Welcome to the TOGA COARE Data Information System

This website contains information about TOGA COARE datasets and provides direct access to data centers. You may locate a dataset by using the Data User's Guide or the catalog. If you already know the dataset location, go directly to one of the permanent data centers identified below. Additional COARE-related information is available at this site, including online reports, a publication list, e-mail mailing list (tcsci) subscription services, and updates from the community. Links to other COARE data inventories, browse products and data websites are also provided.

Locating a COARE Dataset

• COARE Data User's Guide - Description of all available datasets ( Aircraft, Ship, Mooring, Drifter, Ground Station, Satellite, Model Products, and Cross-Science Group including Flux Algorithms ) organized by platform, and links to the center(s) where the data are archived.

• COARE Catalog - Interactive database enabling a search by parameter, platform/source, instrument or PI.

How to Release a New or Modified Dataset

As of August 1997, the management of new and updated COARE data becomes the responsibility of the relevant investigator(s), appropriate data center(s), and the holder of the COARE Data Information System (currently NCDC). A series of actions, described below, needs to be taken by each party in order to ensure the successful distribution/archival of the data, and communication of information about the data.

Responsibilities of the Investigator(s)

New dataset:Determine the appropriate data center(s) for archiving your data (see Permanent TOGA COARE Data Centers section below), and send your data with a readme file which provides the following information:

• Data Access (identifies the center(s) where the data are archived)
• Background/Summary
• Data File (e.g., volume, format, parameters)
• Contact (address/e-mail/phone/fax for scientific/technical information)

See the User's Guide for examples.

Also, send the readme file to David Smith at NCDC, who will integrate the readme into the User's Guide and populate the catalog. This step permanently documents the availability of the data and access. Lastly, send a message to the COARE community via the TOGA COARE Science electronic mailing list, tcsci@ncdc.noaa.gov, announcing your new dataset. This message will automatically be posted to the COARE bulletin board (Updates section) at NCDC, which David also currently maintains.

Modified dataset: If you need to update an existing dataset, check the readme file in the User's Guide to see where your data currently reside. You must contact ALL identified centers and send the revised data and any updates for the readme. Also contact David Smith at NCDC if the readme needs updating, and e-mail tcsci announcing the revision, if necessary.

Responsibilities of the Data Center(s)

The data centers are responsible for archiving and distributing the new and revised data. This includes the provision of well-organized, user-friendly data location capability and access. The data center must work with the investigator(s) to ensure the data are readable and documented, and to inform other data center(s) and the Data Information System holder of any updates or problems with the dataset.

Responsibilities of the COARE Data Information System Holder

NCDC is the present holder of the COARE Data Information System, which includes the data information catalog (created by the University of Delaware), the User's Guide (created by UCAR/TCIPO), a COARE bibliography, and community and data information. As such, NCDC is responsible for maintaining and updating the information provided in the system's www site and database. David Smith is the current NCDC representative tasked with integrating any new and updated readmes into the User's Guide, verifying links, populating the catalog, and overseeing the automatic functions of the database (e.g., tcsci registration).

The User's Guide is the most up-to-date and comprehensive source of information about the COARE datasets, and the community must ensure that NCDC is notified of any changes for the benefit of present and future users.

Permanent TOGA COARE Data Centers

All available COARE datasets have been transferred to one or more permanent data centers. Specialized COARE data centers exist, where data have undergone uniform quality-control procedures specific to each center. In addition to the original data files and up-to-date corrections, these centers can provide value-added product suites. The original meteorological and oceanographic datasets have also been archived at NCDC and NODC, respectively. Most original COARE data has also been transferred to NCAR for deep archival purposes.

Specialized COARE Data Processing Centers

ADCP datasets

ADCP/NODC Shipboard ADCP Center at the University of Hawaii
(http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/COARE/)

High-resolution sounding datasets (Priority Sounding Station (PSS) network)

UCAR/JOSS (Joint Office for Science Support) Data Management Center
(http://www.joss.ucar.edu/codiac/)

Moored data

NOAA's Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean Array (TAO) office
(http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/coare/coare-data.html)

NASA datasets

NASA Goddard DAAC (Distributed Active Archive Center)
(http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/CAMPAIGN_DOCS/TOGA/nasa_coare.html)

Surface Meteorology datasets

Florida State University's Center for Ocean Atmospheric Prediction Studies
(http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/coare/)

Obtain quality-controlled surface met data from research vessels; PMEL, IMET and drifting buoys; automated recording systems (CMAN, ISS); and normal WMO land stations. Searching the database by location, date and variable is also possible.

General COARE Data Centers

Meteorological datasets

NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina
(http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov)

Oceanography datasets

NOAA's National Oceanographic Data Center in Silver Spring, Maryland
(http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/col/projects/access/getoga.html)

All COARE datasets (deep archive)

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado
(http://dss.ucar.edu/pub/toga_coare/)

TOGA COARE Community Information

Addresses

Electronic Mailing List Registration - TOGA COARE Science (tcsci-request) mailing list registration for continuing discussions, dataset information, and TOGA COARE-related information.

Publications - Add recent or past publications.

Updates - Update your colleagues on your current research, pending publications, new product developments, general news.

Workshops and Meetings - Reports, notes and discussions from some TOGA COARE Workshops.

Other TOGA COARE Data Inventories, Browse Products and Websites

Data Inventories

These online inventories provide a deeper and more detailed look at the data. For the most part the inventories are at the site where the data is located and therefore have the most recent changes and information.

Browse Products

Browse products from many datasets, both quick-look and more finalized products, are available online.

Other COARE Data Websites

Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions or a message. Or if you have a Website, or know of one not listed, please let us know.

 

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/coare/index.html
Downloaded Tuesday, 16-Sep-2008 01:45:39 EDT
Last Updated Friday, 28-Jul-2006 15:32:39 EDT by David.P.Smith@noaa.gov
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