Monday, 12 January 2004
A Relational Database and Web Interface for a Rain Gauge Network in Iowa
Hall 4AB
Over the past two years we have created a ground validation rain gauge network at Iowa City, Iowa. The network is in support of the AMSR-E mission. The network is a collaborative effort between NASA, NOAA, University of Maryland, and The University of Iowa. It consists of 25 platforms, each equipped with dual tipping-bucket rain gauges. An important goal was to release the data to the community as soon as possible. To accomplish this, we have created a database-driven website that provides users with efficient access to the data and relevant information. We track details about the network and data in a relational database. This include tipping bucket data, information about significant events, some uncertainty estimates, gauge calibration information, site information and photos, and satellite overpass information. Unattended processes update the database wherever possible. This include retrieval information from remote sites. With the information in a relational database, sophisticated extraction of desired subsets are easy. Web pages are dynamic, and extract information from the database, so that changes are immediately visible to visitors. This work was funded in part by the NSF and NASA.
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