Reporting on XBT deployments within JCOMMOPS

1. Reporting on XBT deployments within JCOMMOPS Hester Viola. Technical Coordinator of the Ship Observations Team. viola@jcommops.org

2. Outline • 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

3. JCOMMOPS • “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)

4. Aims 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

5. Monthly GTS status maps • 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. http://www.jcommops.org/FTPRoot/SOT/SOOP/Maps/2008/(maps in high resolution)

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

7. SOOP 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

8. SOOP 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

9. Metadata 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

10. Metadata files and SOOP database • Optional metadata fields collected (since 2000) and available now (up until end of 2007 for most operators): • Dropnumber (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)

11. Metadata reported annually by operators. • XBT Drops 2003-2007

12. 2005 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:

13. Conclusion • 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?