ERDDAP
Easier access to scientific data |
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Brought to you by NOAA NMFS SWFSC ERD |
ERDDAPERDDAP is a data server that gives you a simple, consistent way to download subsets of scientific datasets in common file formats and make graphs and maps. This particular ERDDAP installation has oceanographic data (for example, data from satellites and buoys).Easier Access to Scientific DataOur focus is on making it easier for you to get scientific data.Different scientific communities have developed different types of data servers. For example, OPeNDAP, WCS, SOS, OBIS, and countless custom web pages with forms. Each is great on its own. But without ERDDAP, it is difficult to get data from different types of servers:
ERDDAP unifies the different types of data servers so you have a consistent way to get the data you want, in the format you want.
For a quick introduction to ERDDAP, watch the first half of this video. (5 minutes) In it, a scientist downloads ocean currents forecast data from ERDDAP to model a toxic spill in the ocean using NOAA's GNOME software (in 5 minutes!). Thanks to Rich Signell. (One tiny error in the video: when searching for datasets, don't use AND between search terms. It is implicit.) Data Providers: You can set up your own ERDDAP server and serve your own data. ERDDAP is free and open source. It uses Apache-like licenses, so you can do anything you want with it. ERDDAP's appearance is customizable, so your ERDDAP will reflect your institution, not NOAA. The small effort to set up ERDDAP brings many benefits. If you already have a web service for distributing your data, you can set up ERDDAP to access your data via the existing service or via the source files or database. Then, people will have another way to access your data and will be able to download the data in additional file formats or as graphs or maps. ERDDAP has been installed by over 90 organizations in at least 14 countries. NOAA's Data Access Procedural Directive includes ERDDAP in its list of recommended data servers for use by groups within NOAA. |
Start Using ERDDAP:
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Protocol | Description |
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griddap datasets |
Griddap lets you use the OPeNDAP hyperslab protocol to request data subsets, graphs, and maps from gridded datasets (for example, satellite data and climate model data). griddap documentation |
tabledap datasets |
Tabledap lets you use the OPeNDAP constraint/selection protocol to request data subsets, graphs, and maps from tabular datasets (for example, buoy data). tabledap documentation |
"files" datasets |
ERDDAP's "files" system lets you browse a virtual file system and download source data files. WARNING! The dataset's metadata and variable names in these source files may be different than elsewhere in ERDDAP! You might prefer using the dataset's Data Access Form instead. "files" documentation |
WMS datasets |
The Web Map Service (WMS) lets you request an image with data plotted on a map. WMS documentation |
Converters
In addition to serving data, ERDDAP has some handy converters:
Acronyms | Convert a Common Oceanic/Atmospheric Acronym to/from a Full Name |
FIPS County Codes | Convert a FIPS County Code to/from a County Name |
Interpolate | Interpolate Values From Gridded Dataset Values |
Keywords | Convert a CF Standard Name to/from a GCMD Science Keyword |
Time | Convert a String Time to/from a Numeric Time |
Units | Convert UDUNITS to/from Unified Code for Units of Measure (UCUM) |
URLs | Convert Out-of-Date URLs into Up-to-Date URLs |
Variable Names | Convert a Common Oceanic/Atmospheric Variable Name to/from a Full Name |
Metadata
ERDDAP has an
FGDC Web Accessible Folder (WAF)
with FGDC‑STD‑001‑1998 metadata files and an
ISO 19115 Web Accessible Folder (WAF)
with ISO 19115‑2/19139 metadata files for all of the geospatial datasets in this ERDDAP.
RESTful Web Services
You can bypass ERDDAP's web pages and use ERDDAP's RESTful web services
(for example, for searching for datasets, for downloading data, for making maps)
directly from any computer program (for example, Matlab, R, or a program that you write)
and even from web pages (via HTML image tags or JavaScript).
RESTful Web Services documentation
Status | The Status web page is a quick way to check the current status/health of this ERDDAP, including a list of datasets which failed to load. |
Out-Of-Date Datasets | The Out-Of-Date Datasets web page displays a list of near-real-time datasets, ranked by how out-of-date they are. |
Subscriptions | ERDDAP has an email/URL subscription system so that you can be notified immediately whenever a dataset changes (for example, whenever new data is added to a near-real-time dataset). |
Slide Sorter | Anyone can use ERDDAP's Slide Sorter to build a personal web page that displays graphs with the latest data (or other images or HTML content), each in its own, draggable slide. |
Data Provider Form | The Data Provider Form is for people who have data and want it to be served by this ERDDAP. It collects basic information about the dataset and emails it to this ERDDAP's administrator. |