More than 100 years of systematic glacier monitoring in the Italian Alps have produced one of the longest and most valuable series of observations of this kind in the world. The collection is relevant not only for its value as historical archive, but also as an important reference for analyzing past trends and for modeling the future of the cryosphere and the hydrology in Europe. The format of the reports and the instrumentation used by the operators have widely changed over the century, from paper notes to spreadsheets, from slides to digital photos, from tape readings to GPS, and this evolution is still in progress. It follows a great heterogeneity in the collection, making extremely onerous both storing and consulting all the documents. It is a crucial objective to preserve this heritage, to make it available to scientists for analysis, and to ensure its continuation over time. Recent information technology advancements let foresee scenarios in which mobile smart devices and sensors will assist operators in recording field measurements, while web processes and applications will facilitate the automatic storage and display of data. User-friendly interfaces and interactive tools could then help non-experts to collect, map and handle additional glaciological information. The geo-web offers effective ways to manage the most varied contents on a single multipurpose platform: while supporting spatial and temporal analysis, it will also facilitate a collaboration respectful of local practices and intellectual property rights. Moreover, the use of standard web services guarantees for the sharing, the re-use and the maintenance of the collections over time. Following these criteria a web platform has been designed and implemented in a prototype form. It assimilates existing modules in a comprehensive framework and complement them with new services, tools and interfaces, with the aim to foster collection and consultation of heterogeneous glaciological observations.
A Web 2.0 Platform for a Century of Glaciological Observations in the Italian Alps
Criscuolo Laura;Carrara Paola;Pepe Monica;Bordogna Gloria
2014
Abstract
More than 100 years of systematic glacier monitoring in the Italian Alps have produced one of the longest and most valuable series of observations of this kind in the world. The collection is relevant not only for its value as historical archive, but also as an important reference for analyzing past trends and for modeling the future of the cryosphere and the hydrology in Europe. The format of the reports and the instrumentation used by the operators have widely changed over the century, from paper notes to spreadsheets, from slides to digital photos, from tape readings to GPS, and this evolution is still in progress. It follows a great heterogeneity in the collection, making extremely onerous both storing and consulting all the documents. It is a crucial objective to preserve this heritage, to make it available to scientists for analysis, and to ensure its continuation over time. Recent information technology advancements let foresee scenarios in which mobile smart devices and sensors will assist operators in recording field measurements, while web processes and applications will facilitate the automatic storage and display of data. User-friendly interfaces and interactive tools could then help non-experts to collect, map and handle additional glaciological information. The geo-web offers effective ways to manage the most varied contents on a single multipurpose platform: while supporting spatial and temporal analysis, it will also facilitate a collaboration respectful of local practices and intellectual property rights. Moreover, the use of standard web services guarantees for the sharing, the re-use and the maintenance of the collections over time. Following these criteria a web platform has been designed and implemented in a prototype form. It assimilates existing modules in a comprehensive framework and complement them with new services, tools and interfaces, with the aim to foster collection and consultation of heterogeneous glaciological observations.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
