The JGOFS/GLOBEC Data Management System for Serving Physical and Biological Oceanographic Data and Plans to Enhance It
Presented at the Open Geospatial Consortium Technical Committee Meeting – Natural Resources and Environment Working Group
R.C. Groman, P.H. Wiebe, N.H. Vine
 and M.D. Allison
18 January 2005

Initial Goals
To understand the population dynamics of key species in terms of their coupling to the physical environment and in terms of their predators and prey.

Ultimate Goal
To be able to predict changes in the distribution and abundance of target species as a result of changes in their physical and biotic environment as well as to anticipate how their populations might respond to climate change.

US GLOBEC
Georges Bank
Southern Ocean
Gulf of Alaska
Northeast Pacific Program
Multi-national participation

Key Data Policy Characteristics
Dissemination to scientific investigators on a timely basis
Available when "useful"
Available to others outside the Program

Data and Information
Field data
Retrospective studies
Laboratory experimental results
Modeling data
Information

Distributed

JGOFS/GLOBEC Data Management System
Distributed data servers
Web accessible
Supports plotting and downloading

Developed by Flierl, et al. for US JGOFS Program
Distributed data - client/server system
Open access - read only
Quality control on-going
Emphasis on access to data and information as quickly as possible

Data Acknowledgement Policy
Data sets being collected are most worthwhile in the context of all the other data sets being collected
Investigators must respect the ownership of the data and should request permission to use data. Collaboration encouraged.

Object/Server Model
The data object receives requests and responds with data; and a server  connects applications to objects.

Clients and Servers
Browser application (Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc.)
Platform independent
More than just data served, information too
Based on "http" protocol

Centralized Starting Point
GLOBEC machine at WHOI
Directory shows data categories or hierarchy
Encourages use of common field names (thesaurus)

Example
Start at home page
Go to data directory
Select data object
Data selection and projection options
Simple plots
Download options

Enhancements
Improve the visual interface to the data (map versus tabular)
Retain “data driven” attribute of system

Map Tools
Live Access Server (LAS) – used by US JGOFS Program
MapServer
Generic Mapping Tools (GMT)
Digital Earth

Web Based Data Access Tools
WEBCOAST
GoMOOS
Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS)
National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC)
The Federation GIS Services Cluster
Distributed Oceanographic Data System (DODS)
PO.DAAC Ocean ESIP Tool (POET)
Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS)
EarthRef.org
SIOExplorer
Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)
Australian Spatial Data Directory (ASDD)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Animated Earth (NASA)

Metadata and Data Access
Metadata currently presented as text via the web.  Current plan is to convert to XML
Data access is via wget application or JGOFS/GLOBEC list application

Learning About Existing Standards
ECS, FGDC, GCMD common metadata
Mapping DIF to FGDC
Mapping DIF to Dublin Core
Guide to WMS

What’s Next
Implement metadata access via XML
Create WMS-based application to display data

Questions, Comments and Suggestions