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Oceans/Seabed
Updated Monday 29 September 2014
The ocean from space emphasizing the intimate links between ocean and atmosphere.
Apollo 17 image by courtesy of NASA
Oceanographic Data Centres and Sources
Australian Oceanographic Data Centre (AODC) is recognized internationally by the IOC as the national data center for the acquisition, archival and management of physical oceanographic data in Australia and is the focal point for international data exchange
International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) The National Geophysical Data Centre in Boulder, Colorado, operates a world-wide digital data bank of ocean soundings on behalf of member countries of the IHO.
Ocean Portal is an exhaustive listing of ocean-related sites covering all major marine disciplines.
Oceanographic Resources is a general information site run by the University of East Anglia, U.K.
Oceanography Resources on the Internet is a useful introduction to major sources of ocean information, and is run by the U.S Department of Commerce.
Research Ship Information and Cruise Schedules include search utilities for ships cruise schedules and ship characteristics, as well as information for related agencies and links to other web sites with ship information
The General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) aims to provide authoritative, publicly-available bathymetry datasets for the world's oceans.
U.S. National Oceanographic Data Centre (NODC) is one of the environmental data centres operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NODC provides ocean data management and ocean data services to researchers and other users in the United States and around the world. Resources include evolving access to NODC Oceanographic Databases and other on-line data sources.
Unidata provides a broad array of data with many geoscientific applications.
Oceanographic Institutions and Agencies
Most of these institutions, which include governmental organisations, research centres, and universities, have websites with links to research programmes, databases and general information on the ocean and atmosphere. Some outstanding sites, such as those maintained by National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), NOAA and the US Geological Survey (USGS), offer near-real time information on the marine environment based on satellite and field (ships, ocean moorings) observations.
Australia
Australia
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Marine Research is the largest marine research organisation in Australia. It conducts biological, chemical and physical investigations into Australia’s vast marine territory and adjacent oceans.
Geoscience Australia's Marine and Coastal activities provide data, technical information, advice and research for maritime boundary definition, regional marine planning, and environmental management. Their diversity reflects the wide range of environmental settings of Australia's long coastline (almost 60,000km in length) and large offshore jurisdiction.
Belgium
Geohydrodynamics and Environment Research University of Liege is a research group devoted to marine and environmental studies and modeling.
Canada
Department of Oceanography, University of British Columbia is a multidisciplinary teaching and research department with emphasis on the oceanography off western Canada.
Ocean Mapping Group, University of New Brunswick develops advanced ocean mapping capabilities. Research is focused on developing new and innovative techniques and tools for the management, processing, visualization and interpretation of ocean mapping data.
The Bedford Institute of Oceanography is Canada's largest centre for ocean research and first major federal center devoted to oceanography. Four government departments perform targeted research and advise on marine environments including fisheries and offshore hydrocarbon resources, provide navigational charts for waters from Georges Bank to the Canadian Arctic, and respond to environmental emergencies.
France
French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Seas (IFREMER) aims to further the knowledge and means to protect and restore the marine environment as well as assessing and enhancing the exploitation of offshore resources. This information is provided to assist public, governmental and scientific bodies. IFREMER also operates the national research fleet.
Germany
GEOMAR is a major institute devoted to marine research that involves disciplines ranging from geology of the ocean floor to marine meteorology. The institute operates world-wide in all ocean basins. The main research topics are grouped into Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics, Marine Biogeochemistry, Marine Ecology, and Dynamics of the Ocean Floor.
Japan
Japan Marine Science and Technology Centre (JAMSTEC) was founded in 1971 through the co-operative efforts of government, academia and the private sector. The Centre promotes marine science and technology in Japan in response to the social needs of the people.
New Zealand
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) is a government Crown Research Institute that supplies a scientific basis for the sustainable management and development of New Zealands atmospheric, marine and freshwater systems and associated resources
Norway
Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen undertakes research activities ranging from small-scale measurement of turbulence up to studies of the large-scale ocean currents, and from local air and noise pollution up to studies of global-scale climate change.
Poland
Institute of Oceanology PAS conducts scientific research into the shelf seas and coastal regions including the Baltic and European Arctic Seas.
United Kingdom
National Oceanographic Centre (formerly the Southampton Oceanographic Centre) is one of the worlds leading centres for research and education in marine and earth sciences, for the development of marine technology, and for the provision of large-scale infrastructure and support to the marine research community. It is an extensive and informative website.
The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory Liverpool, carries out oceanographic research into global sea-levels and geodesy, numerical modeling of currents over the continental shelf, and coastal sediment processes. This research, together with surveying, monitoring, data management and forecasting, gives strategic support for the wider mission of the Natural Environment Research Council.
USA
Florida State University has a major multidisciplinary Department of Oceanography http://ocean.fsu.edu/ and Centre for Ocean-Atmosphere Research, http://coaps.fsu.edu/ as well as an assortment of other environmental centres and institutions
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) is a leading research institution where more than 200 research scientists seek fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world. It includes El Nino and climate related info. and the RIDGE Multibeam Synthesis Project, which aims to create a large database of multibeam bathymetry and distribute the database via Internet and CD ROMs
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a range of centres and laboratories investigating the ocean and seafloor from engineering, hydrodynamic, geologic, oceanographic and atmospheric science perspectives.
National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) operates an information-laden website with considerable satellite-based information of relevance to the submarine cable industry, for example, SeaWiFS (NASA's Global Ocean Colour Monitoring Mission), and TOPEX/POSEIDON Oceanography Data.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a wide-ranging site covering US and global aspects of weather, oceanography, fisheries, climate and hydrography. NOAA runs research programs that include the TOGA-TAO Project to evaluate the tropical atmosphere-ocean system with emphasis on El Niño, EPIC: A System for Management, Display, and Analysis of Oceanographic Data, El Nino and CoAxial Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, which is a highly detailed analysis of the Juan de Fuca ocean floor.
Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) conducts multidisciplinary programmes of scientific research and advanced technological development directed toward maritime applications of new and improved materials, techniques, equipment, systems.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography conducts research encompassing physical, chemical, biological, geological, and geophysical studies of the oceans. Ongoing investigations include the topography and composition of the ocean floor, waves and currents, and the flow and interchange of matter between seawater and the ocean bottom or the atmosphere. The site also includes the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics and Centre for Coastal Studies, and is a major resource of oceanographic data and general information.
University of Delaware includes the Ocean Information Centre (OCEANIC), which maintains information on the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and related data and information sources, TOGA Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE)
University of Washington, School of Oceanography is a major institution that undertakes research in all the main disciplines of oceanography, and is supported by substantial facilities.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is the largest, independent oceanographic institution in the world, and is dedicated to the study of marine science and the education of marine scientists. A major source of US and global information and has a range of programmes and research groups, e.g., Acoustic Telemetry Group, Deep Submergence Laboratory (DSL), Marine Seismology and Geoacoustics Group, U.S. Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) and WOCE Hydrographic Programme Office.