Quality Assurance of Real-Time Ocean Data

Advances towards an Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) have accelerated efforts to provide concurrent real time data quality information to a widely disparate user community. The first workshop for the Quality Assurance of Real-Time Ocean Data (QARTOD-I) for the coastal ocean observing community was hosted by the National Data Buoy Center from Dec 3 to Dec 5, 2003 at the Stennis Space Center.

Participants from Federal and State governments, academia, and industry attended the workshop with the main goal of establishing some general standards for real-time data quality assurance and control (QA/QC) in preparation for their participation in the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). Particular emphasis was placed upon the coastal ocean from estuaries to the shelf break or EEZ. Requirements of both the scientific community and operational users of IOOS data were considered. A final report is available on line - PDF.

QARTOD - II brings together those with an interest in the QA/QC of oceanographic observations, with a focus on observations of currents and waves. It will be hosted by the National Ocean Service (NOS) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) in Norfolk Virginia from 28 February to 02 March, 2005. Meeting preparation will be directed by a convening board comprised of individuals representing a variety of maritime interests.

The meeting will be held on the waterfront in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. On the 28th the plenary sessions will be held at the Nauticus theater in the National Maritime Center and home to the Battleship Wisconsin. On the 1st and 2nd, sessions will be held at the nearby Sheraton Hotel also on the waterfront. Flights should be arranged to Norfolk International (ORF).

Material for the meeting will be located at the QARTOD II web site.

Local coordinators are Mark Bushnell (NOAA/NOS/CO-OPS/FOD) and Larry Atkinson (Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Old Dominion University). Primary contact is Gabriel Franke (franke@ccpo.odu.edu) who will provide staff support for the workshop. Until the website registration is up send your intention to register to Gabriel.

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