Table 1 The main database table and its essential fields
Field name | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|
Id | Primary key for ash reports; autonumber | |
Address | Free-text field for user to report the street address where ashfall report is being made | Because many reports may come from areas of Alaska without a designated street address, this field (or any other location-descriptive field) may be null and is not constrained to a database of street addresses – whatever someone uses to describe their location, we’d like to see it. |
City | Free-text field for user to report the city where the ashfall report is being made | |
State_ID | Foreign key to another table listing US states | Other parts of our database already linked to a table listing states |
Country_ID | Foreign key to another table listing countries – presents as a drop-down to users | Other parts of our database already linked to a table listing countries |
Zip | Free-text field for zip code | Areas of the United States with smaller and more well-defined zip code areas may wish to link to a restricted list of valid zip codes |
Datum | Foreign key to another table listing datums | Other parts of our database already linked to a table listing datums |
Ash_present | Presents as a checkbox to the user; stored in the table as ‘yes’ and ‘no’ entries | |
Ash_sampled | Presents as a checkbox to the user; store in the table as ‘yes’ and ‘no’ entries | |
Ashfall_date | Date of ashfall observation: yyyy-mm-dd; user can pick from a calendar | |
Ashfall_time | Time of ashfall observation: hh:mm:ss | |
Ashfall_timezone | Free-text field for user to input the timezone for date/time of ashfall observation | |
Ashfall_start | Free-text field for user to describe when ash started falling | |
Ashfall_end | Free-text field for user to describe when ashfall ended | |
Event_datetime | Free-text field for AVO staff to associate user’s ashfall report with the time of a specific explosive event | |
Location | Free-text field for user to describe the location of the ashfall report | |
Duration | Free-text field for the user to report the duration of the ashfall | |
Measurement_comments | Free-text field for the user to make comments on the quality of their ashfall measurement | |
Weather_types | Restricted text of ‘windy’, ‘snowy’, ‘rainy’, and ‘calm’ presented to the user as multiple checkboxes. Users may select more than one option | |
Weather_comments | Free-text field for user to describe the weather during the time of ashfall | |
Comments | Free-text field for user to report any additional information on ashfall to AVO | |
Ash_confirm | True/False field for AVO to enter whether or not the ashfall report is verified | |
Ash_measured | Yes/No field for user to enter whether or not they measured the ash; presents to the user as a checkbox | |
Ash_amount | Restricted text to ‘trace’, ‘minor’, ‘substantial’, or ‘heavy’; presents to the user as as choose-only-one drop-down | |
Ash_thick | Field for AVO staff to enter how thick the ash for this report actually is/was, in mm | |
Aggregates | True/False field for AVO staff to enter whether or not the ash contained aggregates | |
Grain_size | Restricted text to ‘fine’, ‘medium’, ‘coarse’, and ‘very coarse’ – data entered by AVO staff | |
Color | Free-text field for AVO staff to describe the color of the ash | |
Sulfur_smell | True/False for AVO staff to code the report if the user mentions a sulfur smell | |
Sample_type | Restricted text to ‘none’, ‘MPUA’, ‘bulk’, ‘time_series’, or ‘multiple’ for the user to describe their ash sample | We provide definition links next to these terms in the form |
Pers_name | Name of the person submitting the report | All personal identifying information is optional |
Pers_email | Email address of the person submitting the report | |
Pers_phone | Phone number of the person submitting the report | |
Oktocontact | Yes/No for whether AVO may contact the user submitting the report; “Can we call you for more information?” | |
Avo_contact | Foreign key to list of AVO personnel | Used to keep track of which AVO staff are communicating with specific observers |
Communication | Free-text field for AVO staff to make notes about communications with an observer | |
Thank_you_sent | Yes/No field for AVO staff to mark whether a personal thank you (phone call, real email message) has been sent | |
Ex_event_seismic | Free-text field for AVO staff to code the report to a specific seismic event | |
Ex_event_UTC | Free-text field for AVO staff to code the report a specific explosive event’s UTC time | |
Volcano_id | Foreign key to AVO’s list of Alaska volcanoes, for AVO staff to link an ash report to a specific volcano. | |
Submitted | Date/time stamp of when the ash report was submitted | |
Utc_offset | Offset of users’ computer to UTC | User likely inputs times based on their local time; this fields is autopopulated with UTC time, based on the user’s time zone |
Google_map_loc | Point of click on google map | Selected by user |
Google_latitude | Geocoded latitude | |
Google_longitude | Geocoded longitude | |
Google_accuracy | Accuracy level of geocoding | |
Google_failed | True/False; coding returns “true” if google failed to geocode the record |