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awareness of stakeholders to support their safe, effective, and environmentally
sound engagement in ocean-related activities. In the USA, IOOS has expended significant efforts to assess such needs. Stakeholders and experts have identified a set
of 26 core variables of interest (see http://www.iooc.us/ocean-observations/variables/) including among others: tides, winds, waves, currents, seawater temperature,
seawater salinity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and ocean color. Nevertheless, certain data sets are particularly sought in specific regions. The immediate negative
impact of ocean acidification in the Pacific Northwest points to seawater pH as a
variable of increasing significance to commercial interest in that region. Another
example is the documentation of fog occurrence which is of importance to commercial and fishing interests in the Gulf of Maine and the US Pacific Northwest
coast but is of little interest along Gulf of Mexico or the southern coast of California,
or for stakeholders in tropical island regions. Similarly, tidal amplitude is most of
the time of little concern in microtidal regions such as the northeastern Caribbean
with a range of less than 1 m, but of permanent concern in regions such as the Gulf
of Maine where it may reach above 8 m.
The challenge to the ocean observing organization, once stakeholder data needs
are determined, is to deliver data or graphics that effectively serve stakeholder
needs. For web page display, many organizations offer a surface map depicting
regional observing assets in the water (including buoys, gliders, ocean bottom
emplacements), or on the coast (including HF radar and weather stations). These
assets are depicted as addressable icons which, upon interrogation, lead to dedicated
pages containing data tables and graphs. Typically, the latest data from the suit of
instrument aboard the platform of interest are provided as a single numerical readout and additionally as a self-refreshing table, as analog readout virtual dials, or as
self-refreshing bar and line graphs. Timeline graphs for pertinent values may be
brought up for varying time periods exposing periodic variability such as daily temperature fluctuations or yearly salinity excursions. Perusal of such figures allows a
rapid visual assessment of prevailing maxima and minima providing a framework
for enhanced understanding of existing conditions. More specialized renditions
incorporate an additional patterned or color-coded third dimension to geographic or
time series data. Synoptic georeferenced satellite imagery that superposes colorcoded temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, turbidity, or other surface properties upon
two-dimensional latitude/longitude is the most readily recognizable. Time series
data at different depths may likewise be plotted using the horizontal axis as time and
the vertical as depth (commonly referred to as z in oceanographic parlance). Data
from autonomous gliders and towed undulating bodies can also be plotted in this
fashion using the horizontal axis to depict distance along the vehicle track or time
since deployment.
Numerical model data output is often depicted as color-coded maps. Model output provides forecast guidance, but caveats are normally attached to such graphics
to address liability issues. Timeline graphics for in situ stations incorporating both
instrument data and numerical model output data are instructive in allowing rapid
evaluation of model performance. Little reliance can be placed on model forecast
projections if hindcast data do not match up well to instrument output.
7 Coastal Ocean Observing Data Quality Assurance and Quality Control, Data…
awareness of stakeholders to support their safe, effective, and environmentally
sound engagement in ocean-related activities. In the USA, IOOS has expended significant efforts to assess such needs. Stakeholders and experts have identified a set
of 26 core variables of interest (see http://www.iooc.us/ocean-observations/variables/) including among others: tides, winds, waves, currents, seawater temperature,
seawater salinity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and ocean color. Nevertheless, certain data sets are particularly sought in specific regions. The immediate negative
impact of ocean acidification in the Pacific Northwest points to seawater pH as a
variable of increasing significance to commercial interest in that region. Another
example is the documentation of fog occurrence which is of importance to commercial and fishing interests in the Gulf of Maine and the US Pacific Northwest
coast but is of little interest along Gulf of Mexico or the southern coast of California,
or for stakeholders in tropical island regions. Similarly, tidal amplitude is most of
the time of little concern in microtidal regions such as the northeastern Caribbean
with a range of less than 1 m, but of permanent concern in regions such as the Gulf
of Maine where it may reach above 8 m.
The challenge to the ocean observing organization, once stakeholder data needs
are determined, is to deliver data or graphics that effectively serve stakeholder
needs. For web page display, many organizations offer a surface map depicting
regional observing assets in the water (including buoys, gliders, ocean bottom
emplacements), or on the coast (including HF radar and weather stations). These
assets are depicted as addressable icons which, upon interrogation, lead to dedicated
pages containing data tables and graphs. Typically, the latest data from the suit of
instrument aboard the platform of interest are provided as a single numerical readout and additionally as a self-refreshing table, as analog readout virtual dials, or as
self-refreshing bar and line graphs. Timeline graphs for pertinent values may be
brought up for varying time periods exposing periodic variability such as daily temperature fluctuations or yearly salinity excursions. Perusal of such figures allows a
rapid visual assessment of prevailing maxima and minima providing a framework
for enhanced understanding of existing conditions. More specialized renditions
incorporate an additional patterned or color-coded third dimension to geographic or
time series data. Synoptic georeferenced satellite imagery that superposes colorcoded temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, turbidity, or other surface properties upon
two-dimensional latitude/longitude is the most readily recognizable. Time series
data at different depths may likewise be plotted using the horizontal axis as time and
the vertical as depth (commonly referred to as z in oceanographic parlance). Data
from autonomous gliders and towed undulating bodies can also be plotted in this
fashion using the horizontal axis to depict distance along the vehicle track or time
since deployment.
Numerical model data output is often depicted as color-coded maps. Model output provides forecast guidance, but caveats are normally attached to such graphics
to address liability issues. Timeline graphics for in situ stations incorporating both
instrument data and numerical model output data are instructive in allowing rapid
evaluation of model performance. Little reliance can be placed on model forecast
projections if hindcast data do not match up well to instrument output.
7 Coastal Ocean Observing Data Quality Assurance and Quality Control, Data…