Ongoing work at the CMRC is making it easier for everyone to explore coastal and marine information through the development of web-enabled, customised GIS that allows users to visualise and identify marine sources of data and encourage a greater appreciation of coastal regions. This is being achieved through the development of new web client mapping applications which feature expanded functionality, plug-in-free animation and a new Model-View-Control (MVC) architecture with a rich user experience for every browser.

These mapping clients are developed using open source software technology with greater performance using web technologies like AJAX, much more simplified, flexible and customisable interface using the latest JavaScript frameworks like ExtJS and GeoExt and supports new mapping tools for adding features, zooming, drawing, measuring, and customised printing.

  The new solution brings the following enhanced features:

- Performance optimisation with AJAX technology and Rich Modern UI widgets;
- Metadata discovery and access based on CSW OGC, ISO and ISDE standards;
- Plugin-free animation for near real time data feeds;
- Clean component model;
- Cross platform browser compatibility;
- Open source software.

Employing these technologies, one of Ireland's major marine web atlases, the Marine Irish Digital Atlas (MIDA), will be updated with extended functionality and optimisation in the coming months. The data is being used extensively in other projects such as the Irish Coast Guard Information System being developed by the CMRC. For more information contact Ali Al Othman (a.alothman@ucc.ie).

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