Tour the Major Features of GOSIC Portal

Updated December 30, 2009

The major features of the GOSIC Portal are:

• Quick access to global observing system data:
  • Search Data by GCOS Essential Climate Variables (e.g. Temperature, Precipitation, Sea Surface Temperature, etc.)
  • Search Global Observing Data on the GOSIC Portal (GOSIC Data Registry) (e.g. Keyword, program, data center, program/element etc)
  • Search using Data Access Matrices (provides quick access to data download by variable , theme or program)
  • Text Search (in the process of being updated)

• Data access available by program:
  • The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
  • The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
  • The Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS)
  • The Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW)
  • The GOOS Regional Alliances

• See overviews of the operational programs that collect the Global Observing Systems data (example of Program Overview page)

• Information about the observing systems such as the review of the scientific and technical basis for the design of the GCOS - GOOS - GTOS - GOSIC - GCOS/GOOS/GTOS

• Links to the global observing systems web site to provides easy access to key documentation and features:
  • Strategic Plans: GOOS - GAW
  • Data Management Plans: GCOS/GOOS/GTOS - GCOS - GOOS - GTOS - GAW
  • Meeting Calendars: GCOS - GOOS - GTOS
  • Publications/Documents: GCOS - GOOS - GTOS - GAW

• Data search tools (data registry, metadata, matrices, text) at: http://gosic.org/search.asp

• Data Matrices which also allow cross program and observing system searches: http://gosic.org/gosic/GOSIC-matrices.htm

• Publications search tool: http://gosic.org/publications/pub_search.asp

• Data flow (info) (diagrams)

• access data (Data Access page), products, and information in the centers that run the operational observing systems (GCOS, GOOS, and GTOS) (example of Data Access page)

• search out data by variables of interest in the GOSIC Portal Data Registry

• see overviews of the operational programs that collect the Global Observing Systems data (example of Program Overview page)

• understand the numerous data management activities from the data flow diagrams

• access planning and development information for each of the observing systems

Metrics

The global observing systems are comprised of GCOS, GOOS, and GTOS. Global Observing Systems data and information are managed in a highly distributed fashion.

These data are collected, processed, distributed, and disseminated by scientific and operational organizations that support a series of national and international programs including global operational systems, regional observing systems, science experiments, and pilot projects.

Navigation

The goal of the GOSIC Portal is to provide easy access to the data and information without having to find it for themselves by navigating the several hundred complex and vastly different web sites of the myriad of organizations in the Global Observing Systems (GCOS, GOOS and GTOS).

This is achieved by using standardized data access and program overview pages that link to the relevant data and program pages in the web sites of the organizations.