Some data archives from the VENUS Observatory in the Salish Sea, encompassing the Strait of Georgia and Saanich Inlet can now be accessed via Oceans 2.0 software tools including:
- Data Search: a tool for finding and downloading data
- Plotting Utility: a graphing tool for time-series scalar data
- Device Console: a tool for monitoring instrument health
- Device Search: a tool for finding instrument information
The Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea (VENUS) has been in continual operation since February, 2006. Deployed in the coastal waters of southern British Columbia, the observatory provides long-term oceanographic data on physical, chemical, biological, and sediment conditions in Saanich Inlet and in the Strait of Georgia near Vancouver, British Columbia. Now, most (but not all) of these long running time-series data can be interactively plotted (using Plotting Utility) and most data products can also be downloaded via Oceans 2.0. All standard data products are available, while some specialized device-specific data products will be made available over the coming months.
Using Plotting Utility you can now create combined plots of data from different observatories. The above plot shows temperature (red) and salinity (green) from Folger Passage off the west coast of Vancouver Island (upper curves) and Saanich Inlet off the east coast of Vancouver Island (lower curves), 21-28 Nov 2014. The lower plot shows oxygen concentration (corrected) for both locations over the same time period. All measurements were gathered from a depth of approximately 100 m.
This availability is part of Ocean Networks Canada's effort to merge data delivery services. Users will still be able to download data via the VENUS website, but this will be gradually phased out as we transition to fully merged services. VENUS users are encouraged to start making the switch to Oceans 2.0 for their data needs. Note: data access via web services will not be affected.
Merged Access to Data from Three Oceans
Data from sources in the Arctic and Atlantic are also now included in the integrated hierarchy; users are no longer be required to switch "observatory preference" when searching for data from different observatories.
Data Search map interface showing data sources in the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific.
With new merged data delivery, data sources in the Arctic, Atlantic, Northeast Pacific and Salish Sea are revealed within a single hierarchy. Data sources from the Brentwood College School community observatory are now nested within Saanich Inlet under Mill Bay.
