Voyager News

http://pacioos.org/voyager/

Check here for announcements about new features, datasets, and other Voyager highlights. See also the Twitter account and RSS feed for this page as well as our general PacIOOS newsletter.

Go to the Voyager news archives for: 2015201420132012


ALOHA Cabled Observatory (ACO)

The University of Hawaiʻi's ALOHA Cabled Observatory (ACO) is located 100 km (62 mi) north of the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi in the North Pacific Ocean, approximately 1.2 km (0.75 mi) southwest of Station ALOHA ("A Long-term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment"). Since June 2011 it has been providing real-time oceanographic observations from a depth of 4,800 m (2.9 mi) via a submarine fiber optic cable that comes ashore at Mākaha on Oʻahu.

Up to now the ACO overlay in Voyager (found under "observations" > "ocean observatories") was very simplistic, displaying a marker at the ACO site with a pop-up window providing its coordinates and website. It now incorporates plots of the latest data (temperature, salinity, oxygen, and currents), photographs at the ocean bottom, and the ability to listen in real-time to a live audio stream of the ACO hydrophone (underwater microphone). Listening to the audio feed, one may hear sounds from a passing ship or the songs of humpback whales, which migrate to Hawaiʻi in winter. We also hope to add a live video feed in the near future.

Voyager screenshot of ACO overlay showing ability to stream real-time audio:

Screenshot of the types of photographs and data plots available for viewing through Voyager's ACO overlay:

For further information, please visit:

Posted on: December 8, 2014


Latitude/Longitude Formats

Locations on the Earth can be expressed as a pair of latitude and longitude coordinates, with latitudes ranging from 0° at the equator out to ±90° at the poles and longitudes ranging from 0° at the prime meridian that runs through London out to ±180° at the antimeridian in the Pacific Ocean. The format for expressing these values varies across different applications, with some people and communities preferring one format over the others. As a brief summary, here is the same location (Honolulu) expressed in each of three different ways:

Decimal degrees:

21.3069°, -157.8583°

Latitude and longitude, respectively: each represented as a decimal number. Note that negative latitudes represent the southern hemisphere, and negative longitudes represent the western hemisphere.

Degrees, minutes:

21° 18.42', -157° 51.50'

The fractional portion of decimal degrees are instead represented as the number of "minutes" between 0 and 60. In our example, 0.3069° times 60 gives us 18.42 minutes latitude, while 0.8583° times 60 gives us 51.50 minutes of longitude.

Degrees, minutes, seconds:

21° 18' 25.00", -157° 51' 30.00"

Taking the above example one step further, the fractional portion of decimal minutes are represened as the number of "seconds" between 0 and 60. In our example, 0.42' times 60 gives us 25 seconds, while 0.50' times 60 gives us 30 seconds.

We received feedback from several users that the degrees minutes format was preferred, though not offered yet in Voyager. In response to this request, we have added this additional coordinate format and made it the new default. As always, users can still change their preferred format using either the "change units" link towards the lower, left-hand corner of the Voyager interface or by toggling between the various formats (labeled "dd", "dm", and "dms", respectively) in the pop-up window that appears when clicking on certain overlays.

Posted on: November 25, 2014


Majuro Wave Run-Up Forecast

Voyager now includes a new wave run-up forecast for Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Developed by Martin Guiles, Doug Luther, and Mark Merrifield of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, this new PacIOOS dataset provides a 6-day forecast of the potential for high sea level and wave inundation along the ocean-facing shorelines of Majuro due to the combination of wave run-up, tides, winds, and ocean currents. This complements our existing wave run-up forecasts at Waikīkī and Oʻahu's North Shore in Hawaiʻi. The overlay can be found in Voyager's "hazards: forecasts" category (go there now).

Majuro wave run-up forecast on November 4, 2014—times listed in Marshall Islands Time (MHT); if the index reaches a value of 100 (dashed red line), inundation is likely in low-lying areas. Click on the image for further details:

Wave run-up is the maximum height reached by waves along the shore relative to low tide—specifically, mean lower low water (MLLW), which is the average height of the lowest recorded tide. This forecast can alert Majuro up to six days in advance of the potential for beach flooding and/or overtopping of nearby roadways. However, this forecast is experimental and no promise of accuracy is implied. Please note that the forecast is explicitly not accurate when either a tsunami, tropical storm, or hurricane warning is in effect.

