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Mil
Intel Muster
Summer 2005 |
 |
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 is the integration of NetCDF format metocean data with ArcGIS, so the scientists developed a variety of tools to import NetCDF data into GIS formats. However, this approach was not efficient and created duplicate databases. In an attempt to address this issue, the Royal Australian Navy has obtained the COASTMAP NetCDF extension for ArcGIS and C/JMTK.
The COASTMAP NetCDF Layer Extension allows NetCDF data that is COARDS and CF compliant to be viewed in ArcGIS for RAN operations. This data is generated by the Australian Science Agency, CSIRO, and Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
The extension includes the NetCDF custom layer and the Time Toolbar and allows RAN staff to manage, display, animate, and analyze both scalar (salinity, temperature, elevation) and vector (current and wind data) data in its native NetCDF format.
The next phase
of the project has begun to extend 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.
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COASTMAP Data Server and Web Services
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COASTMAP Thick Client
NetCDF & OPeNDAP Tools
Marine Models-OILMAP, CHEMMAP, SARMAP, and others
Data Analysis Tools
Management of Time Varying Data Layers
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COASTMAP Thin Client for accessing ArcIMS-based applications
What is NetCDF and why is it so important?
NetCDF was developed at the Unidata Program of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) (http://my.unidata.ucar.edu). NetCDF has been adopted for use in earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences in large part because it is a flexible, self-describing format capable of conveying large sets of array-oriented data.
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, and many scientists use their own conventions. One of the
problems in developing tools to support NetCDF is that there is
a large amount of legacy data being generated in nonstandard formats.
The good news is that an initiative at UCAR has defined a number
of NetCDF conventions, such as the COARDS convention, sponsored
by the Cooperative Ocean-Atmosphere Research Data Service, and the
CF (Climate and Forecast Metadata) convention. These conventions
provide extremely useful structure and metadata standards for NetCDF.
The COASTMAP NetCDF layer supports four schemas that are CF compliant that can be used to manage a variety of time varying gridded and nongridded data.
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Uniform rectangular gridded data for storing arrays of scalar or vector values. Very common for global and large-scale regional products.
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Nonuniform or randomly distributed time series data. Data is temporal at each point, but each point is geostatic. Useful for storing observation data such as current meter data and other static observation devices.
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Unstructured grids, finite element, triangular, quadrilateral grids. Can be used to store arrays of gridded scalar or vector data. Common format for regional models such as Adcirc, POM, and RMA2.
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Moving particles in time and space. Useful for moving objects such as drifters, marine mammals, and vessels. Also used for particle models such as oil spill and chemical spill models.
Example Applications
Because the COASTMAP NetCDF layer provides native support for NetCDF data in ArcGIS, users can now rapidly integrate time varying in-situ observation data, remote sensing data, and forecast models in a unified GIS framework, both for the client and server. Large, global and regional NetCDF local data files 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 modeling, atmospheric modeling, search and rescue, 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 operations. SAROPS uses
COASTMAP components, including the NetCDF custom layer, to manage
a variety of metocean data. The system allows the search planner
to define the scenario; to access environmental data (winds and
currents) via Web services; and to develop near optimal search plans
given the amount of searching effort available.
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), waterborne pollutants including
chemicals and oil, and drifting objects.
Visualization of NetCDF data
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
Visualization
of Seas Surface Temperature and Surface Currents
Visualization
of Currents in Gulf of Mexico
For more information please contact:
Eoin Howlett
Applied Science Associates
70 Dean Knauss Drive
Narragansett, RI 02882
phone: 1-401-789-6224
fax: 1-401-789-1932
e-mail: ehowlett@appsci.com