Vladimirov V.L., Miroshnichenko V.V., Mishonov A.V.
Multidiscipline data base "Black Sea" of the MHI. - Problems of the Black Sea, International Conference. Sevastopol, Ukraine, November 10-13, 1992.

Abstract

From 1984 through 1991, the hydrological database of the Black Sea was maintained by the MHI on the basis of an EC type computer (IBM-370 compatible) using the OKA database management system (DBMS). Some chemical and meteorological data were also loaded into this database.

Now a multivariable database "Black Sea" is being compiled using the IBM-PC compatible computer AT-486. The number of variables included into the database are brought to a maximum, all available types of data are included into the database: chemical, biological, optical, etc. This increasing and transforming of the database for the use with a personal computer permit to increase strongly its efficiency for a large circle of specialists: oceanographers, biologists, etc. It will be possible to use the database to solve a wide range of different problems: oceanographic, biological and ecological, which are connected with the Black Sea and its coastal zone.

The MHI's experience in compiling and maintaining of the databases and the perspectives of research in the Black Sea were taken into account in the course of this database construction. The database is compiled as a system of the connected bases, which include not only the data of different measurements, but also, the references on research vessels, instruments, processing software, etc. The industry standard relational DBMS FoxPro was chosen as a basic system for this database. It has been taken into consideration that any standard DBMS is not suitable enough for the effective processing of oceanographic data. That is why, a special software complex was added to this DBMS, which was written in Turbo Pascal. The proper data are processed by the software complex and all additional information (coordinates, time, depth, instrument, etc.) is processed by the DBMS. The software complex and the DBMS work jointly passing information each to other.

The first stage of this system, which is intended for hydrological (T & S) data, was developed by the present moment. All these data from the MHI archives will be controlled and loaded into the database until the end of the year (50,000-60,000 stations).

The intensive work is being performed aimed at collecting and preparing the other types of data for loading into the database. The multivariable data archives were prepared on magnetic medium compatible with IBM-PC for the Black Sea region. These archives include now the following variables: temperature & salinity), hydrochemistry (dissolved oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, phosphate, silicate, nitrate, nitrite, pH, alcalinity, ammonium, etc.), hydrooptics (vertical profiles of the attenuation coefficient, color index, Secchi disk depth, water color, spectra of the radiance index of the sea), radioactivity (Sr-90, Cs-134, Cs-137), currents (buoys and other platforms), currents (vertical profiles) surface drifters data, sea level ( months and year mean levels), meteorology (ship measurements), meteorology (coastal stations measurements), biology (chlorophyll "a", pheophitin, particulate matter).
The "Black Sea" data archives also include some thematic and auxiliary datasets, for example, a coastline, the results of multidiscipline remote sensing truth experiments, etc. These archives are enriched permanently by the MHI-provided new data, as well as, through the additional sources of information and data exchange. All these data will be also loaded into the database. The first version of a multidiscipline database will be ready in 1993.

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