Posted on: November 3, 2014


Sea Level Rise Inundation

Voyager now includes computer model simulations of sea level rise for Hawaiʻi (Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Oʻahu), Guam, and Saipan (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). These overlays show the inland extent of coastal flooding (inundation) due to sea level rise scenarios at 0 to 6 feet above current-day mean higher high water (MHHW), meaning water levels are shown as they would appear during the highest high tides (excluding wind-driven tides). These were created by subtracting NOAA's VDatum MHHW surface from LiDAR-derived, 3-meter digital elevation models (DEM) of the land surface. Uncertainty in these underlying data sources are in turn used to map areas of high versus low confidence in the simulated inundation results.

Voyager screenshot of sea level rise inundation over Waikīkī and Honolulu's south shore (click here for larger image):

Same as the above screenshot but using a single color for the 6-ft sea level rise scenario (click here for larger image):

Areas of high versus low confidence for the simulated 6-ft sea level rise scenario (click here for larger image):

Data produced in 2014 by NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM) and also available through their Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer. These data do not consider future changes in coastal geomorphology and natural processes such as erosion, subsidence, or future construction; nor do they specify the timing of inundation (i.e. when sea level rise may occur). They are not appropriate for conducting detailed spatial analysis, and the entire risk associated with the results and performance of these data is assumed by the user. These data should be used strictly as a planning reference and not for navigation, permitting, or other legal purposes.

PacIOOS has also generated a Web Map Service (WMS) for these data. This interoperable Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard will help users who may want to incorporate map imagery of these layers into other mapping applications: WMS GetCapabilities. Layer names follow the pattern *_hcgg_*_slr_*.

Posted on: October 30, 2014


New Wave Buoy In American Samoa

Yesterday, PacIOOS deployed a new wave buoy in American Samoa near Aunuʻu off the eastern coast of Tutuila. Moored in water 262 feet (80 meters) deep, this Datawell Directional Waverider buoy is equipped with three accelerometers measuring north/south, east/west, and vertical displacements, allowing it to measure wave height, wave direction, and wave period. It also measures water temperature at the base of the buoy, approximately 18 inches (45 cm) below the ocean surface. Data are transmitted every half hour and are now available through Voyager and Voyager Mobile as well as on the PacIOOS website.

Voyager screenshot of wave buoy 189 showing significant wave heights offshore of Tutuila, American Samoa (click here for larger image):

Wave buoy 189 is owned and managed by PacIOOS. NOAA's Coastal Storms Program (CSP) provided the initial funding to purchase this buoy. Data are managed and distributed by the Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP).

Posted on: October 24, 2014


Waikīkī Ocean Model

Voyager now includes a new high resolution regional ocean model for the Waikīkī region of Oʻahu. This Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) mesoscale numerical ocean prediction model provides 3-day, hourly forecasts at various depth levels of water temperature, currents, salinity, and sea surface height at approximately 40-m resolution. Covering the nearshore region from the coastline to approximately 2 miles (3 km) offshore, this grid extends from Diamond Head to Honolulu International Airport and includes Ala Moana, Honolulu Harbor, Keʻehi Lagoon, and the Ala Wai canal.

Model runs are produced by Dr. Brian Powell of the Department of Oceanography in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and have been added to the PacIOOS data servers. This dataset complements our existing global HYCOM ocean forecast as well as our other ROMS grids in Hawaiʻi.

Voyager screenshot of ROMS Waikīkī water temperature near the ocean surface (click here for larger image):

Voyager screenshot of ROMS Waikīkī currents near the ocean surface (click here for larger image):

Note that the data underlying this forecast are in the native, curvilinear ROMS grid. While this enables the model to better represent the complex nearshore geography, it results in slower map generation in Voyager due to additional, on-the-fly spatial computation.

These model results were generated as part of an academic research project. They provide a scientific prediction of current and future conditions. As with any forecast, however, accuracy cannot be guaranteed and caution is advised. While considerable effort has been made to implement all data components in a thorough, correct, and accurate manner, numerous sources of error are possible.

