Data access

The information system on the quality of the marine environment is not confined to the database. It also includes questioning and analysis tools. The tools are available from the data centre home page.

Data selection

Most of the data in the IDOD base are freely accessible and can be requested on line by completing a form. In this form, you can select a dataset by specifying the position, the date and the type of data. The request is processed by the system and the results can be browsed or downloaded.

Spatial display

There are also plans to display oceanographic data in cartographic form as part of the IDOD project. A Geographic Information System (GIS) applied to the North Sea and connected to the database has been developed in collaboration with the University of Liège (SURFACES laboratory), making it possible to view the spatial distribution of the measurements taken during campaigns at sea rapidly. This provides a survey of the dynamics of certain phenomenon and makes it possible to assess the general condition of the marine environment. Certain spatial analyses are also possible, such as the calculation of surface areas or volumes (sand banks), the possibility of interpolating specific data to obtain a surface distribution or make multi-criteria requests combining several parameters/attributes.

A marine atlas containing a number of thematic charts is also available and updated regularly.

Statistical analysis

It will soon be possible to anyalyse the requested data using a statistics programme developed by the University Statistics Centre (K.U.Leuven) as part of the IDOD project. The basic statistical parameters and their representation in graph form provide interesting information on the dataset. In addition, more advanced statistics tests can be carried out (trend analysis, correlation, regression) enabling an even more precise analysis of the data.

The IDOD database was originally financed by the OSTC in the framework of the first Program for the Sustainable development of the North Sea (PADD/PODO I, 1997-2002).

 International cooperation