(:source
   :version  3
   :ip-name "ridgisd.er.usgs.gov"
   :tcp-port 210
   :database-name "/usr/opt/wais/db/esdd"
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   :cost-unit :free
   :maintainer "tgauslin@ridgisd"
   :description "Server created with WAIS release 8 b3.1 on Mar 17 09:43:46 1992
    by tgauslin@ridgisd

WHAT IS ESDD?

The Earth Science Data Directory (ESDD) is being developed by the
U.S. Geological Survey as a system for readily determining the
availability of specific earth-science and natural-resource data. 
It offers access to a USGS computer repository of information about
earth-science and natural-resource data bases.  ESDD is also
available on compact disc.  Its referenced data bases are both
automated and non-automated, and they belong to many different
entities.  ESDD participants include governmental agencies,
academic institutions, and those from the private sector.

The term \"earth-science and natural-resource data,\" as used for
ESDD, is an all-embracing term referring to any systematic body of
knowledge, automated or not, relating to the Earth, its environment
and its energy, mineral, water, land, plant, animal, and other
resources.  ESDD can enable users to locate everything from complex
computerized indices, systems, and files to paper records, maps,
and files.

Data bases referenced in ESDD include those concerned with the
geologic, hydrologic, cartographic, and biologic sciences. 
References to data bases that support the protection and management
of natural resources are also included.  Geographic, sociologic,
economic, and demographic data bases are among those cataloged. 
Arctic region data base entries are included in the Arctic
Environment Data Directory as an ESDD subset.  ESDD is the
repository of information on Department of the Interior data bases
related to interagency global change activities.  May of this full
range of data sources offer potential as leads to base and/or
overlay input for geographic information system (GIS) applications. 
Also, ESDD includes some references to GIS product data bases.


SEARCHING ESDD USING WAIS

ESDD may be searched using all of the traditional methods offered
by WAIS.  In addition, several extensions to traditional WAIS
searching are offered.


Boolean \"and\".

Seed words used to search ESDD may include the word \"and\".  When a
list of search words includes the \"and\" connector, only those
documents that include the word following \"and\" will be retained
for further evaluation.  \"And\" connected words should be listed at
the end of a search phrase.  \"And\" may be used more than once.  For
example, the search phrase \"water, river and basin\" will locate
documents containing the following word combinations:

     water and basin
     river and basin
     water, river and basin


Phrase searches.

Phrases may be included in ESDD searches by placing the phrase
within double quotation marks.  For example, to find only those
documents that contain the word river immediately followed by the
word basin, the phrase \"river basin\" may be used.


Formatted text searches

ESDD entries are provided in a formatted text format.  This means
that each entry contains standardized lead lines that describe
various attributes of the referenced data.  Searches may be
restricted to identify only those documents that contain a word or
phrase in a particular portion of the document.  For example, only
those documents including the word arctic in the keywords section
of a document may be selected by including k=arctic in the user
provided query.  Phrase and keyword searching may be combined by
placing the entire phrase, including the keyword prefix, within
quotation marks:  \"k=river basin\"

The following prefixes may be used to search particular portions of
ESDD documents:

     Sensor:        s=
     Discipline:    d=
     Keywords:      k=
     Location:      l=
     Parameter:     p=

Of course, omission of the prefix invokes the WAIS standard full
text search. 


Location searches.

A variation of keyword searching may be used to locate references
using location coordinates (latitude and longitude).  Many ESDD
entries include the description of a bounded rectangle that
provides the location described by the data.  These references may
be located by describing a point or rectangle that intersects the
areas described by references.  The keywords \"lat\" and \"lon\" are
used for this purpose.  For example, to locate references to ground
water that exist at latitude 30 North by longitude 40 West, the
following query might be entered:

     \"ground water\" and lat=30n and lon=40w
"
)