Posted on: October 22, 2014


Wave Glider "NC2" And Hurricane Ana

Track the "NC2" wave glider mission from Liquid Robotics, Inc. in near real-time as it measures wave heights in Hawaiʻi during Hurricane Ana. NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) predicts that Ana will reach Hawaiʻi Island by Friday night (October 17) the rest of the main Hawaiian Islands over the weekend. Heavy rains, high surf, and damaging winds are expected.

Starting off the leeward (western) coast of Hawaiʻi Island on September 11, this unmanned ocean robot is transmitting measurements at the ocean's surface. Every half hour it records wave height, wave direction, and wave period. It is currently (Oct. 17) located 14 miles (23 km) offshore of North Kohala on the leeward side of Hawaiʻi Island.

You can follow NC2 using the "ocean gliders" category in PacIOOS Voyager and selecting the NC2 glider mission. Use this to plot or animate the glider's motion over time. Click on a location to see its wave measurements. Other Voyager overlays of interest during Ana include GOES satellite cloud imagery, Doppler radar, wind forecasts, rain and stream gauges, and wave buoys.

Screenshot of wave glider mission "NC2" in Voyager:

Please visit the CPHC for advisories and safety information related to Tropical Cyclone Ana.

Posted on: October 17, 2014


Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Wave Model

Voyager now includes a new high resolution regional wave model for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) region, home of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. This WaveWatch III (WW3) 7.5-day hourly forecast predicts significant wave height, wave direction, and wave period at approximately 5-km or 0.05-degree resolution. Its spatial coverage includes Nihoa Island, Necker Island, French Frigate Shoals, Gardner Pinnacles, and Raita Bank.

Voyager screenshot of WW3 NWHI for October 3, 2014 9:00 AM HST; EEZ and islands outlined in blue (click here for larger image):

These model results are produced by Dr. Kwok Fai Cheung of the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering (ORE) in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and have been added today to the PacIOOS data servers. Formal metadata available here. These complement our existing global and regional WW3 forecasts (Hawaiian Islands, Mariana Islands, Samoa) as well as our SWAN collection in Hawaiʻi, Guam, and Tutuila.

These model results were generated as part of an academic research project. They provide a scientific prediction of current and future conditions. As with any forecast, however, accuracy cannot be guaranteed and caution is advised. While considerable effort has been made to implement all data components in a thorough, correct, and accurate manner, numerous sources of error are possible.

Posted on: October 3, 2014


Voyager Overlays Organized Into Super-Categories

With hundreds of possible overlays now available through PacIOOS Voyager, the long list of 25 map categories along the left-hand menu bar had grown unwieldy ("spaghetti", one user called it). In an effort to condense this list and help steer users towards their data of interest, we now introduce a set of 7 super-categories: hazards, observations, remote sensing, forecasts, biology, navigation, and seafloor.

Organizing Voyager's overlay list: (a.) the old way: 25 categories; (b.) the new way: 7 super-categories; (c.) expanding the super-categories:

a.)   b.)   c.)

Still having trouble finding what you're looking for? You can also try using Voyager's overlay search bar, introduced earlier in May.

Posted on: September 16, 2014


Wave Glider "Aʻa" And Hurricane Iselle

Track the latest "Aʻa" wave glider mission from Liquid Robotics, Inc. in near real-time as it measures wave heights in Hawaiʻi during Hurricane Iselle. NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) predicts that Iselle will reach Hawaiʻi Island by Thursday afternoon (August 7). Heavy rains, high surf, and damaging winds are expected. Tropical storm conditions are expected to spread to Maui County Thursday night and to Oʻahu on Friday.

Starting off the leeward (western) coast of Hawaiʻi Island on July 16, this unmanned ocean robot is transmitting measurements at the ocean's surface. Every half hour it records wave height, wave direction, and wave period. It is currently (Aug. 6) located 30 miles (48 km) offshore to the northeast of Hilo on the windward (eastern) coast of Hawaiʻi Island.

You can follow Aʻa using the "ocean gliders" category in PacIOOS Voyager and selecting the Aʻa2 glider mission. Use this to plot or animate the glider's motion over time. Click on a location to see its wave measurements. Other Voyager overlays of interest during Iselle include GOES satellite cloud imagery, Doppler radar, wind forecasts, rain and stream gauges, and wave buoys.

