Data exchange: The XXI’s approach

Abstract

In the past, the availability of ocean data depended almost only upon the actions of the investigator. Different apparatus were used to collect data, samples were taken for further analysis on laboratories and data was processed. After compiling all the information some months later, or even years, the data was made available for the other partners and subsequently, at the end of the project, sent to the data centers. The technological evolution, the immediate transfer of data from the collection site and the rising of operational oceanography systems, made the previous methods inadequate and real time data transmission became a fact. Presently, data received at laboratories, is automatically quality controlled, forwarded to databases and disseminated thought out web project portals. Now all of us, investigators, students, fellow partners, or public in general, get equally and simultaneous access of the data. The role of the data manager is to monitor and assure that these fluxes are kept alive. We will present, in this paper, the IHPT experience through the last decade on real time data exchange and dissemination