WCOS Webapp Tutorial
The West Coast Observing System (WCOS) Web Application (webapp) serves two purposes.
The first is to allow the user to query the data collected by the National Marine
Sanctuaries Program (see Figure 1). The query returns a table listing the available
datasets (see Figure 2). From there, the user may select the desired product.
The second purpose is to provide the user with the ability to preview data via plots
and statistics, and to download the selected dataset in its entirety or subset by
user specified criteria (see Figure 3).
The first step in submitting a query is to select a mooring. This is done by either
choosing a mooring from the map or selecting one from the list of sites provided below
the map (see Figure 1). To select multiple sites from the list use the Ctrl + Click
method. Selection of the year and data type is the second step. Multiple years and
data types can be selected by using the Ctrl + Click method.
The icons to the left of the map provide tools for changing the map view and selecting moorings. The ?Default View? restores the map to the original extents and the rest of the icons set the mode for subsequent clicks on the map. The list below describes the remaining tools/icons and the results of clicking on the map in each mode:
- Zoom In: The map viewed at a higher magnification, centered around where the mouse button is clicked.
- Zoom Out: The map viewed at a lower magnification, centered around where the mouse button is clicked.
- Pan: The map is re-centered around where the mouse button is clicked.
- Select Site: The mooring where the button is clicked is selected (if not previously selected; if the mooring was previously selected, it is deselected). When a site is selected (or deselected), a note indicating this is displayed under the List of Sites menu.
When the DODS link is selected the webapp connects the user to a web page on the DODS server that corresponds to the queried dataset. This web page allows the user to view what parameters are available, view the attributes, and download the data in a different format than what is offered by the Plots/Stats page. When the Map link is selected from the webapp, a new window is opened for the IMS service. The URL sent to open the IMS also includes commands to select a specific SEA Station Mooring and to zoom to that mooring (e.g., if a user queries the webapp for data only related to a mooring named BAY, the map link opens the IMS service and automatically zooms to the BAY mooring on the map). The WCOS IMS viewer graphically displays the location of the moorings deployed within the scope of the WCOS project, in correlation to other CeNCOOS activities and related datasets of interest. When the Plots/Stats link is selected, the user is directed to another query page (see Figure 3). This query allows the user to select a subset of the data based on a refined date and time, time interval, and depth in meters. When the subset is established, stick plots, box and whisker plots, statistics, and downloadable data are provided in cases that they exist.
The ADCP Stick Plot is a 2-D plot that depicts current speed (color coded) and direction at varying depths over time. Depths are depicted along the Y-axis and time along the X-axis. For Temperature, the Stick Plot is a basic 2-D plot that shows Temperature (Y-axis) vs. Time (X-axis). The Box-and-Whisker Plot is a visual representation of how the data is spread out and how much variation exists. It highlights a few important features of the data. The box-and whisker plot shows the median, extremes, quartiles and comparisons among them. Box-and-Whisker Plots for ADCP are color coded based on U, V, and Speed. The statistics that are provided include the mean, median, and standard deviation for both U and V; the number of points; and the number of data points. The Downloadable Data is provided in ASCII format and is space delimited.