OpenPolarServer (OPS) - An Open Source Spatial Data Infrastructure for the Cryosphere Community

Abstract

The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) at The University of Kansas has collected approximately 700 TB of radar depth sounding data over the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets since 1993 in an effort to map the thickness of the ice sheets and ultimately understand the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. In addition to data collection, the storage, management, and public distribution of the dataset are also one of the primary roles of CReSIS. The OpenPolarServer (OPS) project developed a free and open source spatial data infrastructure (SDI) to store, manage, analyze, and distribute the data collected by CReSIS in an effort to replace its current data storage and distribution approach. The OPS SDI includes a spatial database management system (DBMS), map and web server, JavaScript geoportal, and application programming interface (API) for the inclusion of data created by the cryosphere community. Open source software including GeoServer, PostgreSQL, PostGIS, OpenLayers, ExtJS, GeoEXT and others are used to build a system that modernizes the CReSIS SDI for the entire cryosphere community and creates a flexible platform for future development.