8/1/96 Dear COARE Investigator/COARE Reanalysis Project Participant; The Data Processing Center (DPC)/Data Archive and Distribution Center (DADC) for COARE Surface Meteorological Data at Florida State University (COARE-MET) has completed final quality-control checks on all (submitted) surface meteorology data recorded during the TOGA COARE IOP. We are making these quality-controlled data available to the COARE community to facilitate additional scientific research. As of August 1, 1996 we have processed & reviewed over one million records of surface meteorology data recorded during the IOP. Over 11 million individual observations were checked by automated and interactive quality-control techniques. DATASETS INCLUDED IN THE TIME SORT ---------------------------------- The datasets included in the time sort (see list below) include data submitted from 79 GTS land stations, 7 C-MAN land stations, 11 research vessels, 4 special ISS surface met stations, and numerous drifting and moored buoys. It does NOT include data from: priority sounding stations normal volunteer observing ships missing COARE data sets (r/v Alis, r/v Keifu Maru, r/v Kaiyo). Volunteer observing ship data will not be quality-controlled by us (although we have the data available on our FTP site). The special time-sorted data for reanalysis efforts can be downloaded from our FTP site (coaremet.fsu.edu) ORGANIZATION OF TIME-SORTED DATA ARCHIVE ---------------------------- The COAREMET quality-controlled surface meteorology data were combined into a single file (1,118,553 records, compressed size 19MB, uncompressed size = 170 MB), sorted by observation time. NOTE THAT THE TIME SORTED DATA DO NOT CONTAIN ANY METADATA (INFORMATION ON HEIGHTS, INSTRUMENTS, ETC.). FOR METADATA, PLEASE CONSULT EITHER THE NETCDF OR ASCII DATA FILES FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL PLATFORM. ====================== The FORTRAN format of time-sorted data set: 5I2, 1X, A8, 13F9.2, 1X, 14A1 FORTRAN format Variable qcindex* units 5I2 time(YYMMDDhhmm) 1 1X A8 Platform ID F9.2 latitude 2 degrees N F9.2 longitude 3 degrees E F9.2 earth relative wind direction 4 degrees true F9.2 earth relative wind speed 5 meters/second F9.2 atmospheric pressure 6 millibars F9.2 air temperature 7 degrees C F9.2 sea temperature 8 degrees C F9.2 wet-bulb temperature 9 degrees C F9.2 dew point temperature 10 degrees C F9.2 relative humidity 11 percent F9.2 specific humidity 12 gram/kilogram F9.2 precipitation 13 millimeters F9.2 rain rate 14 millimeters/hour 1X 14A1 COAREMET Quality-Control flags * qcindex is an integer pointer to the flag of each variable. ** missing value = -9999.00 *** A value of -9999.99 indicates no data are available for the variable on the listed platform. The flag for these values is an 'X'. ====================== The flags are defined (Smith et al., 1996 is a comprehensive report describing the COAREMET QC procedures) as follows: The quality control flags are single alphabetic characters for each data value indicating the quality of that specific value. Only those variables with a qcindex have flag values (the qcindex is an integer pointer to the flag for a selected variable). The flags are: A - Original data had unknown units. The units shown were determined using a climatology or some other method. B - Original data were out of the range bounds outlined (Table 1). C - Time data are not sequential or date/time not valid. D - Data failed the Air Temperature is always greater than or equal to the Wet-bulb Temperature is always greater than or equal to the Dew Point Temperature test. E - Data failed resultant wind recomputation check. When the data set includes the platform's speed and direction along with the platform relative wind speed and direction, the prescreen program recomputes the earth relative wind speed and direction and compares the computed values to the reported earth relative wind speed and direction. A failed test occurs when the wind direction difference is >10 deg or the wind speed difference is >5 m/s. F - Platform velocity unrealistic. Determined by platform position and speed data. G - Data are greater than 4 standard deviations from the means in the da Silvaet al.