A Coastal Web Atlas (CWA) is a valuable resource for a range of users including coastal managers as it provides easy access to maps, spatial data, coastal information and tools. A trans-Atlantic workshop on "Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases", held in Ireland in July 2006, brought together atlas developers and coastal data experts from Europe and the United States to examine state-of-the-art developments in CWAs and future needs. This paper focuses on workshop outcomes, including what defines a CWA and an overview of international, national, state and regional atlas case studies from both sides of the Atlantic. Results of discussions are presented concerning issues related to design, data, technology and institutional capacity for existing CWAs based on the collective experience of workshop participants. Directions in CWA development and applications since the workshop are also discussed. A major outcome of the workshop was the initiation of an International Coastal Atlas Network. The insights provided give a framework for CWA developers and a useful point of reference for coastal managers and policy makers on atlas potentials and limitations.

During several decades of investigation, the East Pacific Rise seafloor-spreading center at 9-10°N has been explored by marine geologists, geophysicists chemists, and biologists, emerging as one of the best studied sections of the global mid-ocean ridge. It is an example of a region for which there is now a great wealth of observational data, results and data-driven theoretical studies. However, these have yet to be fully utilized, either by research scientists or educators. While the situation is improving, a large amount of data, results, and related theoretical models still exist either in an inert, non-interactive form (e.g., journal publications), or as unlinked and currently incompatible computer data or algorithms. Presented here is the prototype of a computational environment and toolset, called the Virtual Research Vessel, to improve the situation by providing marine scientists and educators with simultaneous access to data, maps, and numerical models. While infrastructure is desired and needed for ready access to data and the resulting maps via web GIS, in order to link disparate data sets (data to data), it is argued that data must also be linked to models for better exploration of new relations between observables, refinement of numerical simulations, and the quantitative evaluation of scientific hypotheses. For widespread data access, web GIS is therefore only a preliminary step rather than a final solution, and the ongoing implementation of the Virtual Research Vessel (scheduled for final completion in [2004][2005]) is a case study for the mid-ocean ridge community to test the effectiveness of moving beyond the "data-to-data" mode towards "datato-models" and "data-to-interpretation". Keywordsweb GIS, computational environment, mapping and exploration, seafloorspreading, mid-ocean ridges, interdisciplinary science

ABSTRACT:The Marine Irish Digital Atlas (MIDA) is a web-based resource which provides visualisation, information and data on Ireland's coastal and marine environment. The development has highlighted a number of difficulties related to data identification, sourcing, acquisition and licensing costs. In Ireland, the MIDA is one of a number of web-based initiatives related to the public provision of marine related data and information, and as such, it follows a set of open standards in order to facilitate harmonisation between these systems. The experience gained is of relevance in the context of the development of the Irish Spatial Data Infrastructure.

Coastal Web Atlas (CWA) design may be based around interactive maps that provide users with access to rich information about the geography of the coastal zone. There are few firm rules about what elements should make up a CWA, or how those elements should be developed. Developers seeking to build a successful product for their audience should begin with knowledge of the needs and capabilities of their users, and design the elements of their CWA accordingly. In general, principles of good web design and usability should be adhered to at all times.