Affiliations: San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of
California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. Tel.: +1
(858) 822 3694; E-mail: {efrat,amemon,viswanat,altintas,baru}@sdsc.edu | Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State
University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. Tel.: +1 480 965 3541; E-mail:
{chris.crosby,jsconner,ramon.arrowsmith}@asu.edu
Note: [] Corresponding author
Abstract: Emerging Grid technologies enable solving scientific problems that
involve large datasets and complex analyses, which in the past were often
considered difficult to solve. Coordinating distributed Grid resources and
computational processes requires adaptable interfaces and tools that provide
modularized and configurable environments for accessing Grid clusters and
executing high performance computational tasks. Computationally intensive
processes are also subject to a high risk of component failures and thus
require close monitoring. In this paper we describe a scientific workflow
approach to coordinate various resources via data analysis pipelines. We
present a three tier architecture for LiDAR interpolation and analysis, a high
performance processing of point intensive datasets, utilizing a portal, a
scientific workflow engine and Grid technologies. Our proposed solution is
available to the community in a unified framework through a shared
cyberinfrastructure, the GEON portal, enabling scientists to focus on their
scientific work and not be concerned with the implementation of the underlying
infrastructure.
