Context

The WEkEO DIAS is the single access point for more than 400 datasets on Earth Observation data (see all data WEkEO is providing), available from the WEkEO Data Viewer. You can access the Data Viewer by clicking on DATA in the header of the website.

In this article, we will introduce the main functionalities of the WEkEO Data Viewer where you can open the WEkEO catalogue from, search for a specific dataset, add a dataset's variable to the map and customize the map settings.

You can also download data directly from the Viewer, defining the download parameters via the proposed Graphical User Interface. To learn more on how to download data from the Viewer, we invite you to check our dedicated article.

Main functionalities

Open the WEkEO catalogue

The Data Viewer is the single place where you will find the WEkEO catalogue. To open the catalogue, simply click on the "+" icon in the Layers tab:

The WEkEO catalogue provides more than 400 datasets on Earth Observation data, free to use.

Advanced data search

Since there are more than 400 datasets in the WEkEO catalogue, filters on the left are really convenient to search your data of interest. Indeed, you can narrow down the number of products by selecting a specific area, variable, sensor, etc.

Select your filters by section and/or enter a keyword in the free-text search bar
Check any criterion you want to refine your search ; the list of products answering the criteria is updated on the right
Reset all filters by clicking on the cross button right to the title Filters

💡 WEkEO Pro Tip: the filtering feature follows an “AND” operator between sections, but only one filter per section can be selected.

Access details of a dataset

You will find a description and all informations of a dataset in the Details page:

💡 WEkEO Pro Tip: you can open the details page of a dataset by clicking on the (i) icon from the Layers panel.

In this page, the following informations are available:

Dataset's long name (e.g. Global Ocean 1/2° Physic Analysis Forecast updated Daily)
Temporal and geographic extents (on the left)
When available, a link to a Use Case example (e.g. "Innovating access to marine data")
An abstract introducing the dataset
A classification, providing general information, such as the datasetID, the Originating Service, the time and variables
Metadata resources
Contacts in case of necessity

Add several layers

All listed products of the catalogue can be added to the Layers panel on the left, one variable of a dataset being a layer. You can add as many layers as you want.

Once you have found your dataset of interest, you can either click on (1) Use dataset or (2) Select layers depending on the dataset:

You can download all WEkEO datasets from the Data Viewer.

Use dataset: the dataset cannot be viewed on the map but can be downloaded
Select layers: the dataset can be viewed on the map and downloaded

💡WEkEO Pro Tip: you can hide/show layers by clicking on the 👁️‍🗨️ icon.

Map settings

General settings are available on the bottom right for personal customization of the viewer, where you can:

hide the Basemap and/or coastline features, which can be useful to observe vegetation data
change the horizontal units (in km and km² by default)

Change map projection

You can switch between equatorial, north and south pole projection using the projection button at bottom right with the other buttons. The name of the button depends on the projection currently in use.

Zoom up

One of the main functionalities of the WEkEO Viewer is its zooming power on the map, which allows to reach and visualize even the highest spatial resolutions.

💡WEkEO Pro Tip: you can zoom in/out by scrolling with your mouse.

Timeline and elevation

The WEkEO Viewer provides the capability to change the date on the timeline (bottom) and the elevation (bottom right):

💡WEkEO Pro Tip: you can change scale of each bar by scrolling with your mouse.

Define objects of interest

Finally, the Data Viewer allows (a) to display the coordinates of a point, (b) to measure distances and (c) to define an Area Of Interest (AOI), that you can use afterwards when downloading data:

Retrieve time series

It is now possible to retrieve time series by clicking on locations in the map. This feature is available for ARCO-based datasets, which include:

All the CMEMS datasets
ERA5 hourly data on single levels from C3S
European air quality reanalyses and Global atmospheric composition forecasts from CAMS

To display a time series, activate the Points tool located in the lower-right corner of the viewer. Once the tool is active, clicking on the map will generate a map object containing all the time series of the selected ARCO-based layers.

💡WEkEO Pro Tip: you can adjust the depth of what the time series displays using the depth scale at bottom right.

Data download

Once you have chosen your dataset(s) of interest and visualized the data on the map, you have the possibility to download data directly from the Viewer! Downloading data is free for all users, you only need to sign in to your account (sign up!).

🔍 We have a dedicated section showing how to download data from the Viewer in the following article:

How to download WEkEO data?

What's next?

We are user-driven and we implement users' suggestions, so feel free to contact us:

through a chat session available in the bottom right corner of the page
via our contact webpage
via e-mail to our support team (supportATwekeo.eu)

Regardless of how you choose to contact us, you will first be put in touch with our AI Agent Neo. At any time, you can reach a member of the WEkEO User Support team by clicking on "talk to a person" via chat, or by naturally requesting it in reply to Neo's email.