Prismatic focus for earth modelling
Aside from the standard sharing provided by various computer manufacturers, libraries and message boards, earth-modelling systems had no means of extending their collaborations. These tools have been helpful, but far from ideal in promoting better efficiency or more importantly, sharing their knowledge. Thanks to an EC-funded project called PRISM, earth modellers are now given more than just a knowledge-sharing tool. The project, of which PRISM forms a part, provides a unique common coupling infrastructure that offers a mutual tool across various computer platforms including PC, NEC-SX, CRAY and IBM-Power4. Primarily PRISM sought to promote scientific progress by facilitating broader exchange, dissemination and shared analysis of modelled results. To do so, it sought to provide standardised data formats, a web based data network and grid adapted software. These facilitate the compilation of modelling data and execution, post-processing and visualisation that can be customised to user-based preferences. It is the PRISM infrastructure that allows for the easy exchange of component models and their results between various European scientists and research institutions. Thus it established the standards for data exchange between model and couplers and, additionally, provided a means by which experiment and model inter-comparison could be conducted with minimum effort. As such it should help to establish the future standards of earth modelling systems.
