The Copernicus World Heritage Hub (WHH) Data Viewer has been updated with new features designed to improve its usability. Improvements include a time slider to navigate through temporal datasets, customisable colours, and a more efficient layer manager. Together, these updates help users explore the full potential of Copernicus data for heritage monitoring and combine different sources of information to support their activities.
Explore environmental changes over time
Understanding how environmental conditions evolve over time is essential for monitoring threats to cultural and natural heritage sites. From changes in vegetation cover to variations in environmental parameters, Copernicus datasets provide valuable information to help assess pressures on protected areas. The new Time Slider allows users to navigate through the available dates of time series datasets directly in the Data Viewer.
When several temporal datasets are displayed simultaneously, the slider accommodates their different date ranges, making it easier to explore observations from different periods. If observations are unavailable for a selected date, the viewer displays the closest available data. The layer manager also indicates when the selected date falls outside a dataset's temporal coverage, helping users interpret the information displayed. This feature makes it easier to explore environmental conditions across different periods and identify observations relevant to heritage monitoring and conservation activities. For example, heritage professionals can use the Time Slider to compare vegetation cover or land surface temperature around a heritage site over time, helping them identify changes that may require closer monitoring.
Combine and visualise different datasets more clearly
Monitoring heritage sites often requires combining information from different sources, including Copernicus environmental datasets and geographical information on protected areas or heritage boundaries. The Data Viewer now allows users to customise the display colours of vector layers, including GeoJSON and Web Feature Service (WFS) layers. This makes it easier to distinguish between overlapping datasets and improves map readability. For instance, users can assign different colours to UNESCO World Heritage site boundaries and additional geographical layers, allowing them to better visualise how environmental information relates to the location and extent of protected sites.
Improved layer management for a smoother experience
The latest update also introduces improvements to the Layer Manager, with enhanced performance and more intuitive layer management. These changes make it easier to work with multiple datasets simultaneously, helping users organise and navigate the information displayed within a single map view.
Discover the updated Data Viewer
Explore the updated Copernicus World Heritage Hub Data Viewer and discover how Earth Observation data can support your heritage monitoring activities!