April 2004 Newsletter (Number 2/04)

Google: We have been stable in position #4 or 5 for the last three weeks. It looks like the strategy used to optimize our position was successful.

Neptune: Neptune can now be accessed through GeonGRID using Information Integrator thanks to Doug G. Neptune is now spatially enable with a GIS interface that Doug F. and Pat are currently testing (neptunegis). For more information on Doug F.'s work on GIS for CHRONOS, see http://chronos.org/alphawiki/Wiki.jsp?page=GIS.

Metadata: You can view what Doug F. has been working on for metadata at http://chronos.org/alphawiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Metadata

Geoff has completed the conversion of age/depth plotting software into a java application. This allows users to create lines of correlation using ASCII files with specific formatting. It is now available for download from CHRONOS Service site (our 4th web presence) at http://services.chronos.org/webservices/adp/index.html. Next, Geoff, Pat and Doug F are modifying it to allow it to use directly search results from databases.

The time scale conversion tools (Cenozoic to late Mesozoic Cande and Kent, 1995 to 2004 GTS conversion using paleomagnetic reversals, and the GSA 1999, Berggren 1995 and 2004 GTS relative to numerical age conversion) are ready as web services. Josh is working on a web interface (see the tools currently under testing at the web interface) but the main use for these tools will be as integral part of the database searches, as web service call from the community.

GeoWhen: We are currently hosting GeoWhen together with ICS web site (www.stratigraphy.org).

The Geochemical Cycles workshop in San Antonio, TX (June 25-26, 2004 - organizers: Ethan Grossman, John McArthur and Cinzia C.) has a web site. A workshop announcement was posted on line at AGU and GSA and will appear soon in Eos. Please let your colleagues working in this field know about the workshop. The online registration deadline is April 30.

The Permian-Triassic workshop will take place in Boise ID on May 1-2. Please contact Bruce Wardlaw and Vladimir Davydov for information.

Cinzia C. will give talks on CHRONOS to various groups (SEPM, Sedimentary Geology) at the AAPG Meeting in Dallas (April 16-21).

CHRONOS oral and poster sessions on 'Calibrating the Global Geologic Time Scale' at the Cordilleran/Rocky Mountain GSA meeting in Boise, Idaho, is scheduled for May 4 (schedule here). We are also going to have a CHRONOS booth where we will inaugurate our newly purchased display material.

Doug Fils was invited to represent CHRONOS and give a presentation at the "Linking Information Systems in Marine and Terrestrial Geosciences: Sediment Geochemistry" (June 3-4, Washington DC).

CHRONOS will organize a symposium on taxonomic dictionaries at the next North American Paleontological Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 19-26, 2005 (Information here)

We have added to our partners a group of French geoscientists involved in the collection of French paleontological data in databases and atlases. One of them, Bruno Garnier, is the associate editor of the online journal on stratigraphy 'Notebooks on geology' We have been working with him on metadata and RSS to allow CHRONOS users to access information and publications from the Carnets through our portal.

Cinzia C. is going to present CHRONOS in Sydney (Australia) to a group of paleontologists and geoscientists from Geoscience Australia and CSIRO on June 8. The goal of the meeting is to jump-start CHRONOS Australia.