How to download a selected data file:

The Sidescan Sonar Field Data
The Navigation Data


The Sidescan Sonar Field Data

The GLORIA sidescan sonar data files (identified as NetCDF and RAW on the data index pages) are binary encoded and cannot be viewed directly. The imagery must be downloaded from the CD to a local disk for processing and analysis. To assist in locating and downloading the desired data, the archived files are cross referenced on four available index files - a separate index for each of the four cruises archived here. The index files were created to assist in selecting the GLORIA imagery and associated header information and retrieving them to a client workstation.

In addition to the GLORIA imagery files, there is an ASCII header file which contains the date, time, position and depth information for each scan line contained in the associated RAW image file. This information is needed if processing of the imagery will be done. This header information is stored internally in the NetCDF file but is stored externally for the RAW files. The header files are accessible by clicking the checkmark alongside the hyper-text links to the GLORIA imagery.

To download a selected image file using NCSA's Mosaic, the user may follow these steps. The steps required to download a data file utilizing a different WWW client may differ slightly. See the notes below if downloading a data file with Netscape ©.

  1. Locate the desired file from the appropriate sidescan sonar field data listing. (The 1982 or 1985 data listing.) DO NOT CLICK ON THE FILENAME AT THIS TIME.
  2. Select Options from the menubar. This will cause the drop down Options menu to be displayed.
  3. Select Load To Local Disk from the Options menu. This is done by depressing the radio button next to the menu description. After this the drop down menu should be removed.
  4. Now, select the requested file by pointing to the linked name under the heading FORMAT TYPE by "clicking" on the selected name with the mouse.
  5. When prompted, enter the directory and filename of where to store the selected file. The GLORIA sidescan sonar data file will then be transferred from the CD-ROM to the local disk file.

Downloading a selected file with Netscape ©

To download a selected data file while using the Netscape browser, the user need only select the desired file by placing the system pointer on the file name from the data list and pressing the right mouse button. This will display a pop-up menu from Netscape. The user should drag the mouse to highlight "Save this link as ..." and release the mouse button. Netscape will then prompt the user to specify the name and location of where the selected data file should be saved.


REMEMBER: The sidescan sonar data files are binary encoded and cannot be viewed directly. Attempts to view the files in a text window will result in an blank window being displayed. The sidescan sonar data listing with cross-references to the data files is simply to aid the user in identification and downloading of desired files.


The Navigation Data

The navigation data is stored on the CD-ROM as an ASCII file and may be viewed by clicking on the appropriate link to the selected cruise identifier under the heading NAVIGATION DATA from the Intro.Page. Once selected and viewed, the user may scroll through the data file using the selected WWW browser.

To download the navigation data from CD-ROM the user has two options. First, he or she may follow the steps described above for downloading the sidescan sonar data. A second method of downloading the navigation data is available when viewing the data file in the text window. The user may then select the Save As option from the pulldown menu from the File option located on the menu bar. When prompted, the user may then enter the directory and filename of where the data file will be stored on disk.