NACP Data Center for Modeling and Synthesis

The North American Carbon Program (NACP) is designed to quantify the magnitudes and distributions of carbon sources and sinks, explain the processes controlling them, and produce a consistent analysis of North America's carbon budget. To accomplish these ambitious goals, NACP requires an integrated data and information management system that will enable researchers to access, understand, use, and analyze large volumes of diverse data at multiple thematic, temporal, and spatial scales. The Modeling and Synthesis Thematic Data Center (MAST-DC) is an integral component of the NACP data system and will support NACP by providing data products and data management services needed for modeling and synthesis activities. The overall objective of MAST-DC is to provide advanced data management support to NACP investigators and agencies performing modeling and synthesis activities. Based on specific requirements established by NACP, we will provide data products for modeling and synthesis in consistent and uniform grids, projections, and formats. The specific tasks of MAST-DC are (1) coordinate data management activities with NACP modelers and synthesis groups; (2) prepare and distribute model input data; (3) provide data management support for model outputs; (4) provide tools for accessing, subsetting and visualization; (5) provide data packages to evaluate model output; and (6) support synthesis activities, including data support for workshops. MAST-DC will provide data products and services required by NACP in a central location, with common and co-registered spatial projection, in easily converted formats. The MAST-DC will free modelers and those doing the synthesis and integration from having to perform data management functions. Consequently the MAST-DC will enable NACP participants to conduct their work more readily, facilitate the development of new model products needed by models, and assist in gaining new insights into the carbon cycle in North America.