1963 AP: Northern Ireland Historical Shoreline Change Analysis

Northern Ireland's coastline is analyzed for historical shoreline change using Ordnance Survey maps and aerial imagery dating back to the early 1800s. Ulster University produced this dataset by applying the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) to calculate rate-of-change statistics at 25-meter intervals. The data was last updated on 2026-03-18 and is provided by OpenDataNI under the OGL-UK-3.0 license.

Use Cases

• Calculate rates of coastal erosion or accretion based on Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) and End Point Rate (EPR) statistics.
• Model long-term shoreline dynamics using Linear Regression Rate (LRR) and Weighted Linear Regression Rate (WLR) methods.
• Identify specific stretches of coastline experiencing significant retreat or advance using the Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE) metric.
• Visualize historical coastal change over annual to decadal time periods for public communication or policy development.

Strengths

• Analysis is based on all available Ordnance Survey maps and aerial imagery, suggesting a multi-source historical record.
• Rate-of-change statistics were calculated at a 25-meter spatial interval, providing a detailed transect-based view.
• The dataset includes multiple statistical measures (NSM, SCE, EPR, LRR, WLR) for analyzing change.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and total file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description does not specify the exact temporal coverage or the number of distinct shoreline positions analyzed.

Provenance

Source

OpenDataNI, with analysis conducted by Ulster University.

Collection Method

Historical shoreline analysis using Ordnance Survey maps and aerial imagery, processed with the ArcGIS Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS).

Time Range

Shoreline positions from the early 1800s onwards.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-18 11:23:50.573046; freshness should be verified.

Geography

The entire coastline of Northern Ireland.