Download NSF_proposal2_ETH

NSF proposal (Second Draft)
Towards an international standardization of data and information management of regions
of volcanic unrest: merging the WOVOdat and GEOWARN experience
Principal Investigators (PI):
Prof. Dr. Christopher Newhall (USGS, WOVO & University of Washington)
Dr. Florian M. Schwandner (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Co-investigators/sub-contractors
Dr. Radu C. Gogu (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Dr. Dina Venezky (USGS) PhD 1997
Prof. Dr. S. Malone (University of Washington)
Prof. Dr. Lorenz Hurni (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
VALVE project? (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory)
Smithsonian Institution (Global Volcanism Program)
Suggested reviewers:
Prof. Dr. Volker J. Dietrich (ETH Zürich)
Prof. Dr. S. McNutt
Prof. Dr. G. Stavrakakis
STRUCTURE (NSF 03-2) :
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COVER SHEET
PROJECT SUMMARY (1p)
Toc
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
…collaborations,
REFERENCES CITED
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES (2p)
Professional preparation
Appointments
Publications (published, submitted)
Synergistic activities
Collaborators & other affiliations
Collaborators and co-editors
Graduate and post-graduate advisors
Thesis advisor and post-graduate scholar sponsor
BUDGET
Incl. salaries and wages, fringe benefits, travel, equipment…
CURRENT AND PENDING SUPPORT
FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND OTHER RESOURCES
SPECIAL INFORMATION AND SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTATION
APPENDICES (needs authorization)
Project summary (medium sized, <5 Mio US$)
Over x million people live today in the direct vicinity of the world’s y active volcanoes. Large explosive volcanic
eruptions cause destruction of property, lives of humans and lifestock, of industrial and public infrastructure. Its long-term
effects are a significant drop in regional productivity, dependence on outside help and overall ecenomioc strength.
The short-term forecasting of volcanic eruptions is a costly process usually undertaken by the few existing local
volcanic observatories (ca.#, most of them in the US), and by large by the costly operations of the fast response team of
the USGS.
In a similar way has the long-term prediction of volcanic eruptions been a privilege to the developed world, while
most developing nations (where most active volcanoes are located) have little or no means to a permanent or long-term
observation and intelligence network. The latter is internationally still underdeveloped.
Two international efforts are currently attempting to address this problem to eventually provide a widely and fast
accessible, low-cost software solution for data storage, mining and management, as well as their visualization by means
of an internet-based user-interface with capabilities for displaying 2, 3 and 4 dimensional data in a cartographic context.
WOVOdat (http://www.wovodat.org) is an initiative of the World Organisation of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) for a
world-wide volcanological database entry, storage and management approach, it is in the start-up phase.
GEOWARN (http://www.geowarn.org) is a European-Union-funded (IST programme) multinational multidisciplinary
multi-million Euro pilot-study for the database as well as visualization solution for long-term early warning systems on
dormant volcanoes. Its duration is from the years 2000 to mid-2003, but it has been limited to two pilot study areas only
(Nisyros, Greece & Campi Flegrei, Italy). It does not include real-time data management and display but has its strengths
in its cartographic and tomographic capabilities, as well as time-series query options in an integrated GIS-like environment
with a client-server architecture that allows different levels of access as well as not being limited by the exclusive use of
any commercial software (browser access). Its final internet-based software solution is already in its functional pre-beta
version stage.
This proposal is offering an international co-operation to alter the GEOWARN concept and product to the needs of
the WOVOdat concept. Its aim is to provide an initial start-up phase over a period of 5 years to get WOVOdat “up-andrunning” on the basis of GEOWARN. An operational center is anticipated to be hosted by the USGS, as well as a
technical hardware location (server station), hosted by a politically neutral country with a stable infrastructure (ETH IKA).
This final product will be a non-profit international software operation within WOVO, allowing to save in parts financial
ressources, manpower and time currently still involved in fast disaster response – a large part of which is in the last two
decades internationally carried by USGS. It allows for smaller teams being able to respond faster, more efficiently and in
return opening possibilities to partially prevent the loss of lives, infrastructure and extrastructure. It also moves response
action capabilities towards partner countries (e.g. observatories) and thus creating a lesser burden on US government
funds.
In an initial phase (1-2 years), database structure design and data entry protocols are set up in consultation with
WOVO-members and within the project member consortium (3 salaries, matching USGS funds/salaries). In parallel, the
GEOWARN code will be slightly altered and additions made to it. Data contributing parties are WOVO-member
observatories and institutions (not contracted) as well as limited data mining operations by the investigators. Some main
innovative tasks to be solved after GEOWARN are the real-time data stream capabilities, on-line data entry options,
analysis tools allowing semi-automated warning procedures, as well as the design and implementation of disaster
mitigation and relief recommendations and procedures for a public administrative access level.
In a transitional phase (1 year), continuous test operations will be performed to optimize and troubleshoot the
software beta version (same staff). It will have the capabilities to add new functions. In parallel, “handbooks” and training
for a limited number of scientists will be started to ensure continuity of the application.
In an operational phase (2 years), individual volcanic centers and observatory data are successively incorporated.
Public outreach and educational levels of access are included and training courses/workshops held for young scientists,
administrative decision-makers and observatory scientists. Extensions to the software are considered, based on new
technical developments (instrumentation, concepts, software). This last phase allows for time to raise follow-up funds to
allow long-term operation with limited staff (1 technical programmer, 2 coordinating scientist, matching USGS
funds/salaries) under the auspices of WOVO in whose responsibility the software will remain.
F. Schwandner 27/11/2002