Towards a collaborative research data space in geophysics

Abstract

Data management means managing data as a valuable resource. Unused data have no value and data value depends on how they are used. This extends the focus from the data itself towards the processes to which they belong. Within this perspective, we will here focus on scientific research in Geophysics, albeit probably the discussion can be generalized to other fields of Science. Modern epistemology describes Science as a social construct. In this it is important to understand the role data have in scientists life but also the human and social aspects researchers project on data. Scientists need means to support their theories but at the same time data owners need to preserve the investments necessary to acquire data. The data systems available by now, generally, do not satisfy the needs of the latter so that these are reluctant to share their assets. Novel perspectives and tools are needed that allow data owners to balance protection and the need to open their archives to attract new collaborations. This is possible within a mixed server side-client side paradigm where nonsensitive data are sent to the client while data to be protected can be accessed through the web directly using the data owner IT system without moving or copying files to the user computer. We will here report on how this view can be translated into a working system.