USGIN - Cyberinfrastructure for Earth sciences

The US Geoscience Information Network (USGIN) is a new system of state and federal geological survey online data providers and user applications linked together by shared web services and interchange formats that help users find, access, and use geoscientific information.

The objective of the GIN project is to develop standardized services to make data resources of the state and federal geological surveys accessible online in a distributed network - using a few standards and protocols, and to work with data providers to implement these services. Some of the standards include Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Catalog Service for the Web (CSW), Web Map and Feature Services (WMS and WFS).

The network is open to all providers and users and the stated goal is to become a core component of the emerging cyberinfrastructure for the Earth sciences.

- Jeff