About us
This page provides a general description of SOCIB, SOCIB’s Beach Monitoring Facility, and its modular beach integral monitoring system.
SOCIB
The Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB from the Spanish version, Sistema de Observación y Predicción Costero de las Illes Balears) is a Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructure (ICTS, in its Spanish acronym), managed by a Consortium created by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands in 2007. In 2020, the CSIC was incorporated into the structure of the SOCIB Consortium. Located in Parc Bit, Palma, it has a multidisciplinary team of 50 people with a common goal: to monitor, observe and forecast the Mediterranean Sea and to advance in the knowledge, understanding, and sustainable management of the ocean in a context of global change. To this end, SOCIB operates an observing system that continuously monitors the the western Mediterranean, collecting data through multiple platforms including high-frequency coastal radars, comprehensive beach monitoring systems, ocean gliders, Lagrangian observation platforms (ARGO profilers and surface drifting buoys), oceanographic buoys, meteorological and sea-level stations, and the Research Vessel (R/V SOCIB). Modeling and forecasting systems complement the observing infrastructures to integrate multi-platform and multidisciplinary observations and generate predictions. The data obtained from observations and model predictions can be accessed in real-time and in open access through the SOCIB website (www.socib.es) in line with EU open data strategy. As ICTS, it offers competitive access to the R/V SOCIB and the glider fleet and also offers other specific oceanographic services. Furthermore, through its Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) strategy, it encourages open access to its scientific and technical production and the transfer of knowledge, thus facilitating the application of its capabilities in R&D&I, connecting with researchers, marine and maritime end-users, decision-makers, companies, and citizens. To this effect,, it designs and implements viewers, early-warning and prediction systems, applications, among other ocean products, to promote science-based marine and coastal management and support the blue economy and mission oriented innovation towards a sustainable and inclusive productive model - on line with the green deal -. In addition, SOCIB works towards accelerating a shift in ocean literacy in Spanish culture, developing activities and resources for all audiences. Last but not least, SOCIB focuses its development, activities and institutional commitments in its Strategic Plan (2021-2024) in line with the United Nations scientific, environmental and societal priorities, the 2030 Agenda and the International Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
SOCIB BEACH MONITORING FACILITY
The nearshore zone is a highly sensitive area that embraces several complex physical processes that interact at different spatiotemporal scales. Coastal areas are the first barrier in front of coastal extreme events and flooding, and particularly threatened by global warming and the resulting rise in sea level and changes of storm patterns. Furthermore, they are of special socio-economic relevance, and specially at the Balearic Islands, representing a key environmental. cultural, social and economic elements. A better understanding of nearshore processes and the response of coastal systems at all these scales is increasingly necessary and key to improve conceptual and forecast models, as well as to ensure an appropriate coastal management.
As a scientific facility, the SOCIB’s Beach Monitoring Facility contributes to the state-of art of near-shore morphodynamics knowledge at different levels to monitorize and characterise near-shore processes by means of different methods and instruments, with the final goal of supporting near-shore morphodynamics research, deliver reliable and high quality data, and provide expert and scientific support and best-practices for a fully-sustainable management of coastal systems adaptation in front of climate change effects. Particularly, the Beach Monitoring Facility operates the Modular Beach Integral Monitoring System (MOBIMS), a hybrid system of field campaigns and remote sensing. MOBIMS is composed of a low-cost open-source video monitoring system (SIRENA, Nieto et al., 2010), an Acoustic Wave and Current Profiler (AWAC), and a weather station; coupled with bi-annual field campaigns during which high-resolution bathymetries and topographies, as well as sediment sampling, are performed. Beach Monitoring Facility products consist of real-time data on beach images and weather variables, as well as periodic information on waves, sediments, and beach morphology, freely available at the SOCIB’s website www.socib.es and under demand. On this website Autonomous Wave Forecast System (SAPO) of Balearic Island, as well as, real time viewers (Seaboard Cala Millor and Son Bou) are also available.
Acknowledgement of Beamon Viewer data and images
Users of images or other products provided by BEAMON Viewer shall properly acknowledge the source by citing it as follows:
"Images and/or data obtained through the BEAMON Viewer app, developed by Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB). [year of data download], [Title], [URL to access the data/images], access [date of access]".
Related Publications:
Nieto, M.A., Garau, B., Balle, S., Simarro, G., Zarruk, G.A., Ortiz, A., Tintoré, J., Álvarez-Ellacuría, A., Gómez-Pujol, L. & Orfila, A. (2010), An open source, low cost video-based coastal monitoring system. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms, 35: 1712-1719. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.2025
Tintoré, J., Vizoso, G., Casas, B., Heslop, E., Pascual, A., Orfila, A., Ruiz, S., Martínez-Ledesma, M., Torner, M., Cusi, S., Diedrich, A., Balaguer Huguet, P., Gómez-Pujol, L., Álvarez-Ellacuria, A., Gómara, S., Sebastian, K., Lora, S., Beltrán, J., Renault, L. & Manriquez, M. (2013). SOCIB: The Balearic Islands Coastal Ocean Observing and Forecasting System Responding to Science, Technology and Society Needs. Marine Technology Society Journal. 47. 101-117. 10.4031/MTSJ.47.1.10.
Criado-Sudau, F.F. & Tintoré, J. (2022). Beamon Viewer User's Manual (Version 1.0). Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System, SOCIB. https://doi.org/10.25704/zda2-1t92