Screenshot of wave glider "Aʻa" mission 2 in Voyager (click here for larger image):

Please visit the CPHC for advisories and safety information related to Iselle and Hurricane Julio.

Posted on: August 6, 2014


Ocean Acidification Monitoring: CO2 Buoys

Fundamental changes in sea water chemistry are occurring throughout the world's oceans. Humankind's industrial and agricultural activities have increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Some of this CO2 gets absorbed by the ocean, leading to ocean acidification. Even small changes in acidity can negatively impact marine organisms with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) shells or skeletons—such as corals, oysters, clams, and mussels.

PacIOOS Voyager now contains a new "ocean acidification" category, which provides near real-time monitoring of atmospheric and oceanic carbon dioxide (CO2) levels at 13 moored buoys across the insular Pacific. These three-hourly data are obtained from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) Carbon Program. We include five CO2 buoys in Hawaiʻi, seven Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) buoys along the equatorial Pacific, as well as a buoy in Chuuk Lagoon of the Federal States of Micronesia (FSM).

Voyager screenshot of sea water CO2 at Kilo Nalu Offshore Observatory, near Waikīkī, Oʻahu:

Screenshot of insular Pacific PMEL CO2 buoys included in Voyager, with atmospheric CO2 plotted at Chuuk, FSM (click here for larger image):

In addition to monitoring xCO2 (mole fraction), some of the buoys measure additional parameters, such as sea level pressure, water temperature, and salinity. In a few cases, pH is also directly measured in situ. Records extend as far back as 2003 in some cases and may continue up to the present day. However, data availability differs at each buoy and may lag by several months. This network is essential for characterizing the natural variability and secular trends in the oceanic carbon cycle.

As with Voyager's other dynamic near real-time categories—including waves, water levels, water quality, and water resources—map marker icons can be color-coded according to the latest measurements. Clicking on a marker produces a pop-up window with an interactive time series plot, along with options to go backwards in time. To download these data, users must contact PMEL.

Example of further options and utilities provided when clicking on "more info" in the pop-up window:

PMEL cautions users that these data are near real-time and have not been post-calibrated or quality controlled. For scientific usage, please access the quality controlled dataset available from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC).

For further information, please visit:

Posted on: July 11, 2014


Voyager Overlays Now Searchable

With hundreds of possible overlays now available through PacIOOS Voyager, having a search capability is frequently requested and long overdue. We are proud to announce a new search box above the list of data overlays on the left-hand side of the map. As you begin typing in a search phrase, a list of matching keywords appears below the search box and continues updating as you type. When you select one of the available keywords, the list of overlays is then filtered accordingly: only those overlays that support your search term will appear in the menu list. You can then expand the resulting categories or folders (e.g. hazards, waves, navigation) to reveal the matching overlays that each contains. To return to the full list of overlays, simply press the close button beside the search box to clear your search.

The new overlay search box (near upper left-hand corner of Voyager):

Searching for temperature data: (a.) keyword list; (b.) map categories containing overlays for "sea surface temperature (SST)":

a.)   b.)

Searching for wave data: (a.) keyword list; (b.) map categories containing overlays for "significant wave height":

a.)   b.)

Searching for FAD buoys: (a.) keyword list; (b.) matching overlay for "fish aggregation devices (FAD)":

a.)   b.)

Searching for tsunami-related information: (a.) keyword list; (b.) matching overlays for "tsunami":

a.)   b.)

Furthermore, the new overlay search tool works in conjunction with the existing "filter region" option (available above the search box). When you select a particular region to focus on (e.g. American Samoa, CNMI, FSM, Guam, Hawaiʻi, Palau, and/or RMI), a subset of overlays available for that region is shown. If you then also perform a keyword search, the list of overlays is further subset by that keyword within your region of interest. For instance, only showing overlays pertaining to sea surface temperatures (SST) in Guam.

So, what ocean data are you looking for? Waves, tides, whales, currents, temperatures, or... ? Let Voyager's new search box help guide you on your next geospatial journey!

