hydrology

As you know from previous blog entries the Dyfi Virtual Observatory (DVO) is a similar project to IGIBS and is also based at Aberystwyth. I had a meeting with Nicola from the DVO yesterday and we agreed to help each other out with data sets where possible. I thought it would be good to give a little more detail on their project so you can see how it compliments IGIBS.

The DVO is aiming to provide anyone, with an interest in the Dyfi catchment area, with a resource to process spatial data for a range of uses. Their plan is to be holders of data sets that can then be analysed and the results used privately or publicly. To achieve this and to add processing power it is planned to make use of Cloud Computing. One example they are working on is flood risk calculation, which has obvious overlap with the kinds of data IGIBS is looking at.

The focus of the project is more socioeconomic than IGIBS but nevertheless any extra data sets that we gain access to, that are tailored to the Dyfi area, will be of benefit to IGIBS and the end users here at IGES.

Thee `DVO web site is immenent but in the mean time you can see some impresive photos of the Dyfi area on their photostream at flicker

An important part of the data collation for this project is to make sure we know what level of access is allocated to the data. For example some data sets will have sensitive data which would not be for general viewing whilst others will be available to most and students will be able to use it for their research.

We have recently received data set lists from Paul Brewer at IGES and Colin Chapman at WAG. Paul Brewer has given us a list of hydrology data sets as well as LiDAR data and aerial photography for the Dyfi catchment that would be available for all students and academics to access. Some of these data sets have been noted by Jonathan Brownett, MSc student who would like these to help with his thesis research. We have also acquired a list of data that WAG may be able provide. These may contain sensitive data and will have user restrictions. Both Paul Brewer and Colin Chapman should have other data lists available to us at a later date.