Abstract

The Arctic Research Mapping Application (ARMAP) is a suite of online services to provide support of Arctic science. These services include: a text based online search utility, 2D Internet Map Server (IMS); 3D globes and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Map Services (WMS). With special emphasis on the International Polar Year (IPY), ARMAP has a target audience of science planners, scientists, educators, and the general public. The Arctic Research Logistics Support Service (ARLSS) database is the foundation of ARMAP and includes information on US research funded by the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the United States Geological Survey. Avoiding a duplication of effort has been a primary objective of the ARMAP project, which incorporates best practices (e.g. Spatial Data Infrastructure and OGC standard web services and metadata) and off the shelf technologies where appropriate. ARMAP services may be accessed via the gateway web site at http://www.armap.org. ARMAP's 3D globe services includes a layer users can download into Google Earth and a prototype ArcGIS Explorer (ESRI) application. A comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of the two virtual globe applications will be presented.