MaNIDA - a Marine Network for Integrated Data Access

In the framework of a Helmholtz Initiative and Networking Fund project, the Marine Network for Integrated Data Access (MaNIDA) will be established:  a networked approach to accessing and mining of federated e-infrastructures, which, together with a management strategy, will assure its long-term sustainability.


The Data Portal of German Marine Research" will enhance data mining in various disciplines as well as improve planning of future expeditions (via easy identification of data voids). It will also provide means for combining various data types (underway data, post cruise data, satellite gridded products, modelling data, etc) into enhanced data products. This global view on substantial data holdings available from distinct e-infrastructures will give stakeholders a novel support for “data centric science”

We are planning to conduct first feasibility studies on integration of heterogeneous data types and generation of operational workflows targeted specifically at the generation of enhanced products.  The first case studies will be:

  • Multibeam bathymetry:  data from R.V. Polarstern (and other major German research vessels) including relevant processing information and annotation metadata. 

  • German Bight data:  in situ measurements (currently available) and satellite data will be combined with model results

An additional MaNIDA’s key benefit for the community will be improved procedures for data ingestion, data quality control and user support, thereby achieving substantial enhancements in the lifecycle management of marine scientific data.  Explicitly, the creation of a data curation centre and a customer support centre are planned.

Finally, MaNIDA will reach out to stakeholders in the academic sector and government agencies so as to create acceptable and reliable workflows.

Data Portal German Marine Research

Prototype is open to public since February 2014