MarLIN -

CSIROMarine Laboratories Information Network

MarLIN concept

• MarLIN is a catalogue/compendium of Divisional datasets, designed for WWW access

• Datasets are described using standard “Metadata elements”, allowing interoperability with other catalogues

• Additional elements (descriptors) have been incorporated to suit our research activities and interests, e.g. standardised voyage references, data types, project names, species identifiers ...

• MarLIN has custom-designed search software, allowing browsing of the database content in a number of different ways

• MarLIN incorporates “value adding” to dataset descriptions by keying them to other information already stored in the system (voyages, project details, etc.)

Our system overview

Web-based metadata

entry

Web-based search and display of

metadata(via MarLIN)

Web-based search and display of Australia-wide

metadata(via ASDD gateway)

Other Organisations’ databases

CMR

MarLIN-ASDD

connection

Other resources

Sample search queries (real examples …)

• 06-FEB-2001 12:07 .. 130.15.245.127 .. qlink-ppp127.tele.queensu.ca .. Operation: Search datasets Criteria: Dates=1998-1998, Keywords=CTDs (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth Profilers) .. Records retrieved: 16

• 05-FEB-2001 16:57 .. 140.79.20.91 .. watson-hf.hba.marine.csiro.au .. Operation: Search datasets Criteria: Regions: Australia > Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, Source=Southern Surveyor .. Records retrieved: 5

• 02-FEB-2001 09:29 .. 140.79.21.130 .. byrnes-hf.hba.marine.csiro.au .. Operation: Procedure (rvdata1) Criteria: Franklin FR 01/98 Datatype(s): All .. Records retrieved: 4

• 07-FEB-2001 14:55 .. 129.170.152.243 .. robinson-bp-243.dartmouth.edu .. Operation: Search datasets Criteria: List datasets .. Records retrieved: 1111

• 03-FEB-2001 23:13 .. 209.73.164.13 .. vscooter.sv.av.com .. Operation: Search datasets Criteria: No region defined, Custodian=CSIRO Division of Marine Research - Cleveland, Category=ALL .. Records retrieved: 58

Example search results

Lists of titles

Dataset “quick links” pages

Links to voyage tracks (as stored .gif images)

Full metadata record with on-line links, etc.

MarLIN future activities

• Continued addition of content, especially from non-vessel sources

• Increased automation of record creation from existing stored data

• 2-way linkages to new CMR data warehouse, as this project starts to produce “real” (=production) system

• Linking MarLIN to international metadata search gateways such as the US “FGDC clearinghouse”

Present MarLIN Access points

via CMR Data Centre page

via ASDD page

US FGSC Clearinghouse page information ...

MarLIN “user-defined search” interface

MarLIN benefits

• Information is captured which assists (or may be essential to) interpretation of the data

• Relevant information is steadily being migrated from printed form (e.g. cruise reports and other documents) to electronic, WWW-accessible form

• Use of standardised keywords, etc. permits rapid automated searching and grouping of the material, in many different ways

• MarLIN can be cross-linked with other databases for multi-agency searching

• “Standard” dataset descriptions can include links to many other resources, including the actual data if readily available

MarLIN status as at February 2001

• Approx. 1,200 records in MarLIN to date

• Data Centre holdings (mainly ship-sourced) c. 60% described

• Some other groups’ holdings (e.g. Remote sensing group, XBT group) reasonably well covered

• Much other Divisional information awaiting input by researchers / Data Centre staff