Ghub: Bridging ice-sheet data and modeling

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Predicting future ice-sheet change requires a tremendous effort across a range of disciplines in ice-sheet science including expertise in observational data, paleoglaciology data, numerical ice sheet modeling, and widespread use of emerging methodologies (such as machine learning) for interpreting the data. There are knowledge and disciplinary barriers that make collaboration between data and model groups more difficult than it ought to be.  Enter Ghub, a community-building scientific and educational cyberinfrastructure framework.

Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier (top of image), flowing into the ocean (bottom right / center of image) and calving a gigantic iceberg. Image source: NASA-USGS LANDSAT/EARTH OBSERVATORY, October 2018.

Ghub hosts models, data, workflows, and data processing and uncertainty quantification tools, and enables coordination between ice-sheet scientific communities. GHub connects the numerical ice-sheet modeling community with rapidly growing observational datasets of past and present ice-sheet states that will ultimately improve predictions of sea level rise.

Ghub is a centralized hub for all different types of ice sheet scientists, from those new to ice sheets to seasoned researchers, and for educators interested in ice sheet science. Anyone can obtain a free account. Join us!

Features of Ghub

Tools

Currently available tools include:

Crevasse ATM-Based Crevasse Detection and Extraction Workflow Implements Greenland ice sheet crevasse detection over a range of years and user specified parameters.Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org netCDF File Regridding Tool Enables users to select multiple ISMIP6 model output files for conversion to an alternate grid size.Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org Cryosphere model Comparison tool (CmCt)
Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org Greenland Ice Surface Temperature, Surface Albedo, and Water Vapor from MODIS Comparison Tool Compares and plots user-selected attributes from MERRA-2 models of the Greenland Ice Sheet against MODIS measurements.GIS Ice Sheet Model Comparison Tool Ice Sheet Model Comparison Tool Compares and plots a user-selected field or fields from multiple ice sheet models.CmCt Histogram Plotting Tool CmCt Histogram Tool Plots comparison result statistics from runs of the Cryosphere model Comparison tool (CmCt).
GRACE JPL Mascon 2014 CmCt GRACE MASCON Tool Compares user-uploaded ice sheet models to the NASA GRACE Mascon product.Image credit QGreenland project, qgreenland.org ISMIP6 Ice Sheet Model Scalar Variable Plotter Compares and plots ISMIP6 scalar variables from different modeling centers against a reference dataset. This is a quick quality control tool to model scalar variables and units.Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org NCAR Coupled ISMIP6 Data Plotting Tool Notebook to create plots of global temperature from historical and projected model simulations.

Users can run these could-based tools, download and adapt the code for their own use, and/or contribute new or derived tools.

Datasets

Currently available datasets include:

Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org Cryosphere model Comparison tool (CmCt) Laser and Radar Altimetry data Input altimetry data (ICESat, ERS-1/2, Envisat) processed for use with the Cryosphere model Comparison tool (CmCt), a tool that facilitates direct comparison between satellite observational data and ice sheet models.Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org CESM Data for the CESM ice sheet model, used for predicting ice sheet retreat and sea level rise in a warming climate. Greenland ATM Data 1993-2019 GIS-ready IceBridge ATM L2 Icessn Elevation, Slope, and Roughness data of Greenland land ice
Image credit Iceberg Project, Lynch Greenland Surface Strain Rates & Stresses Datasets of 2D principal strain rates and principal stresses across the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet.Image credit Google Earth Greenland Mass Balance Mass Balance and Velocity Data for Greenland’s Ice Sheets at High Elevations (Thomas et al., Science, 2001).
Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org ISMIP6 21st Century Forcing Datasets These datasets contain the 21st century atmospheric and oceanic forcing datasets used for Greenland and Antarctic standalone ice sheet model simulations as part of the ISMIP6 project.Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org ISMIP6 21st Century Greenland Projections This dataset provides the Greenland ice sheet model output produced as part of the ISMIP6 Project (Eyring et al., 2016; Nowicki et al. 2016).Image credit NASA NSIDC DAAC, nsidc.org ISMIP6 21st Century Antarctic Projections This dataset provides the Antarctic ice sheet model output produced as part of the ISMIP6 Project (Eyring et al., 2016; Nowicki et al. 2016).
Image credit Iceberg Project, Lynch ISMIP6 initMIP-Greenland simulations This dataset contains the initMIP-Greenland model simulations from the ISMIP6 Project.Image credit Google Earth ISMIP6 initMIP-Antarctica simulations This dataset contains the initMIP-Antarctica model simulations from the ISMIP6 Project. ISMIP6 ABUMIP Simulations These datasets contain the ice sheet model simulation from the ABUMIP (Antarctic BUttressing Model Intercomparison Project) effort.

We gratefully acknowledge support by the US National Science Foundation and EarthCube.