Global VLM Data Platform

Open vertical land motion data for sea-level science

A global platform for vertical land motion data in support of relative sea-level science.

This platform is designed to make heterogeneous VLM observations, models, and hybrid coastal estimates easier to discover, compare, document, and reuse in one open, community-oriented place.

Open Global Map Explore the platform concept Visit IPLS Join the IPLS mailing list

Interactive concept: how the platform works

Hover any box or arrow to update the explanation panel. The concept below makes the architecture explicit: community members work directly on two GitHub repositories, while open archives such as Zenodo remain the authoritative external source environment for published datasets and supplements.

External source

Zenodo & archives

Original files, supplements, release records, DOI pages, metadata, and citation targets.

Ingest

GitHub repo 1

Data & code

Dataset folders, metadata JSON, scripts, notebooks, processing logic, schema, manifests, attribution.

Build

GitHub repo 2

Pages website

Static web app with maps, filters, comments, concept pages, downloads, and side-by-side comparison.

Community

Community contributors

Directly edit repo 1 and repo 2 through issues, pull requests, dataset submissions, and metadata review.

Review

Standards

Common metadata model

Technique, source, reference frame, variables, units, uncertainty, provenance, download targets.

Use

Outcome

Decision-ready discovery

Find data, compare products, document origin, identify gaps, and download subsets for reuse.

How to read the diagram

Hover a concept box or arrow to see what it means. The boxes represent data sources, repositories, roles, or outcomes; the arrows represent ingest, build, review, and scientific reuse.

External source GitHub collaboration Shared standards Public-facing impact

Important alignment

This platform should contribute directly and visibly to the IPLS effort.

The International Panel on Land Subsidence (IPLS) aims to unite the global subsidence research community, close knowledge gaps on coastal subsidence and relative sea-level rise, foster collaboration across disciplines, consolidate existing knowledge, and support the first assessment report on these issues. This platform is intended to help that effort by making VLM datasets easier to find, inspect, compare, and document in a shared, web-native environment.

IPLS home Join the mailing list

Important disclaimer

This is a preliminary showcase website.

The platform concept shown here is an early public-facing showcase, not yet a complete operational data system. All datasets displayed should remain linked to their original source, archive, DOI page, repository, or provider record. The website should help users discover, compare, and understand datasets, but it must not obscure provenance, replace required citation, or detach products from their original custodianship.

About the project

The platform centers on one practical idea: vertical land motion data matter for coastal risk, but they are scattered across disciplines, formats, repositories, and scales. The goal is to create an accessible web layer on top of this fragmented ecosystem so researchers can quickly see what exists, where it comes from, how it was processed, and how different products compare.

It is intentionally designed around static deployment, portable metadata, transparent provenance, and community contribution. That lowers operational overhead, improves long-term persistence, and makes the platform easier to maintain even as contributors change over time.

Project context: VLM-SLC project page

Funding and institutional context

The scientific context of this work is linked to the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), part of Horizon Europe. The platform reflects that spirit by connecting research infrastructure, open data, transparent workflows, and international collaboration around sea-level change and coastal subsidence.

This showcase was developed by Julius Oelsmann at the Technical University of Munich in the context of a Marie Sklodowska-Curie project. The views and prototype implementation are those of the author and do not necessarily represent an official TUM or European Commission product.

TUMTechnical University of Munich

TulaneTulane University European CommissionEU / Horizon Europe / MSCA context

Community co-development

This prototype is intended to evolve into a community effort where researchers and data providers from the VLM community are welcome to co-develop the code, metadata, and documentation through GitHub.

Authors and custodians of original datasets will be contacted and invited to contribute, correct metadata, improve provenance, and help shape the platform into a joint project.

Development happens openly in the GitHub repository oelsmann/vlm_viz.

Contact and reuse

Contact: julius.oelsmann@tum.de
Julius Oelsmann, Technical University of Munich

Copyright (c) 2026 Julius Oelsmann. Code and website source are released under the MIT License. Third-party datasets remain governed by their original providers, licenses, DOIs, terms of use, and citation requirements.

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Multi-technique comparison

GNSS, InSAR, tide gauges, GIA models, hybrid estimates, and contextual layers can be viewed in one interface.

Static by design

GitHub Pages-style delivery reduces infrastructure needs while preserving public access and transparency.

Reproducible data handling

Each layer should link back to documented sources, scripts, metadata, and citation guidance.

Built for assessment efforts

The platform is meant to support cross-dataset synthesis and broader coordination, especially within IPLS.