EPIC Utilities for Management, Display, and Analysis of Oceanographic Data

D.W. Denbo1, N.N. Soreide2, M.C. Spillane1, and W.H. Zhu1

1Joint Institute for the Study of Ocean and Atmosphere, University of Washington, Seattle, WA,2NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, WA

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Background

EPIC was developed at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) to manage hydrographic and time series oceanographic observational data sets.

EPIC system provides Data Archival and Retrieval Desktop Display and Analysis Utilities for Web Access and Display

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Data Management

EPIC provides utilities for database support Metadata loaders Data selection programs

EPIC supports several SQL databases (INGRES, mSQL, PostgreSQL)

Searchable metadata includes cruise identifiers mooring name instrument name and type

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Modular and Open

EPS Library

Applications

EPIC programs are modular to enhance flexibility

Multiple data formats are supported via “epslib”

Gateways for Matlab and other commercial packages are provided

API

File Independent Layer

FDL

Existing Planned

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Data Analysis & Display

Typically the researcher will use EPIC tools to: Select a data set Refine the initial data selection Analyze the data Display the results with publication quality

graphics

EPIC analysis tools available on: UNIX VMS (VAX and AXP architectures)

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Data Analysis & Display(continued)

EPIC analysis tools can work with profile data (CTD casts, XBT, bottle) time series (moored instruments) ADCP (acoustic doppler current profiler) drifting buoy data

Tools can calculate wide range of oceanographic parameters including dynamic height, geostrophic velocity, and potential density.

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Data Analysis & Display(continued)

EPIC programs are available to: compute statistics auto and cross spectra auto and cross correlation empirical orthogonal functions display sections, time series, multi-variable CTD

casts

EPIC’s modularity allows a researcher to easily add new analysis techniques or use a favorite graphics program.

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Web Access via EPIC

EPIC utilities for creating dynamic Web pages include: AnyURL - uses forms to point to static URLs (gif,

mpeg animations, or other Web pages) cover - dynamic generation of graphics or listings

by running existing utilities from a Web page EPIC Web Browser - utility for viewing

observational data on the Web by creating graphics and listings “on the fly”

m2gif - convert Plot Plus output directly to gif format

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Availability

EPIC is freely available and used at numerous oceanographic institutions Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute U.S. Geological Survey Scripps Institution of Oceanography etc ...

Available at: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/epic/epic-http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/epic/epic-toolkits.htmltoolkits.html

EPIC Home Page: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/epic/home.htmlhttp://www.pmel.noaa.gov/epic/home.html