New Delhi: A web-based application, “Digital Ocean,” is set to play a central role in sustainable management of oceans and expanding ‘Blue Economy’ initiatives. The government plans to promote the application, which was launched today by the Minister of Earth Sciences, Science & Technology, and Health & Family Welfare, Dr.Harsh Vardhan, as a platform for capacity building on Ocean Data Management for all Indian Ocean Rim countries.
Developed by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) of Ministry of Earth sciences, Digital Ocean is a first of its kind digital platform for Ocean Data Management. It is is a new state of the art data platform and is the first such platform to provide ocean data related services at one place.
The Minister explained that the ocean is a storehouse of infinite knowledge and ‘Digital Ocean’ helps to share this knowledge about the ocean with a wide range of users including research institutions, operational agencies, strategic users, academic community, maritime industry and policy makers. Dr harsh Vardhan lauded that Digital Ocean also provides free access to information to the general public and the common man.
Digital Ocean platform is a first of its kind platform for ocean data management (www.do.incois.gov.in). It includes a set of applications developed to organise and present heterogeneous oceanographic data by adopting rapid advancements in geospatial technology. It facilitates an online interactive web-based environment for data integration, 3D and 4D (3D inspace with time animation) data visualisation, data analysis to assess the evolution of oceanographic features, data fusion and multi-format download of disparate data from multiple sources viz., in-situ, remote sensing and model data, all of which is rendered on a georeferenced 3D Ocean. User Management component of Digital Ocean allows authentication of users, their roles and privileges of access to different data sets, categorisation of data as per the data sharing guidelines, metadata management, mail management, usage statistics, system statistics, monitoring of observing platforms and addition of new data streams.Digital Ocean will serve as a one stop-solution for all the data related needs of a wide range of users.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan said a large number of possibilities were being explored today for harnessing the wealth of the ocean like the Deep Ocean Mission, research on alternate sources of energy, its mineral wealth, source of food among others. “Deep Ocean Mission will help to explore the power of the ocean which will be reflected through data. The sharing of this data will become critical factors in achieving better outcomes for strengthening our economy. It will contribute to our vision of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat”, the Minister elaborated.
He pointed out that INCOIS had adopted and developed various near-real time ocean information and advisory services including state-of-the-art technologies and tools through sustained and focussed oceanographic research for the timely dissemination of ocean information and advisory Services that includes Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, Ocean State Forecast (OSF), High Wave Alerts, Tsunami early warnings, Storm Surge and Oil-Spill advisories, among other things.
– global bihari bureau