(1994) COADS climatology. The test is only applied to pressure,temperature, sea temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed data. H - Discontinuity found in data. I - Interesting feature found in data. More specific information on the feature is contained in the data reports. Examples include: hurricanes passing station, sharp sea water temperature gradients, strong convective events, etc. J - Data are of poor quality by visual inspection, DO NOT USE. K - Data suspect/use with caution - this flag applies when the data look to have obvious errors, but no specific reason for the error can be determined. L - Oceanographic platform passes over land or fixed platform moves dramatically. M - Known instrument malfunction. N - Does not agree with neighboring stations P - Position of platform or its movement are uncertain. Data should be used with caution. Q - Data questionable. Similar to the K flag, however the original data arrived flagged for use with caution so the Q flag is assigned. S - Spike in the data. Usually one or two sequential data values (sometimes up to 4 values) that are drastically out of the current data trend. Spikes occur for many reasons including power surges, typos, data logging problems,lightning strikes, etc. T - Time duplicate in data. V - Data suspect via detailed station intercomparison Z - Data passed evaluation. Table 1: Prescreening Program Range Bounds Variable Lower Bound Upper Bound Units Comments ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ time 1-1-1980 12-31-1999 latitude -90 90 degrees longitude 0 359 degrees platform heading 0 359 degrees platform speed 0 15 m/s research vessels 0 0 m/s stationary buoys 0 2 m/s drifters 0 0 m/s land wind direction 0 360 degrees wind speed 0 40 m/s atmospheric pressure 950 1050 mb sea level air temperature -10 40 deg. C wet bulb temperature -10 40 deg. C dew point temperature -10 40 deg. C sea temperature 0 35 deg. C relative humidity 0 100 percent specific humidity 0 48 g/kg rain rate 0 150 mm/hr Reference: da Silva, A. M., C. C. Young, and S. Levitus, 1994: Atlas of Surface Marine Data, Volumes 1: Algorithms and Procedures. NOAA Atlas NESDIS 6, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 83pp. Available from: National Oceanographic Data Center, User Services Branch, NOAA/NESDIS/ E/OC21, Washington, DC, 20235. Smith, S. R., J. P. Camp, and D. M. Legler, 1996: TOGA COARE Handbook of Quality Control Procedures and Methods for Surface Meteorology Data. COAPS Report 96-3, Center for Ocean Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fl, 32310, USA. CONTACT INFORMATION -------------------- We hope these data archives are useful. All questions/comments regarding these products can be addressed to us: COARE Surface Meteorology DPC/DADC Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies Florida State University 2035 E. Paul Dirac Drive R.M. Johnson Bldg. - Suite 200 Tallahassee, FL 32310 Email: coaremet@coaps.fsu.edu (850) 644-3797 (Voice) (David Legler - Director) (850) 644-4841(fax) Data Access: Anonymous FTP: coaremet.fsu.edu WWW: http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/COARE/ -------------------------------------------- TOGA COARE Data Center for Surface Meteorology, Florida State University Data Holdings as of 8/1/96 Station/Platform Name (ID number/call sign) -------------------------------------------- Ailinglapalap Atoll (91367) Arorae Island (91629) Auki (91507) Bangkok (48455) Bauerfield (91557) Beru Island (91623) Biak (97560) Broome (94203) Butaritari Atoll (91601) Canton Island (91701) Chichijima Island (47971) Cocos Island (96996) Darwin (94120) Davao (98753) Eniwetok Atoll (91251) Funafuti (91643) Gove (94150) Guam (91217) Honiara (91517) Honiara-Henderson (91520) Jaluit Atoll (91369) Jayapura (97698) Kapingamarangi Atoll (ISS) (91434) Kavieng (ISS) 94076 King's Park (45004) Koror (91408) Kota-Kinabalu (96471) Kuching-In-Sarawak (96413) Kupang (97372) Kusaie (91356) Kwajalein (91366) Lae (94027) Laoag (98223) Legazpi (98444) Lukunor Atoll (91339) Mactan (98646) Madang (94014) Majuro (91376) Manus (ISS) 94044 Menado (97014) Merauke (97980) Mili Atoll (91377) Mili Atoll (91378) Minamitorishima (47991) Misima (94087) Momote (94044) Munda (91503) Naha (47936) Nandi (91680) Nanumea Island (91631) Nauru Island (ISS) (91530) Noumeae (91592) Nui Atoll (91636) Nukuoro Atoll (91425) Oroluk Island (91343) Padang (96163) Pagan (91222) Pago Pago (91765) Pingelap Atoll (91353) Ponape Island (91348) Port Blair (43333) Puluwat Atoll (91324) Rabaul (94085) Santa Cruz (91541) Sentani (97690) Singapore (48698) Soekarno-HattaIntl (96749) Tanah Merah (97876) Tarawa (91610) Taro Island (91502) Thursday Island (94175) Townsville (94294) Truk (91334) Ujungpandang (97180) Wake Island (91245) Wewak (94004) Willis Island (94299) Woleai Atoll (91317) Wotje Atoll (91371) Xisha Island (59981) Yap Island (91413) Niiler Drifters (84 individual buoys) (various ID's) Marisonde Drifter (14414) Marisonde Drifter (14415) Marisonde Drifter (14416) Marisonde Drifter (15500) WHOI IMET/VAWR buoy (WHOIBUOY) PMEL buoys (17 individual buoys) (various ID's) R/V Franklin (vjjf) R/V Hakuho-Maru (jdss) R/V Kexue (ISS) (bccu) R/V Le Noroit (fita) R/V Malaita (malaita) R/V Moana Wave (wus9293) R/V Natsushima (7jdu) R/V Shiyan (ISS) (bxmc) R/V Vickers (wtec) R/V Wecoma (wsd7079) R/V Xiangyanghong (bnta)