Posted on: May 30, 2014


Near Real-Time USGS Rain and Stream Gauges

Voyager's "water resources" category now includes near real-time measurements for rain gauges and stream gauges across Hawaiʻi managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS). Critical for monitoring water resources and flood conditions, these gauges provide measurements of precipitation, cumulative precipitation, stream gauge height, and stream discharge every 15 minutes.

Prior to now, these Voyager overlays showed a simple marker at each gauge location with a pop-up window providing basic information and a link for externally accessing data on the USGS website. These overlays now have extended capabilities that allow the user to browse data within Voyager itself.

As with Voyager's other dynamic near real-time station categories—including "waves", "tide and water level", and "water quality"—marker icons can be color-coded according to the latest measurement values of a given parameter, whose range is indicated in a corresponding map legend. Hovering over a marker icon provides the station identifier, location name, and most recent data value and sample time. In addition, a pop-up window appears with an interactive time series plot of the selected parameter, along with options to go backwards in time or view a statistical summary. Clicking on the "more info" link in this pop-up window presents additional information about the station as well as links to produce plots or download data over a variety of different time spans. From the category's "advanced options" in the left-hand menu, furthermore, users can access historical data or modify the overlay in numerous ways.

Voyager screenshot of Kauaʻi's Mount Waiʻaleʻale, one of the rainest places on Earth, showing 17 inches of rain over the past month:

Voyager can plot precipitation either cumulatively (left) or not (right); cumulative plots are good for showing the total amount of rain that has accumulated over a given time period, while instantaneous plots are useful for showing the timing and intensity of each rain event:

   

Voyager screenshot of stream gauge height near the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; this shows Mānoa stream rising over a foot after recent rainfall:

Stream gauges measure gauge height (left) and discharge (right), although the latter is not provided at some gauges:

   

Example of further options and utilities provided when clicking on "more info" in the pop-up window:

Posted on: May 9, 2014


New Ocean Glider Visualizations

PacIOOS Voyager now provides a variety of new data visualization and animation capabilities for viewing trajectories of ocean glider measurements. Ocean gliders are small, free-swimming, unmanned vehicles that can cruise the ocean autonomously for several months measuring various water properties. Their positions and data can be communicated via satellite and tracked over time.

So far, PacIOOS distributes data for two different types of ocean gliders: a wave glider that glides along the ocean surface and profiling gliders that alternately climb and dive in a sawtooth pattern through the top 1000 meters as they traverse the ocean. The wave glider is designed and operated by Liquid Robotics, Inc. while the profiling gliders are operated at the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) and designed at the University of Washington (UW) Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Until now, Voyager only provided the wave glider ("A'a")—it now also provides 12 profiling gliders whose missions span the period September 2008 through July 2013, primarily covering the waters south of Oʻahu. As additional glider missions are deployed, they will also be included.

Several features have been added to Voyager for mapping and plotting trajectories. Icons for the glider trajectory can now be color-coded by the observed wave heights, water temperatures, salinities, and other properites. For profiling gliders, the icons can also be scaled by the depth of each observation, such that smaller icons indicate deeper measurements while larger icons represent measurements nearer to the surface. For wave gliders, the direction of wave motion can also be shown as icon arrows. Hovering over an icon quickly shows you the measurement of the selected variable at that location (as well as its depth, for profiling gliders). Clicking on an icon provides a pop-up window with all available measurements at that particular point and time, along with options to convert units of measure.

Links are also provided for producing time series plots within the pop-up window at various time intervals. For profiling gliders, the time series plots include the measured variable (e.g. water temperature) as well as a plot showing glider depth over time. In addition to plotting, links are also provided for directly downloading the data in a variety of output formats: plain text (comma-separated values), an Excel spreadsheet, XML, or JSON. Lastly, links to the data archive and data source are provided for additional access methods and further information. The features in the pop-up window were designed to mirror Voyager's pop-ups in other dynamic data overlays, such as near real-time station data (e.g. wave buoys), forecast models, and satellite data.

