Purvis, C.; J. Cothran; J. Donovan; M. Fletcher; S. Haines; R. Helber; C. Hu; E. Kearns; F. Muller-Karger; Near Real-Time Ocean Observations Online: Data Management within the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observation System (SEACOOS), SEACOOS Spring 2004 Workshop, Miami, Florida

Abstract

Even though a picture can speak a thousand words, can it meaningfully represent millions of near real-time ocean data observations from a variety of data sources? It is within the SEACOOS online observation portal that SEACOOS partners and affiliates coordinate and integrate disparate datasets into an interactive geographic information system (GIS).

SEACOOS partners and affiliates contribute to a centralized data repository by providing both in-situ and remotely sensed data in a standard format. These data are aggregated, processed, and normalized to provide a view of information ranging from near real-time in-situ wind and sea surface temperature data to near real-time remotely sensed products, including sea-surface temperature, ocean color, and true color images. The coordination of disparate datasets, namely their respective temporal and spatial resolutions, was made possible by the use of relational databases and other technologies.

Open source software solutions are well suited for the database normalization back-end tasks as well as the core GIS functions at the front-end. In addition to typical GIS mapping functionality, the online observation portal includes animation capabilities, robust point data and raster data querying capabilities, and time-series graphing utilities. Refining the interface to meet both general and specific user needs remains an ongoing process, but the modularity of the existing tools within the portal provides an exceptional foundation on which to build.

Citation

Purvis, C.; J. Cothran; J. Donovan; M. Fletcher; S. Haines; R. Helber; C. Hu; E. Kearns; F. Muller-Karger; Near Real-Time Ocean Observations Online: Data Management within the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observation System (SEACOOS), SEACOOS Spring 2004 Workshop, Miami, Florida

For more information, see the SEACOOS Information Management Working Group.