NVS Explorer

Name: NVS Explorer
Author: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:Researchers & AcademicsGeneral Public & EnthusiastsIndustry Professionals

Free

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

App Summary

NVS Explorer provides stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest, including fishers, emergency managers, and shellfish growers, with one-stop access to aggregated ocean, coastal, and atmospheric data from a diversity of observing systems. The associated research describes a flexible, stakeholder-driven design process, where customized data applications are developed in close coordination with specific user groups to meet their unique needs. This approach, the authors note, increases the capacity of users to understand and better respond to ongoing regional environmental changes.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), this system aggregates and visualizes near real-time oceanographic and meteorological data for the Pacific Northwest. The map-based interface facilitates navigation to diverse observing assets, including buoys and coastal stations. The system generates plots of current conditions or trends over 24-hour to 30-day intervals. Data visualizations can be saved locally or shared via standard communication protocols, with options for scientific or common units.

Evidence & Research Context

The system's design, detailed in associated research, establishes a platform for aggregating diverse coastal, ocean, and atmospheric data into a single interface.
The NVS framework leverages established data access protocols (e.g., OGC, OPeNDAP) to integrate heterogeneous data from federal, tribal, academic, and state sources.
Development involved a formal design process with stakeholder groups, including commercial fisheries, shellfish growers, and emergency managers, to create custom applications.
The platform is engineered for flexibility, enabling the rapid prototyping and refinement of specialized tools to meet specific regional environmental information needs.

Intended Use & Scope

Intended for marine stakeholders—including researchers, commercial fishers, resource managers, and emergency planners—the system functions as a data visualization and environmental monitoring tool. It provides direct access to aggregated near real-time observational data. The system does not provide prognostic interpretation; users must apply expert knowledge for decision-making and risk assessment.

Studies & Publications

2 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Development/Design Paper

The NANOOS Visualization System (NVS): A Decade of Development and Progress Addressing Stakeholder Needs

Risien et al. (2019) · OCEANS 2019 MTS/IEEE SEATTLE

Describes the research-driven development of this app

Over the past few decades coastal regions have experienced considerable socio-economic change. Accompanying these socio-economic shifts are unprecedented environmental changes, which include variation in magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events, marine heatwaves, increased ocean acidification, expansion of dead zones, extreme harmful algal blooms, and accelerating sea level rise. To understand these emerging environmental shifts, the

Development/Design Paper

The NANOOS Visualization System: Aggregating, displaying and serving data

Risien et al. (2009) · OCEANS 2009, MTS/IEEE Biloxi

Describes the research-driven development of this app

The Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) is one of eleven Regional Associations of the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). NANOOS serves the Pacific Northwest from the US/Canada border to Cape Mendocino on the northern California coast. Its mission is to coordinate and support the development, implementation, and operations of a regional coastal ocean observing system (RCOOS) for the Pacific Northwest