NetCDF and OPeNDAP support for Arcgis and C/JMTK

Overview

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) uses GIS extensively to manage geographic data as well as meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) data. One of the difficulties faced by the RAN is the integration of metocean data stored in NetCDF format with ArcGIS, so RAN scientists have developed a variety of tools to import NetCDF data into various GIS formats. However, this approach is not very efficient and leads to duplication of data. In an attempt to address this issue, the RAN has obtained the COASTMAP NetCDF extension for ArcGIS and C/JMTK.

The COASTMAP NETCDF Layer Extension allows NetCDF data that is COARDS (Cooperative Ocean-Atmosphere Research Data Service) or CF (Climate and Forecast Metadata) compliant to be viewed in ArcGIS. NetCDF data generated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Reseach Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) meets these standards and can now be integrated within ArcGIS.

The extension includes the NetCDF custom layer and the Time Toolbar, allowing RAN staff to manage, display, animate and analyse both scalar (salinity, temperature, elevation) and vector (current and wind) data in its native NetCDF format. The next phase of the project enhances the extension to include direct OPeNDAP support of the CSIRO and BOM data.

Capabilities

COASTMAP is a suite of tools for managing metocean data and numerical models in a GIS framework. COASTMAP contains a number of components, including:

The NetCDF Layer of the COASTMAP Thick Client allows users to access and visualize NetCDF and OPeNDAP data in its native format within ArcGIS.

What is NetCDF and why is it so important?

NetCDF is an electronic data format that was developed at the Unidata Program of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) (http://my.unidata.ucar.edu). Because it is a flexible, self-describing format capable of conveying large sets of array-oriented data, NetCDF has been widely adopted for use in earth, ocean and atmospheric sciences.

The flexibility provided by NetCDF has allowed data providers and users to create NetCDF schemas to suit their own particular needs. The downside of this flexibility is that there are many flavors of NetCDF schemas in use, with many scientists using their own unique conventions. One of the challenges in developing tools to support NetCDF is that a large amount of legacy data is stored and generated in non-standard formats. The good news is that an initiative at UCAR has defined a number of NetCDF standard conventions, including the COARDS and CF conventions. These recognized conventions provide extremely useful structure and metadata standards for NetCDF.

The COASTMAP NetCDF layer supports 4 CF compliant schemas that can be used to manage a variety of time varying gridded and non-gridded data:

Example Applications

Because the Coastmap NetCDF layer provides native support for NetCDF data within ArcGIS, users can now rapidly integrate time varying in-situ observational data, remote sensing data, and forecast models in a unified GIS framework, at both the client and the server level. Large global and regional NetCDF local data files stored locally may be viewed, as well as remote data served by OPeNDAP servers. The data may be used for analysis as well as for specific modeling applications such as oil spill modeling, chemical and LNG spill modeling, atmospheric modeling, search & rescue (SAR) operations, and military decision aids.

U.S. Coast Guard SAROPS
An integrated team consisting of ASA, Northrop Grumman Information Technology, and Metron Inc., is developing SAROPS, the next generation of software for national search and rescue (SAR) operations. SAROPS uses COASTMAP components, including a custom NetCDF layer, to manage a wide range of metocean data. The system allows the search planner to define a scenario; access environmental data (winds and currents) via web services; and develop near optimal search plans.

U.S. Navy COASTMAP
One of the primary requirements for emergency response and predictive modeling is access to environmental data. ASA provides web services to allow users to connect to environmental data servers for the latest in oceanographic and meteorological conditions. The U.S. Navy Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) uses a variety of ASA's COASTMAP modeling tools to integrate atmospheric and oceanographic observations and model output to determine environmental conditions globally. This data is then further integrated with GIS-based models that simulate water movement (hydrodynamics), water-borne pollutants including chemicals and oil, and drifting objects.

 

Visualization of NetCDF data

 

Visualization of Seas Surface Temperature and Surface Currents

Visualization of surface currents and winds from the operational models run by the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab

COASTMAP coupled to the OILMAP oil spill model for Tampa Bay

For more information please contact:

Eoin Howlett
ehowlett@appsci.com
or
Sasha Zigic
szigic@apasa.com.au