The efficient flow of information between project areas of predictive modeling, process studies and dissemination of results will be achieved with the development of a data management system. Processing and analysis of biological, physical and chemical data including data received from satellites, time series stations and process studies will be taken into account in the development of the Data Base Management System (DBMS) for the project.
    The DBMS will be built upon existing structures developed within the context of NATO TU Black Sea Project. However, the data needed for present project studies will be derived from a combination of different sources including those acquired from remote sensing, moorings and cruises, so that it will require a thoroughly different approach compared with the NATO TU Black Sea DBMS. This new approach will use recent technology and internet capabilities and the DBMS will operate in real time mode. The required work for developing the DBMS is described as a series of tasks in the following.

TASK III.1. Development of data management and quality control software operating in delayed and/or near real-time modes.

   New algorithms and software will be developed and tested in order to allow quality control of data in delayed and/or near real-time modes, either automatically or with a minimum of expert participation. The quality control system developed and used for the TU-Black Sea Project will form the basis for the new software.

TASK III.2. Development of formats and algorithms for the extension of the existing Data Base Management System to handle data obtained from satellites, buoys, ships etc.

   With respect to the loaded data, the new system will have two major differences with the existing DBMS: (1) it will contain a significant amount of new variables and types of data - for example, satellite images and time series, and (2) will require massive storage, especially of the high volumes of satellite data.
   Unified formats will be tested and approved for satellite images and derived products (wind speed and direction, altimetry, etc.), data from moored and drifting buoys, ships, meteorological data and modeling outputs. The system will be designed to include data from new sensors and platforms. Compression and fast processing methods will be developed for the images.

TASK III.3. Development of the methods, software and interfaces for near real-time data exchange between the models and the data base.

   The DBMS will have the capability to store and manage the modeling results and provide to the models the necessary data for assimilation. It is planned to load modeling results into the project data base and disseminate them along with the other data, to provide users with the possibility to explore them for comparison with measurements, and for other purposes.

TASK III.4. Development of the user interfaces for dissemination of results to end users.

   Dissemination of the metadata and data to the scientific community and other users such as environmental management agencies and authorities, mass media and the wide public is among the ultimate goals of successful project implementation. Fast, reliable and comfortable access to project data and information can be ensured through the internet. Subsystems will be developed to give delayed mode access at first stages and later to allow near real-time access to all project data and information.
   A dedicated WWW-server will be designed with friendly graphical interfaces, clickable maps, animation of the satellite data and modeling results, etc., to allow communication of project participants and the dissemination to the public.
   Dissemination and advertisement of project results in the multimedia form are among the targeted objectives of the project. CD-ROMs with multimedia presentation will be prepared and distributed to the end users and mass media during the final stages of the project.

TASK III.5. Maintenance of the NATO TU Black Sea Data Base.

   The project data base will allow archival and retrieval of long term data sets and continuos time series describing past states of the sea and displaying trends and changes. These are the basic data services needed in optimum and responsible environmental decision making and management in government agencies, regulatory authorities and in the planning of industry.
    Continuous communications will be set up through the Internet and FTP transfers of data files.