ReefBeacon can sound like a black box: sea temperature goes in, an early warning comes out. It is anything but. Here is the journey of one data point through the system.
From raw measurement to warning
- Open data in. ReefBeacon continuously ingests openly available oceanographic data — sea temperature and related measurements from public sources covering Hong Kong waters.
- Quality checks. Every reading passes transparent checks that flag gaps, spikes and sensor drift before anything else happens to it.
- Indicators. Clean measurements feed established heat-stress indicators and bleaching-risk signals, computed the same way every time.
- Maps, dashboards, alerts. The results become clear visual outputs and alerts that researchers, divers and coastal communities can act on.
Open by design
Transparency and reproducibility are the point, not a bonus. ReefBeacon is built on open data and open code, so anyone can verify how a conclusion was reached — or rebuild the analysis themselves. Where the whole pipeline can be inspected end to end, trust has something to stand on.
AI in the field
Beyond the numbers, ReefBeacon supports coral surveys with AI-assisted photo analysis, helping diving teams and researchers document reef conditions faster and more consistently.
What’s next
We are expanding data coverage and deepening automated analysis, so the system can watch more of Hong Kong’s waters with less manual effort.
Finally, a thank-you to the providers of the open oceanographic data ReefBeacon builds on — this work stands on their shoulders.