From data to analysis: linking NWChem and Avogadro with the syntax and semantics of Chemical Markup Language

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary integrated research requires the ability to couple thediverse sets of data obtained from a range of complex experiments andcomputer simulations. Integrating data requires semantically richinformation. In this paper an end-to-end use of semantically rich data incomputational chemistry is demonstrated utilizing the Chemical MarkupLanguage (CML) framework. Semantically rich data is generated by the NWChemcomputational chemistry software with the FoX library and utilized by theAvogadro molecular editor for analysis and visualization. RESULTS: The NWChem computational chemistry software has been modified and coupled tothe FoX library to write CML compliant XML data files. The FoX library wasexpanded to represent the lexical input files and molecular orbitals used bythe computational chemistry software. Draft dictionary entries and a formatfor molecular orbitals within CML CompChem were developed. The Avogadroapplication was extended to read in CML data, and display molecular geometryand electronic structure in the GUI allowing for an end-to-end solutionwhere Avogadro can create input structures, generate input files, NWChem canrun the calculation and Avogadro can then read in and analyse the CML outputproduced. The developments outlined in this paper will be made available infuture releases of NWChem, FoX, and Avogadro. CONCLUSIONS: The production of CML compliant XML files for computational chemistrysoftware such as NWChem can be accomplished relatively easily using the FoXlibrary. The CML data can be read in by a newly developed reader in Avogadroand analysed or visualized in various ways. A community-based effort isneeded to further develop the CML CompChem convention and dictionary. Thiswill enable the long-term goal of allowing a researcher to run simple“Google-style” searches of chemistry and physics and have theresults of computational calculations returned in a comprehensible formalongside articles from the published literature. [Image: see text] ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1758-2946-5-25) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.