About
Tethys is an open-source temporal-spatial database built for managing metadata from passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) detection and localization studies. Primarily focused on marine mammal bioacoustics, it also supports terrestrial PAM research. Researchers can query the database by time, space, or any custom attribute, and integrate results with external environmental datasets such as NASA's Ocean Color data and lunar illumination sources. The platform supports data ingestion from PAMGuard (a leading PAM analysis package), spreadsheets, relational databases, or via the Tethys Nilus library. It offers both a point-and-click web client and a data explorer for visual data exploration, as well as full programming interfaces in MATLAB, Java, Python, and R for advanced analysis. Tethys was initiated in 2011 through a collaboration between NOAA, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and San Diego State University. Its schemata served as the foundation for the ASA/ANSI S3/SC1.7-2026 passive acoustic monitoring standard. The server software currently runs on 64-bit Windows, while client software is platform-independent. Tethys is an essential scientific workbench for bioacousticians, marine biologists, and environmental researchers seeking to aggregate, standardize, and analyze large-scale acoustic monitoring datasets.
Key Features
- Temporal-Spatial Metadata Storage: Stores and organizes metadata from passive acoustic monitoring studies queryable by time, geographic location, or any custom attribute.
- Environmental Data Integration: Integrates acoustic metadata with external environmental datasets including NASA's Ocean Color, lunar illumination, and other online sources.
- PAMGuard Compatibility: Natively supports data export from PAMGuard, the leading passive acoustic monitoring analysis software, enabling seamless multi-study aggregation.
- Multi-Language Programming Interfaces: Provides APIs for MATLAB, Java, Python, and R, enabling programmatic access to metadata and environmental data for advanced scientific analysis.
- Standards-Compliant Schema: Database schema is largely compliant with the ASA/ANSI S3/SC1.7-2026 passive acoustic monitoring standard, ensuring interoperability and data quality.
Use Cases
- Marine biologists aggregating passive acoustic monitoring data across multiple field deployments to perform large-scale cetacean detection meta-analyses.
- Environmental researchers querying acoustic monitoring metadata by geographic region and time period, then correlating results with NASA Ocean Color or other environmental datasets.
- Government and academic institutions standardizing PAM data collection and storage practices in compliance with ASA/ANSI S3/SC1.7-2026.
- Data scientists and bioacousticians using Python, R, or MATLAB interfaces to programmatically access and analyze Tethys metadata for species distribution modeling.
- Terrestrial ecologists managing metadata from land-based acoustic monitoring studies of wildlife populations using Tethys's general-purpose schema.
Pros
- Completely Free and Open Source: Tethys is freely available with no licensing costs, making it accessible to academic institutions, government agencies, and independent researchers alike.
- Flexible Multi-Study Aggregation: Enables researchers to combine and compare metadata across many independent PAM studies for large-scale meta-analyses.
- Broad Language Support: Programming interfaces in MATLAB, Java, Python, and R accommodate a wide range of researcher workflows and institutional environments.
- Industry-Standard Schema: Alignment with ASA/ANSI S3/SC1.7-2026 ensures data collected in Tethys meets recognized passive acoustic monitoring standards.
Cons
- Windows-Only Server: The server software currently runs only on 64-bit Windows, limiting deployment flexibility for Linux- or macOS-based infrastructure teams.
- Steep Learning Curve: Effective use requires familiarity with PAM methodologies, data schemas, and at least one supported programming language, which may challenge non-technical users.
- Metadata Only: Tethys manages metadata about acoustic recordings rather than the audio files themselves, so additional storage and analysis tools are still required for raw data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of data does Tethys store?
Tethys stores metadata from passive acoustic monitoring studies, including detection and localization records. It does not store the raw audio files themselves, only the structured metadata associated with acoustic recordings.
Is Tethys only for marine mammal research?
While Tethys was primarily designed for marine mammal bioacoustics, its schemata are general enough to support terrestrial passive acoustic monitoring studies as well.
How do I get data into Tethys?
Data can be imported via PAMGuard's built-in Tethys export, from spreadsheets or relational databases, or programmatically using the Tethys Nilus library in MATLAB, Java, Python, or R.
What operating systems does Tethys support?
The Tethys server currently runs on 64-bit Windows only. However, client software is written in platform-independent languages and can run on most operating systems.
Is Tethys compliant with any data standards?
Yes. The Tethys schemata served as the foundation for the ASA/ANSI S3/SC1.7-2026 standard for passive acoustic monitoring and is largely compliant with that standard today.
