World Meteorological OrganizationIntergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO Ship Observations Team ~ integrating and coordinating international ship-based observing programmes for JCOMM ~ SOT-IV April 2007, Geneva, Switzerland Sarah North The Status, Operation and Future of the VOSClim Project

Page 2© Crown copyright 2007 VOS CLIMATE SHIP OBSERVATIONS NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES PORT MET. OFFICERS Delayed Mode Data ( IMMT 3 Code Data ) Real Time Data (Ship Code or compressed data) Metadata (WMO Pub 47 Data) BUFR Code Data (Observation and Model Data ) Monitoring Data (Statistics + suspect lists) GLOBAL COLLECTING CENTRES Data Users DATA ASSEMBLY CENTER (Project Web Site) DATA ASSEMBLY CENTER (Project Web Site) REAL TIME MONITORING CENTRE SOT IV - The VOSClim Project

Page 3© Crown copyright 2007 VOS CLIMATE SHIP OBSERVATIONS NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES PORT MET. OFFICERS Delayed Mode Data ( IMMT 3 Code Data ) Real Time Data (Ship Code or compressed data) Metadata (WMO Pub 47 Data) BUFR Code Data (Observation and Model Data ) Monitoring Data (Statistics + suspect lists) GLOBAL COLLECTING CENTRES Data Users DATA ASSEMBLY CENTER (Project Web Site) DATA ASSEMBLY CENTER (Project Web Site) REAL TIME MONITORING CENTRE

Page 4© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Updating Ship List on Project Website Failure to collect & submit delayed mode data Volume of project data is low VOSClim data is not being widely used Availability of Project data on Project Website Availability of Metadata on WMO Website Main Problem Areas - Since SOT III

Page 5© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Main Successes since SOT III Participation - Target of 200 Ships Achieved !! Website now updated Project procedures active (apart from delayed mode problems) Majority of Action items arising from SOT III now done, or part done – see Overview and Action list at Appendix A to VOSClim Task Team Report

Page 6© Crown copyright 2007 Country Number of Active VOSClim ships at SOT III Number of Active VOSClim ships at SOT IV Australia1012 Canada1440 France623 Germany1122 India2122 Japan55 Netherlands1 19 UK3362 USA12 TOTALS SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Recruitment levels Initial Target of 200 Participating ships now met !! Please check your ship lists are correct on project website

Page 7© Crown copyright 2007 Project Ship Lists Monitoring statistics/data Observation data Project newsletter Project focal points Photographs Ship survey inspection forms Project document, updates, information, links SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Project Web Site

Page 8© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 1.Recruited and withdrawn ships on project website not kept up to date – so monitoring not performed and data not available to users. How can this be improved ?? 2.Although number of ships has reached target level the volume of project data is poor. Strategies for increasing participation and data volume needed. 3.A comparison of the algorithms used in electronic logbook software is needed See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 9© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 4.GCC Reports show that there are an increasing number of ships Self-Recruiting…. - Is password protection needed on TurboWin software ?? - Or should all ships using electronic logbooks be encouraged to report the additional project groups (provided that they are not confused with registered VOSClim ships) ?? See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 10© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 5.Vital delayed mode IMMT 3 project data is not being consistently collected, quality controlled, or submitted by all VOSClim participants - SOT to encourage participants to make submissions ( even if MQCS not applied ) and to consider strategies to improve delayed mode data flow - Should GCCs be invited to take a more proactive role in collection of members IMMT data ?? See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 11© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 6.The original concept was that all data streams (real time, model, delayed mode and metadata) should be available via a single location on the project website maintained by the DAC. Whilst this concept remains valid, it has not been fully achieved and has therefore hindered evaluation of the data by the scientific advisers. How can this be resolved ??? 7.Availability of Pub 47 metadata is essential for the project but is hindered through slow delivery to WMO website (discuss under agenda items and IV/3.6) See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 12© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 8.The issue of how (and where) to store digital metadata imagery is not fully resolved, although some photos are on the project website. - As such imagery is also collected for standard VOS is there a more appropriate method of storage ? See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 13© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 9.The inclusion of a method of collecting Pub 47 metadata at source in TurboWin offers the possibility to maintain more up to date metadata records. This would help with keeping ships lists up to date and therefore assist the RTMC with issuing monitoring statistics - should ships observers be requested to check and send in their updated metadata listings to their recruiting NMS at, say, monthly intervals? - should such requests be programmed into TurboWin (i.e. linked to computer time?) 10.Should observing officers be trusted with updating metadata themselves ? (This could help in the case of ships that rarely return to the recruiting country, and the data could be vetted before making WMO Pub 47 submissions). Or, - should the metadata module in Pub 47 be password protected ?? See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 14© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 11.Do PMOs still need to complete the hardcopy VOSClim recruitment/update form if most of the metadata can now be collected electronically on board using TurboWin ?? - Should the form be discontinued for VOSClim ships fitted with TurboWin? (national inspection form requirements would be unaffected) See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 15© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 12.Although the RTMC is sending the VOSClim monitoring statistics and suspect lists to the DAC each month, there have been recent problems with their availability on the project website. Monitoring problems for these ships are not therefore being resolved. This appears to be a resource issue for the DAC to resolve ? See issues raised in Report of Task Team 13.Does the hardcopy VOSClim brochure need revision/reprinting ? – or is the electronic copy sufficient ? – If a reprint is needed how should it be funded ?

Page 16© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 14.There are now a variety of different certificates being issued to VOS (e.g. SOT, AMVER, National Certificates etc) including two certificates for VOSClim ships. - It is suggested that only the VOSClim Certificate of Participation (for presentation to the ship is needed) and that the VOSClim Certificate of Appreciation should be discontinued and removed from the website. See issues raised in Report of Task Team

Page 17© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 15.Masking of project ship call signs could be a serious problem for VOSClim if the DAC and RTMC are not able to identify ships. Changes in data traffic systems in the RTMC may be needed. ( for discussion under agenda item IV/4.1.2 ) 16.Differences in content and availability of different data streams have been identified ( was discussed at ETMC ? ) 17.Although VOSClim parameters have been included in the latest draft BUFR template, the suitability of BUFR for VOSClim data transfer is questioned ( for discussion under agenda item 1/6.2.2 ) 18.Bearing mind that a back up of the VOSClim BUFR data will also be made available on the Met Offices external FTP server it is questioned whether GTS exchange remains the preferred (or required) system for exchanging between the RTMC and the DAC Overarching VOSClim issues

Page 18© Crown copyright 2007 SOT IV - The VOSClim Project Issues for SOT to Address 19.Now that the target of 200 project ships has been reached and the project data delivery process is established (albeit with some outstanding issues) the SOT is invited to consider whether….. VOSClim should remain a PROJECT or be integrated into the VOS SCHEME as a separate or integrated long term PROGRAMME ??? - If so how should this be achieved ?? - Should it remain a climate subset of the VOS, or should the aim be to upgrade all VOS to VOSClim standards Fundamental VOSClim policy issue

SOT IV - The VOSClim Project