New Round of Improvements for Data Explorer
The OOI Data Team continues to listen to data users’ feedback to refine and improve Data Explorer. Many of those improvements are reflected in the latest release of Data Explorer, version 1.2, which is now operational. Data Explorer was originally released in September 2020, and this latest version is the second round of improvements made by Axiom Data Science, working with the OOI Data Team.
This version makes more OOI data accessible online and brings new features for gliders and profilers. It is also now possible to search for cruise data in the tabular search interface. Once there, you can select specific cruises, see their data profiles, and have a three-dimensional view of where the samples were taken. Glider data are also now available online and searchable by time and location. Once you’ve identified a glider of interest, it is possible to map or plot the glider’s route and compare data collected with data from other sensors. With another click, you can compare sensor data with profiler information, then change the parameters on the screen to learn more.
All data can be downloaded in csv, GeoJSON, KML, and ShapeFile formats for future use.
Additionally, discrete sample data (chemical analyses of seawater collected during shipboard verification sampling) have been added. Water samples are collected during OOI cruises at multiple depths, and analyzed for oxygen (Winkler), chlorophyll-a fluorescence and pigment distribution, nitrate/nitrite, and potentially a full nutrient suite, total DIC (dissolved inorganic carbon) and total alkalinity, pH, and salinity. These data can be used to compare to in situ instrument data or CTD casts in order to ensure OOI data quality. It is now possible to use Data Explorer 1.2 to convert discrete dissolved oxygen sample data from milliliters to micromoles and create standard_name mapping for discrete sample data.
In response to users’ feedback, many defects found in version 1.1 have been fixed. A summary of all the new features and bug fixes is available in the release notes.
“Data Explorer is a tool that allows users to access, manipulate, and understand OOI data for use in their research and classroom,” said Jeff Glatstein, OOI Data Delivery Lead and Senior Manager of Cyberinfrastructure. “Users’ feedback has been—and will continue to be— extremely useful in refining Data Explorer to ensure it meets users’ need and expectations. We are holding regular open meetings as one way to ensure that we receive timely feedback and work with our users to meet their needs.”
An open OOI Town Hall previewing some of the new and special glider-related features was held on 24 August 2021, where user input was welcomed. A recording of the session is available here.