Release of the newly upgraded Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)
===================================================================

NASA's Global Change Master Directory is a comprehensive source of
information about data in the Earth and environmental sciences.
Descriptions of data sets provide scientists and the general public with
information on how to obtain data and whether a data set is useful for a
particular need.  There are currently over 5200 descriptions of data sets
from over 760 data centers, government agencies, universities, and
research institutions from around the world.  Scientific disciplines
include meteorology, oceanography, ecology, geology, hydrology,
paleoclimatology, solar-terrestrial physics, and human dimensions of
climate change.

http://gcmd.nasa.gov


Features of the upgrade:
========================

New Guided Search Interface
---------------------------
- Java geographic map allows geographic coordinates to be specified
  easily.
- New location search functionality features a location hierarchy with
  expanded location keywords including countries and continental regions.
- Tips on searching and online definitions of search criteria are
  available.
- Up to 4 valid keywords from any search criteria may be selected at the
  same time.
- Users may access the Advanced Search Interface for more extensive
  searching.

Free-Text Search Interface
--------------------------
- Text searches may now be augmented with geospatial and temporal
  searches.  A Java geographic map may be used to specify geographic
  coordinates.
- Improved search speed.
- Uses the official release of the Isite 2.0 search engine.

Improved Search Results Pages
-----------------------------
- Display of data descriptions is more readable.
- Aggregated descriptions with data subsets ("children descriptions")
  are illustrated.  Users may optionally choose to see children.
- Internet email addresses are hyperlinked.
- URLs are hyperlinked in all fields.
- Display option (DIF, FGDC or GILS) may be selected on the results page
  rather than the search page.
- FGDC records can be displayed in Metadata Parser (mp- ready) format and
  used with FGDC Clearinghouse software.


Experimental Search Interfaces
==============================

Query Preview Interface

A joint collaboration between the University of Maryland's Human-Computer
Interaction Laboratory (HCIL) and GCMD, this prototype search interface
provides the user with immediate and continuous feedback about the
database contents while the user visually formulates a query.  A Java
enabled browser is required to view this interface.  The results page is
frames-based and allows linkage to the Earth Observing System Data
Information System.

Science Keyword Interface

In this interface, users browse through a hierarchy of Earth science
terminology, narrowing their query with each word selected.  At any point
in the hierarchy, a text query may be submitted on the full text of the
documents that were subsetted for that portion of the hierarchy.


Ron Vogel
Ocean Science Coordinator
Global Change Master Directory
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
[log in to unmask]

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