Using the NEDRES interactive database to find oceanographic information

The National Environmental Data Referral Service (NEDRES) enables marine scientists to search for oceanographic information. The NEDRES data base is an on-line computer catalog of descriptions of environmental data sets which refer the user to the holder of the data. NEDRES is accessible by computer terminal via telecommunication networks. Data base searching capabilities allow the user to search sources of data as desired and list the results. NEDRES contains descriptions of many oceanographic data sets. Examples of typical records and sample searches for different ocean areas and different parameters show the power of NEDRES. An example is over 526 data sets for the Atlantic Ocean. Searches may combine any desired descriptors. This tool is a valuable contribution to research since it directs the user to a wide variety of data sources.