| Abstract
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Virtual Observatories can provide access t … Virtual Observatories can provide access to vast stores of scientific data: observations and models. As these electronic stores become widely used, there is potential to improve the efficiency, interoperability, collaborative potential, and impact of a wide range of interdisciplinary scientific research. In order to realize this potential, technical challenges need to be addressed concerning (at least) representations and interoperability of data, access, and usability.
In the Virtual Solar Terrestrial Observatory (VSTO) project, we provide an electronic repository of observational data spanning the solar-terrestrial physics domain. VSTO is a distributed, scalable education and research environment for searching, integrating, and analyzing observational, experimental and model databases in the fields of solar, solar-terrestrial and space physics (SSTSP) and utilizes semantic web technologies. We are also implementing tools and infrastructure for accessing and using the data. Our main contributions include the repository, infrastructure, and tools for the particular solar terrestrial physics as well as the design and infrastructure that may be broadened to cover more diverse science areas and communities of use. erse science areas and communities of use.
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