Application of emerging cyberinfrastructure technologies to aid in the education and training of coastal and estuarine scientists

While coastal and estuary simulation models are powerful tools, the effort which goes into learning how to setup, compile, configure and execute such models and their corresponding visualization and analysis tools can be significant. In addition, these models often require significant computational resources, particularly when ensemble calculations are performed or when a real-time event (e.g. forecasts of storm surge and inundation) demands a quick turn-around time. In this paper, several coastal and estuary science (CES) applications which have been developed to aid in the education and training of CES using emerging cyberinfrastructure (CI) technologies are discussed. These technologies allow for the complete encapsulation of all necessary libraries, models and visualization tools into virtual machines (VMs). Furthermore, these VMs automatically and securely connect to a "Grid" of computing resources enabling the user to seamlessly access remote computing resources. Beginning with the enabling In-VIGO virtualization CI technology and soon after by the Grid Appliance, CES applications which used these underlying technologies are presented. The In-VIGO applications, using a web portal interface, focus on simulations of hydrodynamics in the lower St. Johns River and Charlotte Harbor, Florida. These applications emphasize the ease with which unmodified applications can be integrated into the system. In addition, the ability to integrate Linux applications with Microsoft Windows visualization as well as the simplicity by which ensembles can be handled is also presented. Finally, an entire Grid Appliance has been developed which allows coastal simulation models, visualization tools, and Grid computing middleware to be packaged and made available to users. These capabilities are demonstrated through an application which focuses on hydrodynamics and species transport in the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve.