U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)Marine Geology and Geophysics Division & Co-located World Data Center for GMG

http://ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg

NTHMP Repository Status

Scott Thurston

Systems Engineer

Earth Resources Technology

• NTHMP Charter calls for web-based repository of tsunami-related materials

• ARRA stimulus funds became available to start the project

• NOAA/NWS contracted with ERT to hire a systems engineer and a technical writer for the project

Background

• Loren Pahlke, Technical Writer– Technical writer in several high-technology

companies

• Scott Thurston, Systems Engineer– USAF Information Systems Programmer– Extensive background in high-technology

companies

Introductions

1. Inventory available materials– Focus on US west coast, AK, HI and PR

2. Develop functional requirements

3. Draft a functional specification– Present to NTHMP Coordinating Committee

4. Draft a design document

Project Phases

• Research tsunamis to determine possible types of materials

• Develop a checklist of potential items• Contact scientists and emergency managers

in the target locations– Introduce the project and team– Learn thoughts about possible requirements and

issues– Plan site visits

Inventory

• Site visits– Team visited 14 sites over the summer– Met with approximately 25 individuals in various

areas of modeling, warning and emergency management

– Reviewed the checklist to probe for potential contributions

– Gathered significant information about requirements, functionality, policies, et cetera.

Inventory (con’t)

• Checklist was exhaustive and captured most of the kinds of materials available

• Most common feedback is that the repository must be easy-to-use and provide great flexibility in searching for materials

• Most respondents were enthusiastic about the project and saw a direct benefit to their own work

Key findings

• The team has identified a large number of functional requirements for the repository– User interface– Contribution and dissemination methods– Metadata management– Administration

Requirements

• Flexible searches• Ingest data on physical media• Localize the user interface• Means for users to comment and discuss• Multiple user roles• Manage bundled objects• Archive all objects• Migrate data in obsolete formats• Option to disseminate on physical media

Key Requirements

Next Steps

• Complete inventory• Publish inventory on NTHMP website• Complete 1st draft of functional specification• Present specification to CC• Draft high-level design document

Thank you!Contact information:

Scott.Thurston@NOAA.gov

303-497-4411

Loren.Pahlke@NOAA.gov

303-497-4173

Questions?