JRN

2001 Jornada Basin LTER Site Flash

 

GIS and Spatial

More digital map layers were created for the JER and CDRRC this past year.  These map layers include the rescue of JER soils maps from 1918 and 1962 along with CDRRC vegetation from 1942 and JER vegetation from 1915.  New geomorphology map layers for the Jornada Basin include physiography and parent materials.

 

 

ArcIMS Project

The Jornada Basin LTER (JRN) is in the process of having a custom ArcIMS implementation developed.  The application will provide a dynamic, interactive mapping and querying interface to JRN meta-data and research data using both Internet and Intranet web sites.  Ken Ramsey and Barbara Nolen have completed training from Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) for the software applications and system architecture design needed for them to support, maintain, and enhance the ArcIMS application.  Barbara and Ken have been working to finalize the scope of work and proposal for the contract with ESRI Implementation Services to develop the ArcIMS application.  ESRI should start development in the September and the spatial data server (ArcSDE) has been ordered.  Two new workstations have been purchased to allow Ken and Barbara to support the ArcIMS application and software.

 

All ESRI software needed to support this project are currently licensed under the NMSU site license with ESRI.  The annual site license fees have been supported jointly by JRN and JER.  The spatial server (ArcIMS) will be purchased towards the end of the year in preparation for the application being delivered by ESRI after moving into the new facilities.  The spatial server will use ArcIMS 3.1 running on Apache web server and Tomcat servlet engine using Windows 2000 Server operating system.  The spatial data server will use ArcSDE 8.1 running on SQL Server 2000 using Windows 2000 Server operating system.  The ArcIMS application will be customized using HTML, XML, and JSP/Java Beans.  The Internet site will use the ArcIMS HTML client and the Intranet site will use the custom Java client.

 

 

Field Station Connectivity Update

The fiber optic cable has been laid to the Jornada Experimental Range (JER) headquarters (HQ) and the phone system (PBX system) is now operational.  The T-1 connection to the JER Ranch HQ will be connected towards the middle of July.  After the T-1 link is established, NMSU will then install the equipment needed to support data connectivity by the end of July.  This connectivity will provide a much needed resource for both JRN and JER researchers and staff, allowing them to communicate and upload collected data more readily with the site office on-campus and elsewhere.  This will also allow JRN and JER to potentially implement spread spectrum technology to automate data collection from selected remote instrumentation.

 

 

Network and Systems

The JRN servers, RAID box, and tape library are now housed in the new network rack enclosure.  This provides a higher degree of physical security as well as protecting the servers and tape library from heat and dust.  The new web server and primary domain controller are now operational.  The FTP services have been removed from the file server and placed on an older workstation running Netware 5.1 operating system.  Two new workstations have been purchased to upgrade the site manager computer and provide an additional field technician computer.  The Jornada LTER bibliography is now searchable over the Internet using ISI Research (ProCite) Reference Web Poster software.  The bibliography site can be accessed at http://128.123.5.143/ris or from the Bibliography page accessible from the JRN home page (http://jornada.nmsu.edu).  The Research Notification table is now queryable over the Intranet and accessible to JRN and JER site managers to aid in research site selection and approval. JRN has purchased a color laser printer for the site office and future GIS lab.  In addition, JER has purchased a color plotter for the future GIS lab.  These purchases are to support GIS efforts of JRN and JER when the JRN site offices and labs move to the new JER HQ building being constructed on NMSU campus.