Users are encouraged to explore the available glider visualization options to meet their needs, many of which are contained in the "advanced" sub-menu of the "ocean gliders" folder within Voyager. For example, trajectories can be displayed with more or fewer points, with or without color-coding, with different colorbars, various icons, subsetting by date, time, and/or depth, etc. Furthermore, all of the selected options are recorded in the "link" utility of Voyager's upper-right menu bar for revisiting the glider later or for sharing your view with others. Below are some example screenshots and screen recordings to illustrate the different types of glider visualizations and animations now possible in Voyager:

Voyager screenshot of ocean glider sg114_4: icon colors indicate water temperature while icon size varies with depth (click here for larger image):

Same as above but showing a 24-hour time series plot of water temperature versus glider depth in the pop-up window (click here for larger image):

Wave glider Aʻa color-coded by wave height; time series plot in pop-up shows wave heights over entire mission (click here for larger image):

Same as above (color-coded wave heights) but including arrows pointing in the direction of wave motion (click here for larger image):

Alternative glider visualizations (others possible): (a.) showing only the end points, with custom icons; (b.) showing the glider track with a single color:

a.)  
b.)

Voyager animation of wave glider Aʻa: http://youtu.be/o863mVwwBMo

Voyager animation of ocean glider sg114_4: http://youtu.be/dm8q6k_eWYY

Voyager animation of ocean glider sg523_4: http://youtu.be/a515oFj_tEk

Posted on: April 29, 2014


Maui Coastal Water Quality Monitoring

Voyager's "water quality" category now includes an overlay of coastal water quality measurements sampled by a network of citizen science volunteers on the island of Maui in the State of Hawaiʻi. Measurements of bacteria levels (Enterococcus) are used to assess water quality. These and other water measurements (water temperature, salinity, turbidity (water clarity), and pH) are collected periodically at several coastal locations across the island. With data spanning from 2010 to the present, sample sites include 10 locations along the west and south coasts of Maui: D.T. Fleming Beach Park, Haycraft Park, Kīhei Pier, Kōʻieʻie Fishpond, Kalama Beach Park, four sites at Lāʻie Wetlands, and Waiala Cove of ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve. Additional sites may be added over time.

This community-based monitoring effort provides valuable data for resource management purposes, supplementing the State of Hawaiʻi's existing monitoring efforts on Maui (see Clean Water Branch). Informed volunteer networks can serve as a community's "eyes and ears" and will often provide the first indications of changes to a system. In addition to the value of early detection, it is important to maintain ongoing monitoring efforts to compile data and document resource conditions.

Voyager screenshot of Enterococcus concentrations across the island of Maui in the past 3 months (click here for larger image):

Enterococcus is an indicator bacteria that has been correlated with the presence of human pathogens (disease-causing organisms) and therefore with human illnesses such as gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and various infections in epidemiological studies. As such, it is commonly measured in coastal water quality monitoring programs. For reference, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1986 Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria (which the State's Clean Water Branch uses) recommends that a water quality alert is posted if either: (a.) the latest water sample exceeds 104 CFU/100 mL of Enterococcus, or (b.) the geometric mean of the past 30 days of water samples exceeds 35 CFU/100 mL. One of the limitations of all available and EPA-approved test methods is that the sample must be incubated for about 24 hours.

Enterococcus at Haycraft Beach Park: (a.) time series plot since 2012; (b.) "more info" screen provides various plotting and download options:

a.)   b.)

Data are managed through an online repository, the Coral Reef Monitoring Data Portal (http://monitoring.coral.org), developed and coordinated by the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) and its partners with funding provided by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Data collection is coordinated by the Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS), Aquanimity Now, the Digital Bus, Save Honolua Coalition, Project S.E.A.-Link, and other local organizations and agencies.

Data are publicly distributed by the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS). In addition to PacIOOS Voyager, data access is also enabled through our ERDDAP data server, which provides flexible data queries and a large variety of download formats. Formal metadata are available here.

Posted on: April 11, 2014


Hawaiʻi Whale Tracking

Robin Baird of Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) has provided PacIOOS with satellite tracking of several tagged Hawaiian whales from 2006-2011, including false killer whales (22 individuals), pygmy killer whales (2 individuals), and Blainville's beaked whales (9 individuals). These are now accessible in Voyager. Look for them under "fish and wildlife" in the "tracking" and "distributions" categories. This supplements the extensive CRC sightings data (direct human observations of species locations) already accessible through Voyager.

