2017 Ortho OSNI: Historical Shoreline Change Analysis for Northern Ireland

Historical shoreline position and geometry data for the entire Northern Ireland coastline, analyzed from Ordnance Survey maps and aerial imagery dating back to the early 1800s. Ulster University produced this digital asset using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) to calculate rates of change. The data provides a dynamic picture of coastal evolution over annual to decadal time periods.

Use Cases

• Calculate rates of shoreline change like Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) based on the described statistical outputs.
• Identify areas of coastal retreat or accretion along the Northern Ireland coast based on the spatially displayed rate-of-change data.
• Model historical coastal evolution based on the multi-temporal shoreline positions derived from maps and imagery.
• Support coastal management and planning decisions with evidence of long-term shoreline dynamics.

Strengths

• Analysis is based on all available historical Ordnance Survey maps and aerial imagery, providing a long temporal baseline.
• Rate-of-change statistics are calculated at 25-meter intervals along the coast, offering detailed spatial granularity.
• Includes multiple statistical measures of change (NSM, SCE, EPR, LRR, WLR) for robust analysis.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and specific file sizes are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the Northern Ireland focus.

Provenance

Source

OpenDataNI, with analysis provided by Ulster University.

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Early 1800s onwards.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-18 11:23:16.083536; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Northern Ireland coastline.