Marine Information System

MARIS also includes oceanographic parameters, such as seawater temperature, salinity and bathymetry. The database was developed in the Radiometrics Laboratory of the IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory (IAEA-MEL) in Monaco. The map on the website shows the distribution of sites for which data on radionuclides in the World's oceans and seas were entered into the database.

The first main objective of MARIS is to provide information on the radioactive contamination of the marine environment. Formerly this function was supported by the Global Marine Radioactivity Database (GLOMARD). MARIS contains data on the most important radionuclides in the world oceans and seas (open sea as well as in coastal zones), specifically in seawater, particulate matter, biota and sediment.

These data originate from published scientific papers, reports and databases created within institutes or scientific programmes in Member States and can be used with appropriate quotation of sources and references. Quantification of contributions from the sources of radionuclides in the world's oceans and seas, computer modelling of the dispersion of radionuclides and radiological assessment studies require that IAEA's Member States be provided with information on the past and present levels of radionuclides in the marine environment.

The IAEA acts as a clearing-house for information on radioactive contaminants in the marine environment and makes data on marine radionuclide levels available to Member States for future assessment studies and the evaluation of trends in contamination of the marine environment.

Quality LevelExplanation of Terms

• Authoritative: All information in the resource has been verified by authorities as indicated.
• Quality-checked: All information in the resource has been quality-checked as indicated.
• Not quality-checked: Although the information in the resource may come from peer-reviewed journals or other high-quality sources, it has not undergone subsequent quality checking before incorporation in the resource.

: Quality-checked by the IAEA Secretariat on the bases of submitted data
CompletenessExplanation of Terms

• Comprehensive:The resource includes all items in the category for which the resource was created.
• Selective: The resource includes only selected items in the category for which the resource was created, with the process or basis for the selection as indicated.

: Comprehensive
Update FrequencyExplanation of Terms

• Updated continually: A conscientious effort is made to add new information immediately and keep the resource up-to-date on a day-by-day basis.
• Updated periodically: The resource is updated on a schedule. Common values are monthly, quarterly, annually or biennially, but others are also used.
• Updated occasionally: The resource is updated now and then, but not on a schedule.
• Static: The resource is a one-off creation with no plans for updates, or a resource that was updated in the past but has now been frozen with no new input planned.

: Periodically yearly