News on ICDP’s data management system mDIS: experiences, adaptions and extensions after three years of field application and core repository installation

The mobile Drilling Information System (mDIS) is ICDP’s (Internal Continental Scientific Drilling Program) database management software, initially designed for the acquisition of data gained during a drilling campaign. It is now in use for three years and is by far exceeding its intended application. MDIS has now been installed in core repositories with varying requirements and it is currently been tested for the use as a laboratory data collection application.

The system is based on 25 years of sample and data management at ICDP. It is a database backed web application that is entirely based on open-source code, is platform-independent and has a responsive design. Beyond the basic data registration and management, mDIS provides functionality for QR code label-printing, data export and report generation. Application specific XML export supports International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) registration and data visualization in the “Corelyzer” software (https://cse.umn.edu/csd/corelyzer). Third party software can interface the mDIS through its REST application programming interface (API). Version 3 of the mDIS software features an updated, consistent data model and n:m relations.

Driven by the pandemic, the “expedition mDIS” has mostly been installed as a SaaS (software as a service) variant hosted on a shared ICDP server rather than an offline virtual box application on a personal computer. This solution facilitates training and enhanced support by the ICDP-OSG, it provides continuity by the use of a single project database throughout the project lifespan, and it provides uncomplicated data access to scientists that are currently off-site. Next to the design of further print labels, reports and entry masks for borehole measurements, the most significant extension for the “expedition mDIS” is a digital visual core description allowing for printing a stratigraphic column while simultaneously filling the database. Inspired by a user, our next plan is to develop an add-on for managing sample requests in mDIS.

MDIS has now been implemented in several core repositories (“curation mDIS”), amongst them the Bremen Core Repository (BCR) of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), were curators face up to several thousand samples a week during sample parties. The simultaneous input and processing of large amounts of data lead to new challenges in terms of data handling and database performance. The mDIS has been supplemented with modules to curate and store different sample types, to design and adapt sample series, to add a contact data base and adaptable reports. One of the most important add-ons is the so called “sample-sheet”, which facilitates fast data entry and automated printing of sample labels during large sampling parties.

For more information please visit the ICDP homepage (https://www.icdp-online.org/support/data-samples), the mDIS Documentation website (https://data.icdp-online.org/mdis-docs) or contact us directly. MDIS is open source and as such available for all projects and everybody who is interested.