Reporting on XBT Reporting on XBT deployments within deployments within

JCOMMOPSJCOMMOPSHester Viola.

Technical Coordinator of the Ship Observations Team.viola@jcommops.org

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OutlineOutline

• Introduction to JCOMMOPS• JCOMMOPS Monthly maps on XBT drops (on

the GTS) • SOOP Annual report and maps• Metadata collected about XBT deployments

– Format used by operators to report metadata to JCOMMOPS

• Assessment of sampling success for recent years

• Conclusions and points to consider

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JCOMMOPSJCOMMOPS

• “Operational Platform Support Centre” for the

Observations Programme Area of the Joint WMO-IOC

Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine

Meteorology - JCOMM

• JCOMMOPS provides coordination at the international

level for oceanographic and marine observations from

drifting buoys, moored buoys, ships of opportunity and

sub-surface profiling floats. – Argo sub surface floats. (Technical coordinator Mathieu Belbeoch)

– Data Buoy Cooperation Panel. (Technical coordinator Hester Viola)

– Ship Observations Team - SOOP and VOS (Technical coordinator Hester Viola)

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Aims of JCOMMOPSAims of JCOMMOPS

• More specifically JCOMMOPS is a component of the international coordination mechanism, which aims on behalf of JCOMM to:

– Act as a clearing house and focal point on all aspectsof observing platform implementation and operation.

– assist in the planning, implementation and operations of the observing systems

– monitor and evaluate the performance of the observing networks– encourage cooperation between communities and member states– encourage data sharing– assist in data distribution on Internet and GTS– relay users feedback on data quality to platforms operators– provide technical assistance and user support– develop synergies between observing systems.

• More general information on http://www.jcommops.org

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Monthly GTS status mapsMonthly GTS status maps

http://www.jcommops.org/FTPRoot/SOT/SOOP/Maps/2008/ (maps in high resolution)

• JCOMMOPS provides an international status for all of its observing platforms, each month in a map. • Many groups also prepare monthly reports on XBT drops e.g. AOML USA, OSMC USA, MEDS Canada, Coriolis France.

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Interactive monthly GTS status mapInteractive monthly GTS status map

http://w4.jcommops.org/WebSite/SOOPM (monthly dynamic map for GTS data)

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SOOP Annual ReportSOOP Annual Report

• JCOMMOPS stores SOOP metadata and reports annually on the

sampling success for each line.

• The metadata database can be browsed on the JCOMMOPS website,

providing in-depth analyses, on-demand, to those who require it via: http://wo.jcommops.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/SOOPIndicators

• From this database a document is produced annually which includes

information about the success and summaries for all lines, plus other

analysis products produced internationally.

• For more information see:http://www.jcommops.org/soop/soop_report.html

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SOOP Annual Report MapSOOP Annual Report Map

• Maps are included in the annual report document and available online.• Interactive Map contains:-Annual Sampling success- Data disseminated on the GTS - Drops by operator

To view the interactive map, see : http://w4.jcommops.org/WebSite/SOOP

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Metadata files and SOOP databaseMetadata files and SOOP database

• Mandatory metadata collected from operators as comma delimited text files (since 2000) and available now (up until end of 2007 for most operators) at JCOMMOPS:

– Line number (e.g. AX01 or IX10)– Cruise ID (operator builds this ID, should be unique for any SOOP cruise, e.g.

CSIRO1999S6FK01)– Transect number (integer, assigned by the operator, incremented for each new

transect between ports).– Date (YYYYMMDD), Time (HHMM)– Ship's call sign– Latitude (decimal degrees, N>0, S<0), Longitude (decimal degrees, E>0, W<0)– Operator (e.g. SIO, BSH, SEAS, IRD_BREST, IRD_NOUMEA, JMA, BOM etc)– Name of real time telecommunications system (e.g. Argos, Inmarsat..)– Instrument type (WMO Common Code Table C 3, see Annex C)– Recorder type (WMO Common Code Table C 4, see Annex C)– Fall rate equation coefficients, coefficient a, Fall rate equation coefficients,

coefficient b– Software version description

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Metadata files and SOOP databaseMetadata files and SOOP database

• Optional metadata fields collected (since 2000) and available now (up until end of 2007 for most operators):– Drop number (as counted by the operator)– Unique tag– Probe batch date (date of manufacture, YYYYMMDD)– Argos number (if any)– Quality of profile (GOOD/BAD/DUBIOUS)– Ship name (delimited with quotes "")– End points (within quotes, syntax: "start point - end point“)– Programme name (National programme in which this drop belongs)– Total depth of profile (m)– Comment (string, free format delimited with quotes "")

• Instructions on the format to use are on:http://www.jcommops.org/doc/metadata/submission_format.html (This includes information about the metadata that were collected prior to 2000)

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Metadata reported annually by Metadata reported annually by operators. operators.

• XBT Drops 2003-2007

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2005 and 2006 sampling success2005 and 2006 sampling success

• 2006 had the least drops for 5 years.• For a total of 45 FRX and HDX UOT lines (some

of them operated in both modes) we had the following summarised results for the two years:

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ConclusionConclusion

• Things to consider during this workshop:– Metadata storage and provision – is the metadata

useful and who uses it?– Simplification and automation– Data exchange formats (self describing) – to include

more metadata e.g. BUFR for operational flows– New metadata fields e.g. unique transect number,

probe serial number…

• Future – how can JCOMMOPS assist SOOP operators best?