1. GTSPP Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Project http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/GTSPP/ “A cooperative international program designed to develop and maintain a global ocean T-S resource with data that are as up-to-date and of the highest quality as possible.” “The primary goal of the GTSPP is to make these data quickly and easily accessible to users. ”

2. GTSPP PARTNERS MEDS: Canada / Marine Environmental Data Service Real-Time data assembly, QC, Duplicate management NODC: NOAA / National Oceanographic Data Center Continuously managed database Delayed mode data QC Data Matching (Real-time / Delayed / Best Copy) Data available as monthly files (Web Database Access soon) AOML: NOAA / Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory Scientific QC, Atlantic Ocean SIO: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Scientific QC, Pacific Ocean (In the future at IPRC/APDRC) CSIRO: Australia / Commonwealth Scientific, Industrial and Research Organization Scientific QC, Indian Ocean IFREMER: France / Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer) TOGA Data QC

3. GTSPP QC METADATA 1. Quality Flags Position, Date-time, Record (whole record) Surface Parameter, Surface Code (each group) Depth/Pressure, Profile Parameter (each level) 2. History groups Up to 99 per station 3. Surface codes (Automated Tests) MEDS: QCP$, QCF$ NODC: QNP$, QNF$, QTE#, QPS# SIO: QSP$, QSF$

4. GTSPP QC FLAG FIELDS STATION RECORD QUALITY FLAGS Q_PosStation Position Quality Q_Date_TimeDate-Time Quality Q_RecordWorst Quality flag in the station PARAMETER GROUP (EACH LEVEL) Depres_QDepth/Pressure quality Prof_Q_Parm Data Quality SURFACE GROUP QUALITY FLAGS Q_ParmSurface Parameter Quality SRFC_Q_Parm Surface Code Quality

5. GTSPP QC FLAG VALUES DATA QUALITY CODES (IGOSS) 0 - no quality control (QC) was performed on this element 1 - QC was performed; element appears to be correct 2 - QC was performed; element appears inconsistent with other elements. 3 - QC was performed; element appears to be doubtful 4 - QC was performed; element appears to be erroneous 5 - the value was changed as a result of QC 6 - 8 - reserved for future use 9 - the value of this element is missing

6. GTSPP HISTORY GROUPS FIELDCHAR DEFINITION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ident_Code02Organization that created history PRC_Code04Computer program Version04Version of program PRC_Date08Date of action (YYYYMMDD) Act_Code02Action performed on parameter Act_Parm04Parameter code of changed parameter Aux_ID08Locator (e.g. depth) of parameter Previous_Val10Value of parameter before change 42Total Character Length of History Group

7. GTSPP QC Act_Codes (1) NODC CFChange a quality flag ED Edit a parameter value FB Flag to the Bottom FR Flag Range QC Quality Control IFREMER DA Delete Top of a profile DB Delete Bottom of a profile DL Delete interval in a profile ED Edit a parameter value QC Quality Control MEDS CF Change a quality flag CV Change value FB Flag to the Bottom FR Flag Range QC Quality Control S4 Whole profile flagged.

8. GTSPP QC Act_Codes (2) SIO CF Change a quality flag CT Constant temperature FS Fine structure error ML Mixed layer error NG No good trace OE Other error (SIO Code) QC Quality Control SF Surface feature error TG Temp gradient error TI Temp inversion error TO Temp/depth offset UR Under resolved AOML CF Change a quality flag CT Constant temperature FS Fine structure error ML Mixed layer error NG No good trace QC Quality Control SF Surface feature error TG Temp gradient error TI Temp inversion error TO Temp/depth offset UR Under resolved

9. GTSPP QC Act_Codes (3) CSIRO BB Bad Bottle data BD Bathy data which is rejected CL Contact Lost CS Surface Spike CT Constant temperature DE Depth Error, CSIRO Code DP Duplicate Drop, CSIRO Code DR Driver Error, Sippican MK-9 DU Duplicate Drop, CSIRO Code EF Eddy / Front / Current ER Early Recording error FS Fine structure error, PET fault GL Gradient Long (inversion) GS Gradient Short (spike) HB Hit Bottom HF High Frequency Interference IP Input record history group IV Inversion Confirmed LE Leakage, appears as "jitter" MB MBT data rejected, CSIRO Code MS Meso-scale feature, CSIRO Code NG No good trace NT No Trace NU Inversion Confirmed (nub) PE Position error Corrected PF Pet (PROTECNO) Fault PI Probable Inversion PS Fine Structure (Step-Like) QC Quality Control RE Repeat Drop SA Surface Anomaly SF Surface feature error SP Spike ST Fine Structure (Step-Like) TA Temperature anomaly accepted TD Temperature Difference TE Time error corrected if possible. TG Temperature gradient error TI Temperature inversion error TO Temperature/depth offset TP Test Probe UR Under resolved WB Wire Break WS Wire Stretch

10. GTSPP SURFACE CODES Surface Codes with Hexadecimal QC Codes: MEDS (IG05 = MEDS profile QC software) QCP$ 41E1FFDF 0 QCF$ 00000000 0 NODC (qcPr = NODC GTSPP QC Profiles software) QNP$ 0021735e 0 QNF$ 00000000 0 NODC (qced = NODC qc editor) QNP$ 0002F9775E 0 QTE# 0000000000 0 QPS# 0000000000 0 SIO (SIPP = SIO Editing Post-Processing software) QSP$ 000000003F 0 QSF$ 0000000000 0

11. GTSPP / SIO TESTS SIO QSF$ 0000000000 0 QSP$ 000000003F 0 Binary digits (L to R) = MTLSQ M = Marginal Seas test (0 = No Marginal Seas) T = Too many depth levels (> 1499) (0 = ok) L = Levitus climatology test of SST (0 = ok) S = is the first level within 50 M of surface (0 = yes) Q = is the profile quality flag for the station as received less than 3 (0 = yes)

12. GTSPP / QC TESTS (1) AUTOMATED TESTS AT MEDS AND NODC Stage 1: Location and Identification Tests 1.1Platform Identification 1.2Impossible Date/Time 1.3Impossible Position 1.4Position on Land 1.5Impossible Speed 1.6Impossible Sounding

13. GTSPP / QC TESTS (2) Stage 2: Profile Tests 2.1 Global Impossible Parameter Values 2.2 Regional Impossible Parameter Values 2.3 Increasing Depth 2.4 Global Profile Envelope 2.5 Constant Profile 2.6 Freezing Point 2.7 Spike 2.8 Top and Bottom Spike 2.9 Gradient 2.10 Density Inversion 2.11 Bottom 2.12 Temperature Inversion

14. GTSPP / QC TESTS (3) Stage 3: Climatology Tests 3.1 Levitus Seasonal Statistics 3.2 Emery and Dewar Climatology 3.3 Asheville Climatology 3.4 Levitus Monthly Climatology 3.5 Levitus Annual Climatology Stage 4: Profile Consistency Tests 4.1 Waterfall Stage 5: Visual Inspection 5.1 Cruise Track 5.2 Profiles

15. QCED MAIN WINDOW

16. QCED CRUISE TRACK

17. QCED WATERFALL

18. QCED PROFILE

19. QCED TIME/POSITION EDIT

20. KATRINA