Web based tools Ideas for presentation of operational meteorological data Ernst de Vreede KNMI EGOWS /6/2009 Ideas for presentation of operational meteorological data Ernst de Vreede KNMI EGOWS /6/2009

Outline Ideas about how to visualise operational data in the weather room. History Present practice Current idea Available technologies Work done so far Roadmap/How to proceed Conclusions Ideas about how to visualise operational data in the weather room. History Present practice Current idea Available technologies Work done so far Roadmap/How to proceed Conclusions

History Visualisation of data at KNMI –Early 1990’s: first MWS –Around 2000: second gen. MWS –Around 2000: data and product explosion Data and product volumes increase resulted in development of second circuit of productgeneration (grey streams) based on “distributed” production (of workstations of researchers, central systems, spare systems etc.) Visualisation of data at KNMI –Early 1990’s: first MWS –Around 2000: second gen. MWS –Around 2000: data and product explosion Data and product volumes increase resulted in development of second circuit of productgeneration (grey streams) based on “distributed” production (of workstations of researchers, central systems, spare systems etc.)

History (2) Grey streams serve needs of users –Fast product implementation –Support by enthousiastic scientists –Good adaptability –Browser based Grey streams are not suited for operational processes –No monitoring –Maintenance not guaranteed –Support not guaranteed –No test procedures applied –Not documented –No responsibilities assigned Grey streams serve needs of users –Fast product implementation –Support by enthousiastic scientists –Good adaptability –Browser based Grey streams are not suited for operational processes –No monitoring –Maintenance not guaranteed –Support not guaranteed –No test procedures applied –Not documented –No responsibilities assigned

Present practice Weather portal: (“weather filing cabinet”) provides access to products based on grey streams MWS: used for looking at obs/models/satellite, advanced analysis, graphical product generation Other tools: CineSat for advanced satellite products (complex RGB composites), dedicated radar display Weather portal: (“weather filing cabinet”) provides access to products based on grey streams MWS: used for looking at obs/models/satellite, advanced analysis, graphical product generation Other tools: CineSat for advanced satellite products (complex RGB composites), dedicated radar display

Present practice (2) Pros –Flexible/up-to-date (researchers develop for operation) –Fast (short time for dev of products) –Browser access is easy –Large dataset available Cons –Still “grey streams”, hard to manage –Each product has it’s own Look&Feel –Products from different sources can not be combined –Dependance on researchers (shifting interests,…) –MWS development stalls (lacks support for sat RGB, etc) –No operational monitoring –No structured software development Pros –Flexible/up-to-date (researchers develop for operation) –Fast (short time for dev of products) –Browser access is easy –Large dataset available Cons –Still “grey streams”, hard to manage –Each product has it’s own Look&Feel –Products from different sources can not be combined –Dependance on researchers (shifting interests,…) –MWS development stalls (lacks support for sat RGB, etc) –No operational monitoring –No structured software development

Current idea Use the advantages of the weather filing cabinet by offering this functionality using modern technologies. Make more and more (geophysical) data accessible through OGC protocols WMS/WCS/WFS Two tracks: –Develop lightweight (browser based) tools for displaying/combining these OGC services –Provide a “heavy weight” analysis tool, that also can consume these WMS/WCS services Use the advantages of the weather filing cabinet by offering this functionality using modern technologies. Make more and more (geophysical) data accessible through OGC protocols WMS/WCS/WFS Two tracks: –Develop lightweight (browser based) tools for displaying/combining these OGC services –Provide a “heavy weight” analysis tool, that also can consume these WMS/WCS services

Available technologies OGC: WMS, WCS, WFS standards. Several implementations (MapServer for WMS/WCS, GeoServer, ESRI etc.) JavaScript libraries for advanced browser applications: ExtJS, JQuery, OpenLayers (for WMS/WFS Many of these technologies have Open Source implementations. Meteorological interests not always completely covered (Let’s change this!) Google Earth, Flash, Java apps. OGC: WMS, WCS, WFS standards. Several implementations (MapServer for WMS/WCS, GeoServer, ESRI etc.) JavaScript libraries for advanced browser applications: ExtJS, JQuery, OpenLayers (for WMS/WFS Many of these technologies have Open Source implementations. Meteorological interests not always completely covered (Let’s change this!) Google Earth, Flash, Java apps.

