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1.2 Getting Started
1.2.2 Become a Registered EarthRef.org User
To register click on the Register link in the Topmenu of the EarthRef.org website. If you have forgotten your password or username, please go to the http://earthref.org/databases/ERML/ webpage or click on the Forgot Password link in the Topmenu. Twice a year you will be sent a Reminder Email with all registration info and a simple link to edit your user profile.
Registration is required if you want to upload your data into the MagIC database. In return, you will be informed of new features on the website, software updates and other information related to the MagIC initiative through Bi-monthly Newsletters and other email alerts. Searching and downloading data from the database does not require an user name and password.
1.2.3 Reviewer and Editor Responsibilities
A reviewer of a MagIC database contribution is responsible for comparing the uploaded data to the data in the corresponding paper and commenting on any errors or omissions. An online review system is available to help reviewers with this task.
First the reviewer checks the reference to make sure it is correct and complete. Next the reviewer checks the various tables that have been filled out in the smartbook by the contributor. Tables with location data present the reviewer with a map so they can quickly check if the location is correct. Then the reviewer checks the method codes used by the contributor and verifies that they are correct and not missing significant descriptions of the data. Finally the reviewer writes any additional comments to the contributor and marks the review complete.
An editor for the MagIC database is responsible for overseeing the reviewing of new contributions to the MagIC database. The editor will be able to delegate the review process of new contributions to reviewers or review the contributions themselves. Reviews should be done in a timely manner. About a month to review a contribution is an appropriate timeline.
1.2.4 Online Search Features and Data Uploading
Two separate web portals have been developed within MagIC for Paleomagnetism (PMAG) and Rock Magnetism (RMAG). Both interrogate the same underlying MagIC and EarthRef.org databases. This ensures that the search forms for typical paleomagnetic and rock magnetic searches can be kept simple and transparent. However, it does not prevent paleomagnetists from performing rock magnetic queries when searching within the PMAG Web Portal, and vice versa, when starting out from within the RMAG Web Portal. By design each portal is merely a different entry point into the same database.
To search from within the PMAG Web Portal follow the http://earthref.org/MAGIC/search/ link. Here we provide you with search options of location, data type, geological age and reference. You can also do map searches using the Map filter. Each of these searches give you a simple first page from which you can drill down all the way to the measurement level. An advanced search lets you perform more complex searches, including custom Boolean expressions.
Once the RMAG Web Portal is active, to start the RMAG Web Portal follow the http://earthref.org/databases/RMAG/ link. From this web page you can perform simple searches based on experiment type or condition, sample type and reference. Again, in each search you will be allowed to drill down to the measurement level, and an advanced search option lets you perform more demanding search tasks.
The Online Upload Wizard has been developed to help you upload your own data. Uploading can be started by following the http://earthref.org/MAGIC/upload.htm link. The only requirement here is that you are a Registered EarthRef.org User. Uploading data can typically be completed in less than 5 minutes, depending on the number of data records involved. The Online Upload Wizard will ask you to log-in under your EarthRef.org Username and to upload two files (a Microsoft Excel© file and an plain text version of the same file) that were automatically generated by processing your data with the MagIC Console Software. These two files will be archived in the EarthRef.org database while the data and metadata they contain will be parsed into the MagIC database.
This data uploading naturally complements the scientific process of preparing your data for submittal to any Earth science journal. Because you can upload your data into the MagIC database while keeping it Private (as described in the User and Data Policy) you can use all visualization tools on the MagIC website to study and analyze your data, either on their own right or in combination with data already available in the database. You can also make your data Group Accessible by assigning a group name and password that you personally can give out to your colleagues, co-authors and reviewers. All in all, this approach gives you a multitude of flexibility in working with your paleo and rock magnetic data. When you're ready you can Activate your private contributions and make them Publicly Available to other MagIC and EarthRef.org users.
1.2.5 The MagIC Console Software
Getting your data organized, complete and ready to submit for either a paper publication or ingesting into a database is a time-consuming job. We have developed the MagIC Console Software to aid you in your collation of paleo and rock magnetic data and to make the data ready for upload in the MagIC database. Visit http://earthref.org/MAGIC/software.htm to download the Latest Software Version.
1.2.6 Hardware and Software Requirements
Browsers and Screen Resolution
This site will work with all modern browsers, such Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome. To use many of the functions on this site, your browser should have JavaScript and Cookies enabled. A minimum screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768 is also recommended.
In order to view PDF (Portable Document Format) files accessible from the EarthRef.org and MagIC websites, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader© that is available free for download at http://adobe.com. Some downloadable files from the EarthRef.org databases are available as compressed ZIP archives. These archives require the use of WinZip© for Microsoft Windows© users or Aladdin StuffIt Expander© for Macintosh© users to unzip them.
The MagIC Console Software program is coded in Visual Basic for Applications© in Microsoft Excel© and has been tested under Microsoft Windows© 2000/XP/Vista and Macintosh© OS 9.0/X. It is recommended that you run this software on 500 Mhz computers with at least 512 MB of RAM and 1024x768 native screen resolutions. Empty MagIC SmartBooks start at ~200 KB in file size, but increase to several MB's depending on the number of data records included.
1.2.7 Software Updates
Regular Software Updates will be published on the MagIC website. Each update will receive its own Version Number that will be stored in the MagIC SmartBooks as well. If your SmartBooks have an older version number, these files will be automatically updated the next time you open one with the MagIC Console Software. The newest software distributions are always available from http://earthref.org/MAGIC/software.htm. If you use the MagIC Console Software on a computer that is also connected to the Internet and it is outdated, you might be shown a message at start up that a newer version of this software is available for downloading from the MagIC website.
1.2.8 Important MagIC Website Links