MATROOS poller

Every 15 minutes PROTIDE polls MATROOS to see if there are new predictions available that are relevant for doing its calculations. MATROOS (Multifunctional Access Tool foR Operational Oceandata Services) is an online database filled by different sources and serves as the single point PROTIDE gets new predictions for the water level, water speed, water direction and swell around the IJgeul and the Euro-Maasgeul.

Water levels

For water levels PROTIDE retrieves predictions for two geographical locations along each channel. This is done for a point on sea (at the start of the channel) and a point at the harbor entrance (at the end of the channel or kilometer position 0). Water levels for the other positions are estimated by inter- or extrapolation of the predictions at the two available points. Now the following settings are used to retrieve water level predictions from MATROOS get_series.php (source, location, unit):

• rws_prediction, hoekvanholland, waterlevel
• rws_prediction, europlatform, waterlevel
• rws_prediction, ijmuiden, waterlevel
• csm8_ecmwf_wind, hoekvanholland, waterlevel
• csm8_ecmwf_wind, europlatform, waterlevel
• csm8_ecmwf_wind, ijmuiden, waterlevel
• observed, hoekvanholland, waterlevel
• observed, europlatform, waterlevel
• observed, ijmuiden, waterlevel

Because there isn't a standard location available at the start of the IJgeul channel for water level predictions, rough csm8 model results are retrieved from MATROOS for a coordinate around this point via MATROOS get_map2series:

• source=csm8, x=562217.92, y=5817443.61, unit=sep, coordsys=epsg:23031

Water speed and direction

For estimating the current ships encounter during a channel voyage. PROTIDE uses water speed and direction estimations at one point per channel. For Euro-maasgeul this is at the Europlatform and for the IJgeul this is at the IJmond stroompaal. Now the following settings are used to retrieve water level predictions from MATROOS get_series.php (source, location, unit):

• hmcn_kustfijn, europlatform, water_direction
• hmcn_kustfijn, europlatform, water_speed
• hmcn_kustfijn, ijmond stroompaal, water_direction
• hmcn_kustfijn, ijmond stroompaal, water_speed

Swell

For large ships like tankers and bulk carriers, waves with a low frequency have the most influence on the vertical movements of a ship. Swell wave predictions are retrieved at the Eurogeul and IJmuiden munitiestort positions. Now the following settings are used to retrieve water level predictions from MATROOS get_series.php (source, location, unit):

• rws_prediction, eurogeul, swellwave_height_hm0
• rws_prediction, ijmuiden munitiestort 1, swellwave_height_hm0

Stored in a given data setting

Data retrieved from MATROOS is stored in the PROTIDE database for a given data settings. Via the data settings, PROTIDE knows what it can do with the data and what the quality is of the data. If new predictions are made for the same location, time and unit, then new prediction is added and the old data marked as removed, but is still available for analysis purposes.