOM) and for the Flexible modeling System (FMS)
to serve as a focal point for announcements about the codes and questions
about its use.
GFDL's monthly
"Computer Users Meetings" generally consist of several informal presentations
and announcements related to various IT activities. These materials are
now available on-line and are particularly useful in light of the new internal
search engine. In order to provide up-to-date information between meetings,
and new "Project Status" page was initiated which details the status of
certain high-impact projects.
To provide access
for people with disabilities, GFDL's primary web pages were made handicapped-accessible,
in compliance with section 508 guidelines.
Three additional
Dell laptop computers were purchased for use by GFDL staff on travel. This
allows them to work on the road, but also provides a mechanism by which
presentations can be made.
PLANS FY01
Updates to the existing
User Guide and Visualization guide will continue as the GFDL computing
environment evolves. The Laboratory's web pages will continue to evolve
and improve, with the "Administrative Services" page getting early priority.
It is hoped that
there will be time to begin investigating "Color Management Systems". These
systems are used to calibrate monitors and printers to improve the fidelity
of hard-copy printouts to that which the user sees on his workstation screen.
9.5 PUBLIC INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
AND OUTREACH
M. Crane B.
Ross
G. Haller J.
Sheldon
J.D. Mahlman H.
Vahlenkamp
ACTIVITIES FY00
FY00 saw NOAA's
presence in the national media spotlight continue. The coverage of El Niño/La
Niña, global warming, and hurricanes, served to focus national attention
on several areas of research conducted at GFDL. Growing public awareness
that oceanic and climate science bears directly on the economic and social
well-being of our country has created new demands for the dissemination
of accurate and understandable scientific information. Efforts to meet
this need have been directed toward increased media attention, educational
enterprises, community relations, and enhanced use of the World Wide Web.
Some specific activities are listed below:
-
In May, Jerry Mahlman gave a briefing to Staff Members of the Senate Commerce
Committee and Testimony to a Senate Commerce Committee Hearing under Chairman
John McCain on the "Science Behind Climate Change".
-
In September, two symposia were held to honor the remarkable achievements
of Jerry Mahlman upon the occasion of his retirement from GFDL. The first
symposium "Understanding the Stratosphere: Challenges and Opportunities"
provided a forum for distinguished experts on dynamics and chemistry to
review recent research and outline future directions in stratospheric science,
as well as to place Jerry Mahlman's contributions to this subject over
the last four decades in a contemporary context. The second symposium "Beyond
the Science of Climate Change" brought together renowned experts in the
physical, biological and social sciences to discuss the broad human, environmental
and policy implications of climate change.
-
Anthony Broccoli, Thomas Delworth and Jerry Mahlman appeared on radio
and television broadcasts concerning global warming and other environmental
issues.
-
Keith Dixon of the Climate Dynamics group provided graphics, data
and background information for articles related to climate change in Newsweek
magazine (January 1, 2000), Time Magazine (September 4, 2000, cover story
in Canada and Europe) and Discover magazine (June 2000, cover story). Keith
Dixon, Thomas Knutson and Jerry Mahlman were also quoted in the article
in Discover.
-
Over 100 outside seminars and lectures were presented to a wide variety
of audiences by GFDL scientists in FY99 (see Appendix D). In particular,
Jerry Mahlman presented a series of lectures at various colleges, universities
and other organizations on global warming. Many of these were sponsored
by the Sigma Xi Society.
-
GFDL participated in several teacher training workshops. Key among
them was the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation's (WWNFF) Leadership
Program for Teachers. As part of this program, GFDL scientists presented
lectures on basic weather/climate and climate change to 55 middle and high
school teachers from across the nation and one staff member mentored a
subgroup of these teachers. GFDL staff also contributed two one-week units
on weather and climate to QUEST, a summer science program for elementary
school teachers run by the Teacher Preparation Program of Princeton University.
GFDL participation in QUEST was sponsored by sponsored by the Princeton
Environmental Institute (PEI). GFDL staff also participated in teacher
training programs sponsored by local school districts.
-
Numerous GFDL scientists volunteered to participate in educational
outreach at schools (elementary school level to college), and with community
groups throughout the year. These activities included classroom presentations,
mentorships, and tours of GFDL.
-
Effort has been increased to alert the media of significant events
and research results at GFDL, including advances in hurricane prediction
and the understanding of global climate change.
-
The GFDL educational web page (http://www.gfdl.gov/Science_facts.html)
has continued. In addition to presenting GFDL research in a basic, non-technical
way, this page also provides links to a wide variety of web sites with
facts about hurricanes, El Niño/LaNiña, and climate change.
*Portions of this document contain
material that has not yet been formally published and may not be quoted
or referenced without explicit permission of the author(s).