False killer whales have the lowest abundance estimate of any odontocetes in Hawaiian waters. Two populations have been recognized. The main Hawaiian Islands insular population (Baird et al. 2012), estimated at about 150 individuals, was listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 2012. Two false killer whales from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands insular population were also tagged (Baird et al. 2013), with data provided by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) (Erin Oleson) and Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) (Jay Barlow).

Voyager screenshot of tracked false killer whale PcTag026 October 14-28 2010 (view animation):

Pygmy killer whales are another of the least abundant odontocetes in Hawaiian waters. Photo-identification and satellite tagging (Baird et al. 2011) suggests there are small resident populations of pygmy killer whales off several of the main Hawaiian Islands.

Voyager screenshot of tracked pygmy killer whale FaTag002 December 6-16 2008:

From photo-identification and satellite tagging there is evidence of a small resident population of Blainville's beaked whales off the island of Hawaiʻi (Big Island), as well as an offshore population. Less is known about this species off other islands. The MdTag009 tag deployment is an individual from the offshore population (Baird et al. 2011), while other deployments are on individuals from the resident insular population (Schorr et al. 2009).

Voyager screenshot of tracked Blainville's beaked whale MdTag009 April 29 to June 7 2009 (view animation):

PacIOOS has also generated a Web Map Service (WMS) for spatial distributions of these and other species that combine satellite tracking and human sightings from CRC and other data providers. This interoperable Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard will help users who may want to incorporate map imagery of these layers into other mapping applications: WMS GetCapabilities.

Founded in 1979 to conduct research needed to manage and protect threatened marine mammals, CRC has been undertaking surveys for odontocetes and other cetaceans in Hawaiian waters since 2000. For further information, please visit:

Posted on: April 1, 2014


Two Voyager Posters At Ocean Sciences Meeting

PacIOOS Voyager is featured on the following two poster presentations during this week's Ocean Sciences Meeting at the Honolulu Convention Center. Stop by and say aloha! We'd love to talk story and hear your feedback. Please also visit us at the IOOS Exhibitor Booth while you're here.

Near Real-Time Tiger Shark Monitoring Around Maui

Authors: John Maurer, Carl G. Meyer, and Echelle Burns
Abstract ID: 13386, Poster ID: 2088, Session ID: 091

Maui has witnessed a higher number of unprovoked shark attacks than in previous years, and local spear fishers report increasing boldness of large sharks encountered in Maui waters. In order to select appropriate management responses to these events, tiger sharks were fitted with dorsal-fin mounted satellite transmitters to monitor their movements. This information will help determine whether sharks around Maui are more resident (more "site-attached") than they are around the other Hawaiian Islands and whether they exhibit greater use of inshore habitats than in other locations. The tracks of these tagged tiger sharks will be available online via the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) Voyager (http://pacioos.org/projects/sharks/), where the public can monitor shark locations in near real-time in both desktop and mobile-friendly map interfaces. Because satellite-based geolocation varies in positional accuracy, locations are quality-checked before posting online. This presentation will provide an overview of the data flow and methodologies employed, from initial tag deployment to online visualization.

Using Real-Time Data In The Classroom With The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) Voyager

Authors: Melissa Iwamoto, John Maurer, and Donna Brown
Abstract ID: 14030, Poster ID: 1729, Session ID: 105

Real-time and forecast data on winds, waves, currents, ocean temperature, and much more are easily accessible on the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) data visualization tool: PacIOOS Voyager. Ocean users can query and download data directly from the map interface. Combined with knowledge of ocean systems and processes, Voyager is a powerful tool for decision-making at all levels, from determining optimal ship routes to choosing the best type of surf board to take out in today's swell. PacIOOS and UH Maui College collaboratively developed and implemented classroom activities using Voyager and the data therein for students to make a suite of decisions based on activities they know about first-hand paired with information they learn in Introduction to Oceanography. This novel approach to education and outreach aims to motivate students to delve deeper into the data generated and provided by their local ocean observing system through decision-making that is relevant to students lives. This presentation will provide a brief introduction to the PacIOOS Voyager, an overview of the classroom activities developed, and a summary of results and lessons learned from student engagement.

