IODE Ocean Data Portal and WIS Technology Workshop

The meeting of the Joint Steering Group for the IODE Ocean Data Portal and the WIGOS Pilot Project for JCOMM was held at the WMO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from 18 to 19 September 2008. The goal of the meeting was to review the project plan, the draft implementation plan, discuss the business plan, capacity-building issues, and address the core deliverables of the WIGOS Pilot Project for JCOMM and the IODE Ocean Data Portal. In particular, the Meeting addressed interoperability issues between the ODP and the WIS, and between other ocean data systems and the WIS. The Meeting agreed that interoperability with the WIS would be mainly achieved through: (i) ocean data centres contributing to the ODP and (ii) ODP becoming fully interoperable with the WIS. While recognizing that it was difficult at this point to make precise recommendation regarding the convergence of the WMO Core Metadata Profile, and other metadata profiles used in the marine community (e.g., MCP, CDI), the meeting recommended submitting MCP and / or any other relevant metadata profile through the JCOMM / IODE standards process for review by a wider community. This would also help MCP to build on WIS specifications, and permit to identify specific recommendations that will permit achieving interoperability with the WIS. The Meeting addressed instrument best practices and the development of better cooperation between JCOMM and CIMO and with HMEI. The Meeting recommended that the JCOMM Observing Panels and associated programmes address the issue of documenting their best practices in light of the WIGOS developments. A strategy was proposed for the updating of the WMO guide to meteorological instruments and methods of observation (WMO No. 8 – CIMO Guide) to better integrate oceanographic issues. Future updates concerning the Guide should be submitted to the JCOMM Focal Point on CIMO matters and the CIMO Focal Point for WMO No. 8. The Meeting proposed that instrument best practices related to surface meteorological and marine observations be included in the relevant chapter of the CIMO Guide while inviting JCOMM to consider developing similar best practices for the sub-surface observations as part of a separate document. All relevant documentation would avoid duplication, provide for appropriate links, and be referenced in the JCOMM Catalogue of Best Practices and Standards. This work will have to be coordinated between WMO and IOC accordingly. The EC WG WIGOS-WIS was invited to address this issue again - taking IOC’s ownership into account - and provide further guidance to the Pilot Project. The meeting discussed establishment of marine instrument centres using CIMO as a model. The NOAA National Data Buoy Centre (NDBC) offered to investigate feasibility and agreed starting acting as such on a trial basis. The JCOMM Focal Point on CIMO matters was invited to review and draft the Terms of Reference (ToR) for marine instrument centres and develop a proposal to be circulated to the joint Steering Group. Quality management aspects agreed upon at the ad hoc planning meeting (Ostend, Belgium, 29 March 2008) have been included in the Project and Implementation Plans. The Meeting noted the excellent progress made with regard to the development of Version 1 of the IODE Ocean Data Portal (ODP). While a Version 2 of the ODP is also being developed for the next two years, the Meeting agreed that the Pilot Project should - as part of the Pilot Project deliverables - target Version 1 for connecting specific data sets to the ODP and the WIS. This strategy will also permit to refine the requirements for Version 2. The Meeting reviewed potential partners and data contributions. It noted that discussions had taken place since the March 2008 meeting to address some of them, namely the SeaDataNET, the GHRSST-PP, and the Global Collecting Centres (GCCS). The Meeting noted with appreciation the development of a virtual constellation for the measurement of Ocean Surface Vector Wind. Thirteen potential partners were identified for providing key data sets to the Pilot - 2 - Projects as key deliverables. The Secretariat was asked to write to the relevant organizations in order to seek their participation in the Pilot Project. The Meeting updated its Project Plan, reviewed the draft Implementation Plan, adopted them, and proposed a strategy for reviewing progress considering risks, and trade-offs between time to deliver the project, costs and available resource, and quality of the deliverables. The Implementation Plan was rationalized to avoid overlap, include specific tasks with identified deadlines, and groups or individuals responsible for carrying out those tasks and / or following up their implementation. The Meeting discuss issues and progress to report to the Sub-group of the WMO Executive Council Working Group on WIGOS-WIS as well as to the twentieth Session of the IODE. The Meeting addressed capacity-building issues, and focused on the cooperation of developing countries in the Ocean Data Portal Project. These issues included the need for collaboration in the development of training materials between WMO and IOC on topics related to JCOMM, the promotion of WIGOS at the national level, and the organization of training courses in topics relevant to the WIGOS Pilot Project for JCOMM. The Meeting stressed that the Pilot Project could not realistically achieve success without receiving appropriate funding for the coordination of the Pilot Project. The Steering Group urged the WMO and IOC to commit CHF 50.000 and CHF 30.000 in 2009, respectively, and CHF 30.000 and CHF 20.000 in 2010, respectively.

Supported by IOC/IODE

Document available in English

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Ocean data portal