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Overview

The goals of Land Information System are near real-time, high-resolution (up to 1km) global land data simulation executed on highly parallel computing platforms, with well defined, standard-conforming interfaces and data structures to interface and inter-operate with other Earth system models, and with flexible and friendly web-based user interfaces.

LIS Architecture

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The Land Information System will consist of:

Realistic land surface modeling. LIS will simulate the global land surface variables using various land surface models, driven by atmospheric "forcing data" (e.g., precipitation, radiation, wind speed, temperature, humidity) from various sources.

High performance computing. LIS will perform high-performance, parallel computing for near real-time, high-resolution land surface modeling research and operations.

Efficient data management. The high-resolution land surface simulation will produce a huge data throughput, and LIS will retrieve, store, interpolate, re-project, sub-set, and backup the input and output data efficiently using a GrADS-DODS Server.

Usability. LIS will provide intuitive web-based interfaces to users with varying levels of access to LIS data and system resources, and enforce user security policies.

Interoperable and portable computing. LIS will incorporate the Assistance for Land surface Modeling Activities (ALMA) and Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF) standards to facilitate inter-operation with other Earth system models. In order to demonstrate portability of LIS, the land surface modeling component will be implemented on a custom-designed Linux cluster and an SGI Origin 3000.

For more information on LIS, please review the Software Design Document.