Using Virtual Observatories for Heliophysics Research

Scientific satellites, balloons, ground-based instruments, and other observational platforms are producing rich streams of data about the Earth and space. Ensuring widespread access to such data has led to the development of a new type of observatory: the virtual observatory. Existing only in cyberspace, virtual observatories are Web-based interfaces that point users to online data repositories. More important, they allow users not only to access and view multiple sources of information at the same time but also to cross-compare data to build new insights.