Help

On this page you will find additional information to help you use the site features to access data through the National Geothermal Data System (NGDS).

Search Feature

This site’s search feature provides access to a catalog of data records describing available geothermal resources by indexing a database of metadata about those resources. 

Metadata is basically “data about the data” – it is comprised of keywords and terms that the data contributors have used to describe each data resource. When you type a search word or phrase into the search box, the NGDS compares your phrase to the metadata records and returns the most appropriate records. Information on how to access a given data resource is contained in the metadata records returned in the search results.

Map Interface

The map interface is typically used when you want to see a geographic distribution of data sites and resources.

You can use the map to search the NGDS either by typing a keyword into the search box or by using your mouse to draw a “bounding box.” A bounding box delineates geographic parameters on the map and the system retrieves the records that fall within those parameters.

Search results are displayed in list form and as colored circles on the map.

Map controls are as follows:

Search by Keyword ( ): Enter search terms and press the Search button; the results will appear in list form beneath the search field as well as on the map.

  • Zoom In (): Zooms in on the map.
  • Zoom Out (): Zooms out.
  • To begin a new search, click on the Make Query tab to navigate back to the map search home screen and hit the Reset button at the bottom before typing your next entry.

Search by Bounding Box or Rectangle: Use this tool to search for results within a given area by drawing a rectangle on the map. Any record describing features within the bounding box you drew will appear as search results.

  • Click the Draw an Area button and draw a rectangle on the map over the location of interest. Results will appear in list form beneath the search field as well as on the map.
  • On the map, zoom in to locate individual points. Click on the point for the title of the data record that the point represents. Click the More Information button to automatically navigate to that data record in the list of returned results.
  • Search Results Menu: Click on the title of a data record in the returned search results list for options on how to view or access the data resource. Options include Show Area on Map, PDF Resource, or Data Details page. Click on the option of your choice.

Data Interface

The data interface allows you to use keywords and phrases to search the data records. Once you have results, you can narrow them to find the records you are looking for by choosing a set of criteria by which to filter your results.

Narrowing Your Search Results

Type a keyword or phrase into the search box to receive an initial set of results.

Choose one or more of the filter topics from the left side of the screen:

Within each topic, check the box by the criteria you wish to use as your filter(s) (example: choose among data formats):

Selecting a check box will automatically update your search results to show only data that match the criteria you have selected. Note that you can use multiple criteria simultaneously to filter your results. To remove a filter, mouseover the name of the filter that is highlighted on the left or at the top of the screen and click on it the “X” to deselect.

You can filter your search results using the following topics:

  • Content model: Filter results by the content model to which the data conforms. All Tier 3 NGDS data conforms to a specific content model, which reflect properties of a given data set. A search for a specific content model would return results of data structured to conform to that content model. Data in NGDS content models can be displayed in WMS and WFS and can be opened in a number of databases and GIS applications.
  • Format: Filter results by format of the documents or datasets. Formats include data types and online resources, such as Web services.
  • Author: Filter results by or author.
  • Organization: Filter results by the contributing organization.