Real-Time GIS - Where else can you go with your tides?

http://slides.com/rfarren/realgis/live

in this presentation:

http://slides.com/rfarren/realgis/live

  • The Evolution of Tide Gauge Systems
     
  • The Changing Role of GIS in organisations
     
  • The Challenge - to  make available live tidal data in a GIS and to use these data to show real-time water depths by manipulating high resolution survey bathymetry.

easily

SIMPLE!

The evolution of tide gauge systems:

Basic Tide Board

  • Simple but susceptible to human error
  • Reliable but only if you can get to it (Don't forget your torch at night!)
  • Has to be manually communicated to remote users

The evolution of tide gauge systems:

Basic Tide Gauge

  • Provides a readout at a location remote to the sensor (by a short distance)
  • Stores historical data
  • Has to be manually communicated to remote users

The evolution of tide gauge systems:

Computer Tide System

  • Provides a readout at a location remote to the sensor and for multiple sensors.
  • Stores historical data in digital formats.
  • Readings can be sent in text format over a network; email or FTP

The evolution of tide gauge systems:

Modern Tide Server (Virtual or Physical)

  • Accepts sensor input via a multitude of methods; radio, acoustic, light. Via satellite or the web.
  • Can process and manipulate large volumes of data, in scale-able arrays.
  • Can output data in a variety of "standardised" methods and formats...

What should a modern tide server/system be able to supply me?

Data in a GUI or "front end". A visual display

Access to the database for more complex queries. To produce "views" on the data

Data download in transfer format, txt, csv

Spatial data in OGC compliant web services

Spatial data download in open GIS data formats

and for GIS users...

The changing role of GIS in organisations

From:

A tool to produce a map...

To:

A tool to analyse/manage all your spatial data

Printed to a paper document

Exported to a file document

Analyse trends in historical data

Plan/Schedule activities

Query spatial data across operational boundaries

My Challenge...

to easily make available live tidal data in a GIS and to use these data to show real-time water depths by manipulating high resolution survey bathymetry.

TIDES

ARE

IMPORTANT

My Challenge...

to easily make available live tidal data in a GIS and to use these data to show real-time water depths by manipulating high resolution survey bathymetry.

Needs to be something that a GIS analyst can realistically achieve

Needs to be something that can be completed using largely standard GIS functions and if possible "open-source solutions"

Step 1 - Realtime tidal data in GIS

Did you know...
Port-Log can output realtime OGC compliant GML format data - that can be read directly into a GIS?

https://customer.port-log.come/linkTo/allSensors.php

<gml:featureMember>
	<ogr:Sites fid="Sites.70.1">
		<ogr:geometryProperty><gml:Point><gml:coordinates>-3.01501444444445,53.4053555555556</gml:coordinates></gml:Point></ogr:geometryProperty>
		<ogr:Site_Code>PP13</ogr:Site_Code>
		<ogr:Site_Name>Alfred Dock</ogr:Site_Name>
		<ogr:Display_Name>Alfred Dock</ogr:Display_Name>
		<ogr:Type>Outstation</ogr:Type>
		<ogr:Dataset>Tides</ogr:Dataset>
		<ogr:Observed Parameter="2" Name="Observed" Units="m" Age="86" Quality="100" Quality_Flag="0">4.37 m</ogr:Observed>
		<ogr:Predicted Parameter="3" Name="Predicted" Units="m" Age="86" Quality="" Quality_Flag="">4.20 m</ogr:Predicted>
		<ogr:Surge Parameter="4" Name="Surge" Units="m" Age="86" Quality="100" Quality_Flag="0">0.17 m</ogr:Surge>
		<ogr:Status>Active</ogr:Status>
		<ogr:Age>86 secs</ogr:Age>
		<ogr:Timeout>900 Secs</ogr:Timeout>
		<ogr:Latency>78 Secs</ogr:Latency>
		<ogr:Interval>0 Secs</ogr:Interval>
		<ogr:Label>4.37 m</ogr:Label>
	</ogr:Sites>
</gml:featureMember>

Step 1 - Realtime tidal data in GIS

Here we can add the GML data to a GIS, and set the GIS to detect when the file is updated. QGIS has a "watch file" setting to do this.

Step 2 - A Cartographic Bathymetry Model

We can use Open Source tools to produce a contour model of our processed bathymetry survey.

Step 3 - Calculate True water depth

QGIS can do this by creating a virtual / dynamic column of LAT depth plus tidal height for each contour.

Step 4 - Theme the data

Ports often like to visualise data in relation to their "maintenance depth". Once this is set in the GIS - the styling will update automatically as the tidal height changes!

The Result!

A dynamic map showing real-time water depths within our survey coverage.

High Tide

Mid Tide

Low Tide

Next Steps

  • Add more tidal stations and model a larger area using a tidal surface.
  • Incorporate Live AIS data. Use vessel draft to show keel clearance and automatically adjust contour styling to facilitate port operations.
  • Add other organisation assets. Show which berths are accessible by certain vessels according to real-time tidal data

Live DEMO

System is on display for you to see running LIVE during coffee breaks and lunch.

Please bring your thoughts and questions with you

Thank you for listening!

OceanWise - Real-Time GIS

By Rich Farren

OceanWise - Real-Time GIS

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