ncBrowse A Graphical netCDF/OPeNDAP Browser

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ncBrowseA Graphical netCDF/OPeNDAP Browser

• Donald Denbo1 John Osborne2
• 1UW/JISAO-NOAA/PMEL, 2OceanAtlas Software

http//www.epic.noaa.gov/java/ncBrowse
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Overview

• ncBrowse is a general purpose, interactive tool
  for graphical browsing of data and attributes in
  netCDF files and netCDF compatible OPeNDAP URLs.
• Popular, freely available
• 8,924 downloads by 3,704 unique sites in 61
  countries
• OPeNDAP (DODS) client, Unidata netCDF client,
  WOCE data CD, etc.
• http//www.epic.noaa.gov/java/ncBrowse

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Features

• SGT graphics for 1 and 2 dimensional cuts through
  data
• VisAD graphics for 3 dimensional plots
• Handles files with character variables and
  dimensions without associated variables
• Properly decodes several time formats
• Access to remote data files via OPeNDAP and
  direct access to remote netCDF files from the Web
  
• Vector, contour, and line plots
• Variable mapping (parametric plots) and
  animations by varying parameters in Variable Map
• Available for UNIX, Win32, and MacOS
• Graphical appearance easily modified

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Viewing the Data Structure
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Time Series
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Time/Depth Pixel Plot
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Contour Plot
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OPeNDAP Dataset
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OPeNDAP Dataset
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Creating an Animation
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Creating an Animation
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Vector Plot
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Other OPeNDAP related Projects

• Climate Data Portal
• Server
• Client
• OceanShare - Collaborative Application
• SGT - Scientific Graphics Toolkit

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Climate Data PortalDistributed ocean observations

• Major in situ data collections
• TAO El Nino buoy data (realtime/PMEL), Global sea
  level data (realtime/U of Hi), GTSPP (NODC), PMEL
  hydrographic data and time series collection,
  WOCE ADCP (U of Hi), IPRC/APDRC in situ data, US
  Coastal Ocean Time Series database (NODC)

• OPeNDAP compatibility
• Will follow OPeNDAP in-situ standards
• Compatible with Grads DODS Server (GDS) for both
  server and client compatibility

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Climate Data PortalWeb and Desktop Clients

• in-situ client
• LDAP directory services
• NdEdit for data selection/subsetting
• Data Servers, Clients (Java and Web) focus on
  in situ data
• OPeNDAP compatible soon
• http//www.epic.noaa.gov/cdp/cdpjava.htm

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OceanShareNetwork collaboration tool

• Collaboration features
• Local, remote data file access and Java graphics
• Standard collaboration tool features (annotation,
  whiteboard, etc)
• Secure LDAP Document Repository
• Proposals, papers in progress, data, images
• Access control by document or by folder
• Accessible from web and desktop
• OPeNDAP compatible soon
• http//www.epic.noaa.gov/collab/

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SGT A Scientific Graphics Toolkit

• Java toolkit for scientific graphics
• On-line documentation, examples, tutorials,
  streaming video
• JavaBeans in next release
• Features
• Contour, line and vector plots,
• Axes user settable or automatically scaled
• multiple Time Axis formats
• mouse-movable, customizable Labels, line keys,
  icons
• Legend generation automatic
• Widely used, freely available
• scientific and commercial applications use SGT
• 15,696 downloads by 5,478 unique sites from 70
  countries
• http//www.epic.noaa.gov/java/sgt/

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LiveDemonstration