netCDF use at Woods Hole Oceanographic

• To: netcdfgroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: netCDF use at Woods Hole Oceanographic
• From: kegp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (k.prada)
• Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 10:16:22 EDT

We are pleased to see Tim Holt's announcement and are interested and excited
at the prospect of more oceanographic users of netCDF.  This e-mail is a
contribution to further discussion on netCDF applications in the
oceanographic community.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has been using netCDF for several
data classes.  We are trying to expand this use into a braoder range of 
oceanographic applications.  To that end we have, in conjunction with the
local branch of USGS, established a working group.  This group has the 
following charter based on the availability of netCDF.

        OCEANOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS RESOURCE SYSTEM (OarS)

GOALS:

Create a data access protocol applicable to a large variety of
oceanographic data analysis tasks including, but not limited to, data
transfer, data manipulation, data processing and data visualization.

BENEFITS:

Simplify the exchange of oceanographic data through the use of
a common data access interface which provides not only the data, but
information about the data.

Provide access to available tools for data handling and analysis

APPROACH:

OarS is not intended to re-invent data analysis tools such as data
editors, spectral processors or plotting packages, but to provide a
framework within which access to oceanographic data and analysis
tools is optimized.

The OarS effort will build on the substantial, and ongoing, development
which has gone into Unidata's network Common Data Form (netCDF)
interface and associated products.

The standards set by Oars will provide the basis for work by other
groups to acquire, create, configure or implement tools suitable for
use with OarS compliant data sets.

OarS is to be supported by:

             BASIC OCEANOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS TOOLKIT (BoaT)

GOALS:

Provide a library of programs and routines for routine data handling,
processing and visualization.

Provide data interface for available commercial, WHOI and other data
analysis functions.

APPROACH:

Build upon the existing library available from UNIDATA.

Create data set definitions for the standard data classes we use.

Develop the core set of functions and programs for data access and
interface.
___________________________________________________________________________
            Ken Prada                 |
Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering |Organization is critical to success.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution  |
       (508) 457-2000 Ext 2711        |Try eating a soup sandwich.
          kegp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx          |