Posted on: February 26, 2014


Regional Ocean Models Updated, Samoa Added

Voyager now includes a new high resolution regional ocean model for the Samoa region. This Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) mesoscale numerical ocean prediction model provides 7-day, 3-hourly forecasts at various depth levels of water temperature, currents, salinity, and sea surface height at approximately 3-km resolution. This grid extends west of Savaiʻi in Western Samoa and east of the Manuʻa Islands in American Samoa.

Model runs are produced by Dr. Brian Powell of the Department of Oceanography in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and have been added to the PacIOOS data servers. This dataset complements our existing global HYCOM ocean forecast as well as our ROMS collection in Hawaiʻi, CNMI, and Guam.

Voyager screenshot of ROMS Samoa water temperature near the ocean surface; EEZ between Western Samoa and American Samoa drawn in light blue (click here for larger image):

Voyager screenshot of ROMS Samoa currents near the ocean surface around the island of Tutuila in American Samoa:

Additionally, our existing ROMS models were updated and improved over the past couple weeks. Output is now 3-hourly as opposed to daily averages, providing finer temporal resolution. Depth levels of 0.25, 1, and 2 meters were added to help map the shallow near-surface zone. And lastly, new forecasts are now generated earlier in the day (~1:30 PM Hawaiʻi Time).

Users of our data servers will notice several changes to the underlying data structure for our ROMS datasets and will need to update any processes accordingly. Most importantly, the native, curvilinear, terrain-following ROMS datasets are now regularly gridded, making the "regridded" ROMS products that we previously provided obsolete (with the exception of the Oahu grid, which is still being finalized).

These model results were generated as part of an academic research project. They provide a scientific prediction of current and future conditions. As with any forecast, however, accuracy cannot be guaranteed and caution is advised. While considerable effort has been made to implement all data components in a thorough, correct, and accurate manner, numerous sources of error are possible.

Posted on: February 18, 2014


Voyager Provides Several New Map Styles

Version 3 of the Google Maps API introduced the ability to apply custom map styles. Voyager now leverages this feature to provide a suite of alternative map styles, which can be accessed by clicking on the "More..." button near the upper-right corner of the map. Many of these new styles simplify or tone down Google's basemap in order to help highlight and bring focus to Voyager's raison d'être: its plethora of data overlays. For example, when viewing a wind forecast, it is easier to see the color-coded arrow icons (vectors) when the basemap has fewer distractions: no labels, roads, boundaries, or polygons and either a black-and-white or grayscale color scheme.

Some of the new map styles were pulled directly from a free online repository at Snazzy Maps while others were generated with the assistance of an interactive Styled Maps Wizard. If there are other styles you would like to see added to the site, please contact us.

Voyager screenshot of Hawaiʻi WRF wind forecast with a simple black-and-white basemap (click here for larger image):

Voyager screenshot of PacIOOS wave buoys around Hawaiʻi with a dark grayscale basemap (click here for larger image):

Voyager screenshot of PacIOOS regions (blue EEZs) and global water level stations with a labeled gray-and-white basemap (click here for larger image):

Voyager screenshot of tagged tiger shark 133362's path of motion over a simple blue-and-beige basemap (click here for larger image):

Posted on: January 10, 2014


Measurement Tools Now Saved In URL

When clicking on Voyager's "link" or "save image" buttons to save your existing map settings and overlays, all measurement tools displayed in the map are now preserved as well. This includes the following utilties, all of which are accessible in the lower left-hand corner of Voyager: lat/lon grid ("graticule"), range rings (distance from a center point), distance between two points, and area. While these tools have been available in Voyager for quite some time, historically you could not save them in a URL. Now users can easily save and/or share a link to refer to their selected map measurements. In addition, Voyager will record the units of measure in use (e.g. kilometers, nautical miles, acres, etc.) if you change them from the default settings.

Voyager screenshot of measurement tools around Oʻahu (click image for live example; click here for larger image):

Posted on: January 7, 2014


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Please consider acknowledging PacIOOS in any distribution or publication of data as follows: Data provided by PacIOOS (www.pacioos.org), which is a part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®), funded in part by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Award #NA11NOS0120039.