New algorithms, protocols, and middleware for peer-to-peer applications are currently active subjects for computer science research. Recent advances in this area have applications to data management and data access in the geosciences. Peer-to-peer approaches may offer superior alternatives to client-server or Grid architectures for some kinds of distributed systems involving data discovery, data access, and content distribution.

This paper describes a few potential geoscience applications for recently developed peer-to-peer technologies for sharing distributed resources. By looking at peer-to-peer approaches, we hope to provoke interest and serious consideration for applications to future scientific data distribution and data access infrastructures.