The blue whale can dive to more than 1,500 feet; there are species of deep-sea shark that live 4,000 feet deep; and Alvin, the deep-sea submersible, cruises around at depths of more than 14,000 feet. The Mariana Trench, at more than 36,000 feet, is the deepest part of the ocean floor. But we have only begun to "scrape bottom" on what exists at these depths. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has implemented Electronic Navigational Charts to ensure safer ship navigation, and for those that have sunk, there is a Web-based archive called Shipwreck Central. The method of data collection at sea has traditionally pushed the bounds of science. Now the cost of new and innovative technology is measured in bandwidth, storage space, and processing time. One of the initiatives keeping close tabs on the development of data distribution trends and best practices for how to deal with large volumes of oceanographic data is the Marine Data Model.

The ArcGIS Marine Data Model represents a new approach to spatial modeling that includes the improved integration of many important features in the ocean realm, both natural and man-made, from the sea surface to high-resolution bathymetry and beneath the substrate. The template model can be used to provide a more accurate representation of location and spatial extent, along with a means for conducting more complex spatial analysis in a multidimensional environment. While the core shapes and objects represented in the model are generalized, they accommodate the wide variety of maritime data collected today. The model can be used to input, store, format, geoprocess, analyze, and share an interoperable database schema of marine features and relationships.

Good planning has become a primary consideration for oceanographic science's use of large data sets. The Marine Data Model helps to meet the need for efficient storage, distribution, and management of data types that push the bounds of multidimensional dynamic data exploration.

For more information, see the ArcGIS Marine Data Model at www.esri.com/marine.