Latest ODV Version: ODV 5.7.0 (Feb 05 2024) 

NEW webODV Explore service lets you analyze and visualize many large environmental datasets. No data download or software installation is needed. 

NEW Large basin-wide and global data collections of Argo, BGC-Argo and SeaDataNet data are now available for online analysis and visualization at https://webodv-egi-ace.cloud.ba.infn.it/. Instructions on how to login and use the service are here. Once you are logged in, descriptions of the Argo data collections can be found under Docs

Ocean Data View (ODV) is a software package for the interactive exploration, analysis and visualization of oceanographic and other geo-referenced profile, time-series, trajectory or sequence data. ODV runs on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and UNIX (Solaris, Irix, AIX) systems. ODV data and configuration files are platform-independent and can be exchanged between different systems.

Use ODV to produce: 

ODV can display original data points or gridded fields based on the original data. ODV has two fast weighted-averaging gridding algorithms as well as the advanced DIVA gridding software built-in. Gridded fields can be color-shaded and/or contoured. ODV supports five different map projections and can be used to produce high quality cruise maps. ODV graphics output can be send directly to printers or may be exported to PostScript, gif, png, or jpg files. The resolution of exported graphics files is specified by the user and not limited by the pixel resolution of the screen.

The ODV data format allows dense storage and very fast data access. Large data collections with millions of stations can easily be maintained and explored on  inexpensive desktop and notebook computers. Data from Argo, CCHDO, CORAGTSPP, MEOPWorld Ocean Database, World Ocean AtlasWorld Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE)SeaDataNet, and Medar/Medatlas can be directly imported into ODV. Ready-to-use versions of the WOCE data, the gridded World Ocean Atlas as well as many other important geoscience datasets are available for download.

ODV also supports the netCDF format and lets you explore and visualize CF, COARDS, GDT and CDC compliant netCDF datasets. This works with netCDF files on your local machine as well as with remote netCDF files served by an OPeNDAP server. Climate data in netCDF format are available here.

Various global or regional high-resolution coastline and topography resources can be installed via the View>Settings option. Packages for special regions of interest can be produced on request.

ODV has more than 116,000 registered users at leading research institutes world wide. More than 10,000 users have downloaded and are actively using the latest version of the software. The UNESCO Ocean Teacher project employs ODV as one of its main analysis and display tools. In addition, ODV is used as visualization tool for the Pangaea information system. 

ODV may be used free of charge for non-commercial, non-military research and teaching purposes. If used in scientific papers, reports or posters, ODV must be referenced as follows: Schlitzer, Reiner, Ocean Data View, odv.awi.de, 2023. Usage of ODV for commercial and military purposes requires purchase of an ODV software license. For more information please see the ODV license document.

ODV development has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 and Seventh Framework Programmes under grant agreement numbers 730960 SeaDataCloud, 283607 SeaDataNet2, 211384 EPOCA, and 264879 CarboChange.