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
This section is intended
to allow researchers to find out what data have been
collected, information about the data, and how to access the
data:
-
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.
If you don't find what you want, you might want to look at a
listing of known
missing datasets. Richard Chinman at UCAR (chinman@ucar.edu)
can provide additional TOGA COARE data management
information if you have further questions or problems
locating a 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.
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 - Look up an address or
update your own address.
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.