Why we need a data model?

The HERMES GIS aims to provide a tool allowing displaying, managing, manipulating, analyzing and modelling HERMES datasets. In order to facilitate these services for a large volume of data and for multiple users, a well defined data model is needed. Data model organise and integrate data of different types and various sources so the HERMES Data Model is a way to relate all this data together.

What is a data model?

• A practical working template
• A starting point for creating a geodatabase
• An aid to simplifly the integration of similar datasets
• As way to facilitate the exchange of data
• A support to existing standards

The HERMES data model is based on the ESRI ArcMarine data model developed by a multidisciplinary group of marine and GIS scientists (Source: http://dusk2.geo.orst.edu/djl/arcgis/). To fit the needs of the HERMES-community several feature have been added or modified.

Attention has been paid to the import of data from the PANGAEA database into the GIS data model, for instance the measuring device table and the migration of HERMES data into the GIS data model.

An interesting advantage of using an adapted version of the ArcMarine Data Model is its possibility of extension and modifications in a standardised data structure. This allows using data interpretation software based on the ArcMarine model and with our adapted version we will be able to install and use future development.

This model has been applied for evaluation on the HERMES GIS. HERMES data has been imported in the model and analyzed on the capacity to display the required functions for the GIS and archiving the data adequately. After this assessment of the ArcMarine model, several HERMES specific adaptations have been made, in order to optimize the model for HERMES by adding tables, attributes and new relationships.