Observing System Monitoring Center

Principal Investigator: Eugene Burger, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

Project Summary

The Observing System Monitoring Center (OSMC) 1 project exists to join the discrete “networks” of in situ ocean observing platforms — ships, surface floats, profiling floats, tide gauges, etc. – into a single, integrated system. The OSMC addresses this goal through capabilities in five areas: 1) it captures the real-time ocean data stream from the NOAA feed of the WMO Global Telecommunications System (GTS) into a database, and makes those data available at minimal delay to scientific end users through easy-to-use, service-oriented techniques; 2) it utilizes these data to compute metrics, indices and indicators of effectiveness of the observing system (the scientifically useful data it produces); 3) it strives to integrate the community of delayed-mode data assembly centers under a unified set of data services; 4) it provides real-time monitoring of ocean parameters measured by the integrated networks of in situ platform; and 5) it is working to improve near-real time data distribution via the GTS through the Open-GTS project. OSMC serves the real-time data, ingested into the OSMC from the GTS and other sources, to the public as an integrated, easy-to-use stream. The real-time data are served out via Web Services using the popular ERDDAP 2 program from NOAA/NMFS. ERDDAP products include data in several popular delivery formats that can be accessed through web browsers and many desktop analysis or visualization tools. The OSMC project is working to unify access to the platform- focused, delayed-mode data assembly centers that perform quality assurance and quality control on the output on individual observing “networks”. The OSMC data integration strategy extends beyond in situ observations to include synthesis products, satellite observations and model outputs.

Through involvement in the JCOMM/GOOS Observation Coordination Group (OCG), OSMC is also bringing these data integration and interoperability ideas to the international community. The OSMC has also conceived, developed and implemented the Open-GTS project with support of the OCG. This project is designed to improve distribution and access of near-real time data to benefit both data producers and consumers, with particular focus on improving model forecasts and developing a better understanding of the value of in situ observations in the various forecasts.

1 http://www.osmc.noaa.gov
2 The ERDDAP server is a development of the Environmental Research Division of NOAA/NMFS/PFEL —
http://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap