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[MIS31-07] Cyber Earth: A new technical approach for global studies of Earth
In the present paper, the author proposed a concept of the Cyber Earth as a basic approach for the global understanding of the Earth system. In order for our global understandings from a variety of observation and simulation data of Earth sciences, we need a methodology to analyze huge size of big science data. The Cyber Earth is a concept to declare that, for our global understandings, mash-up of information and communication technologies for big data plays an important role. This concept is based on several technological ideas, such as data centric/intensive science, the fourth paradigm, science cloud, big-data science. All of the data, observation data and simulation data, are once transferred and stored on a science cloud system. Data preservation and data stewardship is important since most of the data is so precious that they are never observed again at the observed time and location. Big data processing, including visualization, is also important. The data processing must be applicable for any types of digital data from either Earth observation or simulation. Integrated data processing technology for such variety of data type is preferable. The Cyber Earth is composed of three methodologies; the Network Earth, the Digital Earth and the Virtual Earth. The Network Earth is a concept that role of network is important for data transfer and collection to the cloud. For global monitoring we often build up global observatories on the Earth. Integrated operations and easy management of the remote sites are significant for labor-saving. The Digital Earth is a concept that long-term data preservation is one of the most expected functions to a science cloud. Data files must be saved and managed under DR (disaster recovery) environment. Easy data publication should be functionally synchronized with data preservation. The Virtual Earth is a concept that every digital data must be processed or visualized to be shown on the same framework with other data. Inter-disciplinary data preview, in space and/or in time, makes our global and functional understanding of the Earth system. Immersive visualization may work effectively to understand or discover any interactions between data.