Work done so far ADAGUC: making met. data accessible through WMS/WCS protocols. GISPilot: Presentation of operational meteorological data in a browser Unidata tools: A pilot project for evaluating applicability of several Unidata tools for use at KNMI. ADAGUC: making met. data accessible through WMS/WCS protocols. GISPilot: Presentation of operational meteorological data in a browser Unidata tools: A pilot project for evaluating applicability of several Unidata tools for use at KNMI.

Work done: GISPilot Browser application based on OpenLayers Layered approach (WMS) Visualisation of GRIB with Magics++ through MagML interface Visualisation of satellite products with CineSat tool Radar layers pulled from ADAGUC service Geographic layers (maps) by MapServer Pilot showed us that WMS really can work in an interactive environment; rapid development. Browser application based on OpenLayers Layered approach (WMS) Visualisation of GRIB with Magics++ through MagML interface Visualisation of satellite products with CineSat tool Radar layers pulled from ADAGUC service Geographic layers (maps) by MapServer Pilot showed us that WMS really can work in an interactive environment; rapid development.

GISPilot (2)

Work done: Unidata tools NetCDF library with CDM (Common Data Model) for a lot of data types; CF conventions TDS (Thredds Data Server) IDV (Integrated data viewer) accessing data through TDS, file systems, WMS, ADDE- services (McIDAS) These 3 pillars share a lot of (JAVA) code. Esp. IDV looks like a promising platform to extend into the OGC realm. Pilot project not finished yet. NetCDF library with CDM (Common Data Model) for a lot of data types; CF conventions TDS (Thredds Data Server) IDV (Integrated data viewer) accessing data through TDS, file systems, WMS, ADDE- services (McIDAS) These 3 pillars share a lot of (JAVA) code. Esp. IDV looks like a promising platform to extend into the OGC realm. Pilot project not finished yet.

IDV (1) “The Integrated Data Viewer (IDV) from Unidata is a Java(TM)-based software framework for analyzing and visualizing geoscience data.” (Unidata) Built in Java, using VisAD for visualisation 2D & (true) 3D Many display types Complex data manipulation via scripting Extensible, skinnable, configurable Can be run via the Web Many users “The Integrated Data Viewer (IDV) from Unidata is a Java(TM)-based software framework for analyzing and visualizing geoscience data.” (Unidata) Built in Java, using VisAD for visualisation 2D & (true) 3D Many display types Complex data manipulation via scripting Extensible, skinnable, configurable Can be run via the Web Many users

IDV (2) Screenshots (from Unidata site)

How to proceed Track 1 (“lightweight”): make meteorological data available through OGC; implement special meteorological visualisations (perhaps with Magics++ as in GISPilot?) Delivers: flexibility, ease of access, manageability, quality Track 2 (“heavyweight”): Work on an advanced analysis and visualisation, for example by extending IDV for full WMS/WCS service access Delivers: comprehensive analysis and visualisation tool Track 1 (“lightweight”): make meteorological data available through OGC; implement special meteorological visualisations (perhaps with Magics++ as in GISPilot?) Delivers: flexibility, ease of access, manageability, quality Track 2 (“heavyweight”): Work on an advanced analysis and visualisation, for example by extending IDV for full WMS/WCS service access Delivers: comprehensive analysis and visualisation tool

Conclusions The two track approach provides a continuation of the current practice at KNMI Smooth transition Development is easily broken up in subprojects. KNMI can stay in control of development (in-house/in cooperation or by contractors) Use of OGC standards provides many options for the future Lots of interesting developments going on in OGC The two track approach provides a continuation of the current practice at KNMI Smooth transition Development is easily broken up in subprojects. KNMI can stay in control of development (in-house/in cooperation or by contractors) Use of OGC standards provides many options for the future Lots of interesting developments going on in OGC

Links Adaguc: GISPilot: presentation at ECMWF: gs/workshops/2008/OGC_workshop/Prese ntations/Vreede.pdf gs/workshops/2008/OGC_workshop/Prese ntations/Vreede.pdf Unidata: OGC: Adaguc: GISPilot: presentation at ECMWF: gs/workshops/2008/OGC_workshop/Prese ntations/Vreede.pdf gs/workshops/2008/OGC_workshop/Prese ntations/Vreede.pdf Unidata: OGC: