**2^nd^ International Workshop on Advances in the Use of Historical
Marine Climate Data (MARCDAT-II)**

**Meeting Report**

**Nick Rayner, Elizabeth Kent, Scott Woodruff and David Parker**

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**Executive Summary**

MARCDAT-II brought together 60 participants from eight
countries---including marine data users, and managers of marine data and
products---for four days of talks, posters and discussions with the goal
of setting priorities for the future development of marine climate data
and products. Presentations highlighted progress on many fronts. In
particular: improved data and metadata availability; improved
understanding of uncertainty and bias in a wide range of important
climate variables; improved techniques for dataset construction and
improved understanding and characterisation of the marine environment
resulting from analysis of these new datasets.

Several common themes emerged from the various discussions:

-   The need for prioritisation of historical data for digitisation
    calls for inventories of available undigitised data to be developed.

-   The need for the decline in the number of Voluntary Observing Ship
    (VOS) reports to be reversed, if possible. This requires the
    development of user requirements and adequacy assessments for marine
    climate data and the improvement of links with operational
    organisations and those designing the observing system.

-   Metadata are key to the development of climate-quality products.

-   It is important to avoid users having to access multiple data
    repositories wherever possible. Further links between related data
    sources (e.g. surface marine and sub-surface data) should be
    developed.

-   Quality of climate products can be improved by the availability and
    intercomparison of at least 3 different products for each variable,
    each containing estimates of uncertainty.

-   The blending of data from different sources requires full
    characterisation of each data source.

-   The profile of the marine climate community needs to be raised and
    communication between users enhanced.

A comprehensive set of recommendations was developed and progress toward
these goals will be tracked via the meeting website
\[http://icoads.noaa.gov/marcdat2/\]

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*This report is intended as a record of presentations and discussions
from the MARCDAT-II meeting, primarily for meeting participants. As such
there may be inaccuracies in this report. If you feel there is
information which needs correcting, or will be helpful to us in our
endeavours, please contact us via the meeting website.*

**1. Strategy and goals**

The four general Themes of the workshop were:

*Theme 1*: developing gridded data sets: combining/reconciling
observations (includes understanding the observations, homogeneity,
quality control and analysis issues)

*Theme 2*: quantifying data and analysis uncertainties (putting error
bars on the data sets; includes bias and bias-correction uncertainties,
random and sampling errors)

*Theme 3*: data base development and access (technical issues such as
observation and metadata database construction, adding more data,
documentation, data dissemination, etc)

*Theme 4*: use of marine data in climate research (defining data
requirements, assessing what we know about climate variability and
change)

The aim of the discussions during the plenary and breakout group
sessions was to *set priorities for the future development of marine
climate data and products over the next four years*. Specifically, the
goals of this workshop were to:

-   Review progress against the scientific and technical recommendations
    made at MARCDAT-I and CLIMAR-II (Brussels, 2003;
    http://icoads.noaa.gov/climar2/).

-   Develop the timetable for enhancing *in situ* marine data bases,
    with a focus on the International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere
    Data Set (ICOADS), taking account of plans for further digitization
    and improved processing of the basic observational data.

-   Develop strategies for the creation of multi-decadal, homogeneous,
    gridded data sets for climate applications, identifying priorities
    for improvement amongst four groups of variables: (i) sea surface
    temperature (SST), marine air temperature (MAT) and humidity; (ii)
    sea ice concentration and extent; (iii) sea level pressure and winds
    and (iv) sub-surface ocean temperature and salinity, fluxes and
    clouds.

-   Discuss methods for quantifying uncertainties in marine data and
    create a timetable for the assembly of a suite of gridded marine
    datasets with associated uncertainties.

-   Consider how to define our future data requirements

Oral and poster presentations presented recent progress in these areas,
with an opportunity for further information to be included in breakout
group discussions. The meeting broke out into groups to explore these
issues in greater depth as they relate to specific groups of variables:
(i) SST, MAT and humidity; (ii) sea ice concentration and extent; (iii)
sea level pressure and winds and (iv) sub-surface ocean temperature and
salinity, fluxes and clouds. Theme 3, *data base development and
access,* was discussed in the plenary, as this theme relates to all the
variables. The aim and goals of these discussions were those of the
workshop as a whole. Breakout groups then reported their discussions and
draft plans to the workshop as a whole during a consolidation session at
the end of the meeting.

**2. Summary of presentations**

**2.1 Theme 1: developing gridded data sets**

**Chair: Alexey Kaplan; Rapporteur: Tara Ansell**

Oral presentations described: (i) a reanalysis of the whole twentieth
century driven by 6-hourly pressure observations and HadISST1[^1]; (ii)
correction of modern winds for changes in anemometer height; (iii) how
to calculate flux climatologies minimizing sampling bias; (iv) a new
combined land and ocean cloud-type product (ocean: 1950s-1990s, land:
1970s-1990s); (iv) the National Ice Center weekly (1972-2001) and
biweekly (2002 onwards) sea ice concentration data set, which is more
accurate than passive microwave retrievals; (v) how SST fields derived
from combined buoy and ship observations are biased significantly cold
relative to ship-only SST, so corrections need to be developed; (vi) the
plans for the creation of the GHRSST-PP reanalysis of satellite and *in
situ* SST at high spatial and temporal resolution, using
state-of-the-art blending techniques and producing uncertainty
estimates; (vii) how AVHRR Pathfinder data for 1985 onwards are more
consistent than operational AVHRR, when both are compared to OI.v2 and
HadSST2 and (viii) how the development of a 25km daily SST analysis
demonstrates the ease with which fixed high-gradient structures in the
Gulf Stream can be reproduced, but showing the necessity of good data
coverage when attempting to capture propagating features.

Poster presentations described: (i) an analysis of rainfall estimates
from VOS weather reports; (ii) the influence of waves on surface
turbulent fluxes of momentum and latent and sensible heat suggesting
that the global ocean effect is of order 5Wm^-2^; (iii) the quality
control and analysis of 5 decades of temperature and salinity profiles
from bathythermographs, conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensors,
moored buoys and Argo floats; (iv) a self-consistent approach to the
combined estimation of temporal and spatial variability using a range of
*in situ* and satellite datasets; (v) the use of Geographic Information
System (GIS) techniques in reconstructing the routes and positions of
ships in the CLIWOC period (1750-1854); (vi) issues surrounding the use
of mean pressure differences to correct for wind trends when winds are
unsteady; (vii) the Hadley Centre Global Subsurface Ocean Analysis
(HadGOA) which is constructed with isotherms rather than depth as the
vertical co-ordinate; (viii) the quality control of Argo profile data;
(ix) the construction and analysis of a 100-year Arctic surface air
temperature dataset from a combination of *in situ* and satellite
observations; (x) progress in the development of the WMO Global Digital
Sea Ice Data Bank (GDSIDB) including improved data availability and
documentation; (xi) improved understanding and quality control of the
surface humidity observations in ICOADS; (xii) a merged satellite and
*in situ* daily SST product from April 2004 onwards from the Japan
Meteorological Agency (JMA); and (xiii) a new historical SST dataset
from the JMA: Centennial *in situ* Observation-Based Estimates of the
variability of SSTs and marine meteorological variables (COBE-SST) as
used in the Japanese Re-analysis Project (JRA25).

**2.2 Theme 2: quantifying data and analysis uncertainties**

**Chair: Elizabeth Kent; Rapporteur: Philip Brohan**

Oral presentations described: (i) uncertainties in passive microwave sea
ice concentration due to atmospheric effects on retrievals at low
concentration and emissivity effects at high concentrations; (ii) a 1
degree resolution day and night marine air temperature analysis
corrected for platform height changes and daytime heating effects; (iii)
an objective analysis of corrected *in situ* winds; (iv) how validation
of (A)ATSR against buoys and AMSR-E gives random errors of 0.13K, 0.2K
and 0.4K for (A)ATSR, buoys and AMSR-E respectively and (v) an
illustration of the effects on uncertainties of different treatments of
low frequency variability in historical SST reconstructions.

Poster presentations described: (i) an assessment of the uncertainties
in VOS visual wave observations (1958-2002) including the effect of
uncertainties on estimates of extreme waves; (ii) the estimation of
ocean subsurface temperature trends at a range of depths from the World
Ocean Database (WOD2000); (iii) the development of uncertainty estimates
for VOS surface flux datasets including both measurement and sampling
uncertainty; (iv) the comparison of latent heat fluxes from the Met
Office HadGAM1 atmospheric model with the National Oceanography Centre,
Southampton (NOCS) surface flux dataset; (v) the effect of airflow
distortion on VOS wind speed measurements estimated using computational
fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess possible biases for generic ship types;
(vi) a new flexible gridded SST dataset (HadSST2) from 1850 onwards
developed from ICOADS and including bias correction and uncertainty
estimates; and (v) an assessment of bias in marine winds from VOS using
buoy data as a comparison standard.

**2.3 Theme 3: data base development and access**

**Chair: Takashi Yoshida; Rapporteur: Elanor Gowland**

Oral presentations described: (i) ICOADS Release 2.2, which includes
reprocessed data for 1998-2002 and the addition of data, and WMO
Publication 47 metadata (in IMMA format only), through 2004; (ii) the
availability of substantial new historical data sources, which an ICOADS
team with limited resources are currently not able to blend; (iii) the
achievements and future plans of the Climate Database Modernization
Program (CDMP); (iv) efforts toward making high-resolution marine
climate data from research vessels, which are not reported through
regular WMO channels, available for ICOADS; (v) the effect of the
decline in the numbers of reporting ships on the uncertainty in fields
and timeseries of marine air temperature, for which ships are currently
the only useable wide-ranging source and (vi) the need for resources to
digitize the significant amount of early instrumental data in, e.g. the
East India Company logbooks.

Poster presentations described: (i) an end-to-end data management
(E2EDM) prototype project for JCOMM; (ii) an update of the progress of
the Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS)
Initiative; and (iii) a JCOMM Expert Team on Marine Climatology (ETMC)
task which had made WMO information relating to marine data transmission
codes and formats available on the web.

**2.4 Theme 4: use of marine data in climate research**

**Chair: Chris Folland; Rapporteur: Craig Donlon**

Oral presentations described: (i) COPES (Coordinated Observation and
Prediction of the Earth System), a framework to coordinate existing WCRP
core programmes and which highlighted the importance to this programme
of ICOADS; (ii) the wide and expanding range of uses of marine data in
climate research, the need to continue collecting and integrating these
data according to the GCOS climate monitoring principles and to recover
undigitised log book data, especially for 1914-18 and 1939-45; (iii) an
analysis of a data set of waves and their associate uncertainties,
partitioned between wind sea and swell, showing that variations in the
two parameters are caused by different mechanisms and exhibit different
trends; (iv) the use of marine data in paleoclimatic research as
predictors in proxy reconstructions and also in verification of such
reconstructions and model simulations; (v) the importance of
intercomparison between analyses of different variables when assessing
reconstructions for the last 200 years; (vi) the use at ECMWF of marine
data, both as input for and verification of the Reanalysis and the use
of Reanalysis output in turn as a verification for the data themselves
and (vii) a blended data set (GDSIDB) of historical sea ice charts from
seven countries/collections, which has been used to assess the
variability of sea ice over the past five decades by means of robust
statistics, due to the non-Gaussian nature of such variability.

Poster presentations described: (i) the evolution of British Navy terms
for wind force including new wind speed equivalents for the period 1691
to 1820; (ii) the results of forcing a climate ocean model with heat
fluxes from the NOCS ICOADS-based flux dataset which have been adjusted
to be in global heat balance; (iii) how the skill of an ocean decadal
prediction system could be improved through initialisation with ocean
current estimates; (iv) the JCOMM Marine Climatological Summaries Scheme
(MCSS); and (v) the sea ice component of the coupled climate model
HadGEM1 illustrating improvements over the HadCM3 model sea ice
formulation.

**3. Breakout group and plenary discussions**

Discussions from the 4 breakout groups and the plenary discussion are
described in the following sections.

**3.1 Breakout group 1 (SST, air temperature and humidity)**

**Chair: David Parker, Rapporteurs: Elanor Gowland, John Kennedy**

Discussion subjects included the importance of, and difficulty of
discovering, user requirements (temporal and spatial resolution, target
and usable accuracy). Users include both climate researchers and those
involved in a diverse range of research, for example in ecosystem
research. It was noted that even if it were possible to generate a
comprehensive list of users and their requirements, that both would
change over time. Such a list would be highly desirable, but difficult
to generate and maintain. It could be used to illustrate the adequacy of
our current observations and products for a range of applications and
users. Methods of identifying applications and users were discussed,
including analysing data requests, which might also lead to an
indication of dataset development needs, but no simple easy mechanism
was obvious. It would be desirable to be able to discern the diurnal
cycle.

The need for improved metrics for the performance of the observing
system was stated. In addition to the number of observations it is
necessary to know, for example, their spatial and temporal
distributions, precision, and bias. The utility of feedback from
assimilation, modelling and reanalysis for monitoring data, blacklisting
ships and other platforms was stressed. It was noted that if ICOADS were
produced in near real time it could be used to show the health of the
*in situ* observing system, comparing sampling for the current month
with past averages, perhaps using a \"traffic-light\" coding system for
ease of use by managers. However it is dangerous to say the observing
system is adequate without accompanying qualifying statements.

The decline in the number of observations from VOS was noted, and also
that the VOS Climate Project (VOSClim) was designed to supplement, not
replace, the VOS. The need for a wide range of observing platforms (VOS,
moored buoys, drifters, satellites) was noted as each has strengths and
weaknesses in terms of sampling and the ability to measure the required
range of parameters. The need for the broad spatial sampling provided by
traditional VOS, including manual observations of clouds and waves, was
noted and should be stressed to National Meteorological Services and to
JCOMM. Automatic Weather Systems (AWS) on ships provide large data
volumes, useful for many purposes, but do not provide a wide spatial
coverage. Often the parts of the report requiring manual input are
missing from AWS observations. The need to follow the GCOS monitoring
principles was noted.

The requirement for validation and comparison data was discussed. These
can either be from specialised platforms (aircraft, research vessels or
buoys) giving local comparisons or provided by generating datasets of
co-located observations from, for example, ICOADS.

Satellite data and *in situ* data are needed as input to reanalyses. The
problems polar orbiting satellites have in cloudy regions can be at
least partially addressed with multiple geostationary satellites because
their more frequent sampling enhances the number of cloud-free views of
the ocean surface. There is a problem with the inhomogeneity of datasets
using satellites after the 1980s, due to the transition from coarse
resolution *in situ* analyses to the higher resolution analyses
supported by satellite data.

The need to revisit which parameters are extracted from GTS buoy
messages was discussed. Possibly, significant numbers of additional
humidity observations could be rescued going back several years.
(Breakout group 3 were also interested in extracting additional
instrument metadata from the buoy observations). It was noted that the
original observation is now stored as part of the IMMA format.

The digitisation of data from specific time periods was thought
necessary to improve certain data products. An example is the
requirement for more data from the 1900 to 1920 for all areas except the
North Atlantic to improve the datasets required to understand
interdecadal variability and climate change.

A variety of metadata is needed to accompany both gridded products and
individual observations. For gridded products metadata includes the
processing applied to the original data and the methodology used to
construct the dataset. For individual observations measurement method
and height metadata is required for bias adjustments to be made. It was
thought that the importance of metadata availability should be stressed
to those in charge of the operational observing network, both
internationally and within National Meteorological Services. Metadata
for the ships is collected through the WMO, but is not regularly
supplied by all countries contributing ship observations. An
international database for ODAS (Ocean Data Acquisition Systems, i.e.,
moored and drifting buoys and platforms) has been set up by JCOMM but
needs to be populated with new and historical information.

It is important that more data centres start to produce datasets in near
real time. Ideally three independent analyses are required to make
intercomparisons which should also be made in near real time. The
results of the regular intercomparisons should be made freely available.

**3.2 Breakout group 2 (Sea ice)**

**Chair: Nick Rayner, Rapporteur: Harry Stern**

The goals for the sea ice discussion group were for sea ice datasets
which could be used to force atmospheric models, for datasets with
accompanying uncertainty estimates and for datasets useful for research
including climate change and trend analysis.

Requirements are for a homogeneous, multi-decadal record. Data must be
stable over time and consistent across the different satellites that
make up the record. More research is needed to understand and reconcile
data from ice charts and from passive microwave sensors. Variables of
interest are: sea ice concentration and extent; ice thickness; ice
drift; ice albedo; ice type (e.g. smooth or ridged, landfast); mean
weighted thickness of level ice; ice thickness at coastal stations; and
possibly sub-daily ice motion; lead formation and small-scale strain
rates. Snow-related measurements are also important, for example the
snow depth on sea ice; the insulating properties of snow and its effect
on ice growth rate. It is important to quantify uncertainty at every
grid point and pixel and to perform comprehensive and regular
intercomparisons of different data sources (e.g. charts and satellite)
and products.

Requirements for sea ice data are stated in the GCOS Implementation Plan
(GCOS-92), and in reports by Sea Ice Mass Budget of the Arctic (SIMBA).
The finest spatial resolution required was thought to be 1/3˚. Data are
also required for validation of processes in ice models, for example
deformation and sea ice rheology and upward looking sonar (ULS) and
submarine data are needed for validation of ice thickness datasets.
National Operations Ice Information requirements are listed in Appendix
B of JCOMM Meeting Report No. 28 of the Expert Team on Sea Ice.

Methods of quantifying bias were discussed. The difference between the
various passive microwave algorithms should be studied and understood.
Sea ice charts provide semi-independent information. There is also a
need to define the uncertainty on bias correction and the sampling
error. Accuracy requirements are not well defined and errors are
different for different sea ice concentrations. For example ice
concentrations of 50-60% are rarely observed, so have large
uncertainties. But the difference between 50% and 60% concentration is
less important than the difference between 96% and 98% concentrations.
The identification of open water is important. It was noted that the
error distribution will be non-symmetric as concentration is capped at
100%.

The definition of the ice edge is problematic (15% concentration? 30%
concentration?), as is the definition of its uncertainty. One method
might be to assign an uncertainty to each ice concentration value then
produce an ensemble of ice edges as concentration values are varied
within their error range. The ice edge from satellites may be smeared
out compared to that from ice charts.

The passive microwave sea ice record was discussed in detail. It was
noted that the "weather flag" in the microwave data could be wrong and
that it is difficult to capture the uncertainty in a single flag or
error estimate, especially near the ice edge. It would be helpful to
break down the contributions of different causes to the uncertainty
estimate. Some passive microwave data have coastal contamination with
sea ice along all coasts, others have been cleaned up. The hole at the
poles is larger for SMMR than for SSM/I and this hole needs to be filled
consistently. Causes of error in passive microwave ice concentration are
from: atmospheric processes (wind, water vapour and cloud); ice/snow
emissivity; mixing of footprints/sidelobes (depends on concentration
gradient) and sensor noise. Different algorithms have different
responses to water vapour but in general an increase in water vapour
inflates the ice concentration, with less inflation at high ice
concentration, more inflation at low ice concentration. It might be
possible to blend algorithms to combine best properties depending on ice
concentration and/or proximity to ice edge. Sensor noise is on the order
of 1-2% ice concentration according to pre-launch instrument calibration
work. Comparison with SAR near 100% ice concentration shows the biases
and standard deviations of differences of the various algorithms are ±
few %. There is a need for very high-resolution imagery (\~1m) to
resolve melt ponds. Information on the melt onset data is available from
SAR and passive microwave and NSIDC has a dataset of dates of melt
onset. Higher errors should be assigned to ice concentration from
passive microwave during the melt season. Errors in passive microwave
ice concentration are higher at low to intermediate ice concentration
than at high concentrations due to the larger signal at high ice
concentration caused by emissivity contrast between ice and open water.
The availability of validation information from thousands of miles of
ship tracks and from ice stations such as NP-33 was discussed.

Further validation could come from ship data collected as part of
Antarctic Sea ice Processes and Climate (ASPeCt). The difficulty of
comparing ship and satellite data and the representativeness of ship
measurements and 25 km pixels were discussed. The error characteristics
of passive microwave sea ice concentration could be different from the
Arctic due to differences in sea ice properties between the hemispheres.

John Stark and Soren Anderson will re-process SSM/I 1987-present using
corrected brightness temperatures from Frank Wentz that account for
inter-satellite differences. They will make water vapour corrections
etc., and come up with improved sea ice concentration.

ICESat measures the freeboard of ice (the laser does not penetrate the
ice) so the retrieval of ice thickness requires knowledge of the
reference level (e.g. from SAR). So far no good large-scale estimates of
ice thickness have come from ICESat. The Radar altimeter penetrates the
snow and results in different measures of freeboard. The need for a
replacement for the failed CryoSat mission to measure ice thickness was
stressed.

The relation between ice age and ice thickness was discussed,
illustrated by an animation. There were large extents of old (10+ years)
ice in the Arctic prior to 1989, which a high Arctic Oscillation then
largely flushed out through Fram Strait, leaving younger thinner ice in
the Arctic. A smaller Beaufort Gyre brings back ice to the coast within
3-4 years (where it melts in summer) rather than 10 years when the
Beaufort Gyre is bigger. Even though the Arctic Oscillation returned to
near-normal levels by mid 1990s, sea ice has not recovered. It was
thought that ice age could explain over 50% of the variance in ice
extent.

The availability of historical ice charts was discussed. The Walsh sea
ice dataset was produced before some Norwegian charts became available
so there is the potential to enhance the early record. There are further
ice charts at DMI which have not yet been digitised. There is an NSIDC
effort to convert NIC e00 chart files to the EASE grid for the period
1995 to 2004. Antarctic charts currently digitally available include:
NIC 1973-present and Russian 1971. Earlier data in atlases (1957-1969)
could be digitised, but there are no individual charts. Log books are
also available but significant effort is required to extract useful
information. The British Antarctic Survey or Scott Polar Research
Institute may have additional information and the ASPeCt project is
collecting ship data. There are accuracy/consistency considerations, and
different analysts may have different interpretations.

There is a need to reconcile early chart data with later charts that use
remote sensing imagery. Vinje and the Environmental Working Group Arctic
Atlases on CD-ROM documentation define ice extent for the charts, and
that could be used as a guide.

**3.3 Breakout group 3 (Pressure and winds)**

**Chair Gil Compo, Rapporteurs Rob Allan, Julie Jones**

Important issues for this group included: the need for more data for
specific periods and locations; the availability of metadata to allow
the identification and removal of data bias; the definition of user
requirements and the possibility of improved feedback on data quality
from, for example, the reanalyses.

Key was the requirement to extend the record focussing on important and
data sparse regions and periods. Priorities will vary with application
and time scales, for example for synoptic applications extra data from
the North Pacific would be helpful, for longer time periods the focus
would shift to the Central and South Pacific.

Important datasets yet to be digitised, or if digitised to be blended
into ICOADS include: CLIWOC (requires incorporation into ICOADS); 5.7k
UK Navy logbooks for the WWII period (require digitisation); US Merchant
Marine 1910-1913 (to be digitised by CDMP); Dutch ship data currently
being catalogued; Hudson Bay ship logs 1700 to 1860 (require
digitisation); and at least 25 million undigitised observations in UK
National Archive. Periods that would benefit from improved data coverage
include 1936-48, 1911-20, and the whole 19^th^ Century. Figure 7 in
Worley et al. (*International Journal of Climatology*; 2005) shows the
status of a variety of important historical candidates for blending.

For prioritisation to be effective it is necessary to catalogue the data
available. The minimum required would be a metadata record for each data
source containing start and end date, route/region, parameters available
and sampling information. Once cataloguing is complete prioritisation
can proceed. It was noted that partial digitisation of logbooks was
undesirable; data near coasts are not a high priority in themselves, but
are vital for geopositioning of the early ship voyages. Once a logbook
has been partially digitised it becomes very unlikely that the
undigitised parts will ever be recovered. Imaging and indexing of
logbooks prior to digitisation may alleviate this problem. It was noted
that the digitisation of complete logbooks was easier for the
instrumental period (after 1854) rather than the pre-instrumental, more
descriptive, records.

Large amounts of untapped wind speed data exist in the US Maury
Collection (1784-1863), which were not translated from descriptive terms
into physical units. The CLIWOC dictionary should be useful for this
purpose, however adjustments in the dictionary may be required
(including for any data in the future digitized prior to 1750) as the
terms used continually evolved. There is a need for improved
communication between researchers using the pre- and early-instrumental
data and those using the later-instrumental record. Further digitisation
of the post-CLIWOC period was supported along with resources to include
the data fully in ICOADS. It was noted that additional terrestrial
pressure data was also a priority. Digitisation activities often have a
national or local perspective, but international priorities should also
be taken into account.

The group was also exercised by the identification and correction of
data bias. One example, only partially resolved, is the low pressure
bias in the US Maury dataset within ICOADS in the 1850s. The historical
reliability of position is around 15-30 miles (once away from land),
while the 0.1 degree precision reported in some historical data
represents about 6 miles. In contrast, there was a strong feeling that
increasing the precision in the modern ship code to at least 0.01
degrees was extremely desirable. There is also a need to characterise
airflow distortion. The eventual goal is for a long time record of
homogenous winds and pressures that are consistent with each other. A
strategy for the inclusion of bias information and adjustments in the
full time record of ICOADS is required.

Observation method and height metadata were important to the group. The
digitisation of ship metadata by CDMP was welcomed and the need for
metadata records going back as far as possible in time was stressed. It
was thought important that metadata on buoy anemometer heights should be
extracted from the buoy report by ICOADS which is not currently done.
Other metadata that could be improved in ICOADS includes information on
wind speed measurement method; possibilities for improving such
information should be investigated. The possibility of including
anemometer height (and other metadata) in the ship (or IMMT logbook)
code should also be investigated, however this could take many years to
implement internationally.

It was noted that feedback from reanalyses such as ERA70 could be used
for improved QC and bias correction in ICOADS. Problems such as poor
data quality, track rejections etc. could be used to develop better
datasets in the future. Biases derived for recent data by ECMWF could be
compared with those derived independently. Although the withholding of
data is an important requirement for validation, reanalysis efforts tend
to assimilate all suitable available data.

The desirability of a \"one stop shop\" for climate data was stated. It
was thought that this could be explored, for example through JCOMM.
Possibly information flow could be improved with a web forum.

Breakout group 3 discussed progress against those past requirements of
MARCDAT-I and CLIMAR-II relevant to surface pressure and winds (see
Appendix II). Areas where progress had been made included: HadSLP is now
updated in near-real-time; the inclusion of a wind expert on the MSLP
working group; the availability of a catalogue of pressure products;
work has started on a pressure databank for all (both marine and land)
pressure measurements under AOPC/OOPC; the availability of a
high-resolution wind analysis for the North Atlantic 1958-1997 from the
Meteorological Service of Canada; the availability of WMO Pub. 47
metadata alongside ICOADS reports; the development of improved
reanalysis techniques to generate long time record datasets and the
improved availability of datasets including uncertainties. Areas
requiring further effort include: the development of datasets going back
to 1950 by FSU; the need for improved adjustment techniques for visual
and anemometer winds; the application of these improved adjustment
techniques to ICOADS; the need for more pressure observations to improve
historical MSLP analyses; the availability of historical and current
ODAS metadata in the JCOMM metadatabase; the need for daily and now
subdaily pressure analyses; the need for unique buoy identifiers (no
reuse of buoy IDs); improved communication with proxy data community.

**3.4 Breakout group 4 (Sub-surface ocean temperature and salinity,
fluxes and clouds)**

**Chair: Sergey Gulev, Rapporteurs: Tara Ansell, Matt Palmer, Stephen
Warren**

3.4.1 Sub-surface ocean data and currents

It was thought that a multi-variate approach to data analysis would be
beneficial. For example subsurface temperature information, including
from ocean analyses, forecasts and reanalyses, could be used to improve
SST and provide information on near surface temperature gradients needed
to reconcile information from ships (buckets, engine intakes and hull
sensors) and buoys at a variety of depths with skin measurements from
space. This could lead to improvement in other surface variables, such
as salinity, as well.

There is a need for an inventory of all available surface data, this has
been started by ENACT (Enhanced ocean data assimilation and climate
prediction). There is the potential to digitise Japanese profile data
and subsurface data recovery efforts are a priority.

It is important to compare estimates of upper ocean heat content to
surface flux estimates, the IMET mooring should help with this. The use
of synthetic salinity (from the T/S relationship) should be investigated
to increase the amount of salinity information available.

For gridded products the user requirement identified was for information
on a 1-2˚ grid, surface to 700m and monthly. There was a need for clear
and open documentation of gridding techniques, such as those being
developed as part of the HadGOA project. The development of uncertainty
estimates is vital, both for the input data and output products. It was
noted that for subsurface data the measurement uncertainty tends to be
small, but large errors come from sampling and representativeness. It
was thought that at future meetings it might be desirable to have more
input from those developing subsurface databases and QC methods.

For information on currents, the priority was to investigate new sources
of data and to exploit existing sources better. Some information comes
from the ships log of speed through the water/speed over land but not
always the full current vector. Some data are collected by the Global
Ocean Surface Underway Data Pilot Project (GOSUD) but improved
documentation is required. Ocean Surface Current Analyses - Real Time
(OSCAR) provides some information in the tropical Pacific. Validation
data and uncertainty estimates are required for current data and
products.

3.4.2 Waves

A review of observational manuals was recommended, first an inventory of
international instructions, then a review of visual instructions. It may
not be possible to standardise, but we should work to understand
differences. Wave summaries should be included in ICOADS. The need for a
subset of very high quality data was discussed. The importance of
metadata was stressed; the errors are thought to mainly arise from how
the measurements are taken. For example it has been estimated that
around 40% of wave observations made on ships where anemometers are
present may be wind based, hindcast estimates. There is a need for
further analysis of the visual wave estimates, including the effects of
ship motion; day, night; new moon, full moon; etc. There is also a need
for better analysis techniques.

New type of wave information may come from VOS based estimates of
directional wave spectra (with low accuracy, but high frequency - e.g.
every second). Every ship has a radar (usually 2) and this can be used
to extract wave spectra. Some Russian and German ships are making these
measurements and there is a pilot project at GKSS to analyse the data. A
further source of information may come from laser range finders
installed on some oil platforms.

3.4.3 Fluxes

Metadata are key to improving surface flux estimates from VOS. WMO Pub.
47 metadata for individual ship call signs (and ship names) are
currently available back to 1973, and becoming available back to 1955.
However, linkage to individual ship reports will become more difficult
prior to the advent of telecommunicated data around 1966, as logbook
data may lack the call sign. Research is needed both to identify biases
in the basic meteorological observations (winds, SST, air temperature,
humidity, pressure) that depend on measurement method, and on how to
apply corrections to observations without measurement method
information. More work is needed to improve the VOS metadata from Pub.
47, and to integrate the new information from the digitised editions
prior to 1973. In the absence of call signs, it may be possible to
derive metadata and hence corrections based on analysis of Pub. 47 by
country or to derive metadata from the data itself (for example wind
distributions for visual and anemometer winds have different
characteristics). We may need to attribute confidence levels to the
actual metadata, and hence uncertainty estimates to the bias
corrections. Supplementary information, such as that from instruction
manuals is also important.

In common with all the groups the importance of regular intercomparisons
and uncertainty estimates for gridded data were stressed. There is an
issue with the application of flux parameterisations derived from
research vessel data to data from VOS. For example the Coare3.0
algorithm requires either skin temperature, or a time record of
meteorological variables to estimate the variation of temperature with
depth in the surface layer. As this information is not available, other
parameterisations are used. It would be desirable if a parameterisation
suitable for use with VOS data could be derived from the most modern
flux measurements.

It may be necessary to investigate flexible gridding techniques,
gridding only at resolutions supported by the data. The development of
blended flux products using *in situ*, satellite and model output cannot
be done effectively until each data source is characterised with random
and bias uncertainties.

3.4.4 Clouds

Of primary concern was the move to automated systems on VOS and the
resulting decrease in the number of cloud observations. Even when
automated systems have the ability to accept manual input of cloud (and
wave) information, these parameters are often missing. It is vital to
demonstrate how important the *in situ* observations are for cloud
datasets and we need to feedback information on how we use the
observations to the observers. The cloud record is remarkably
consistent; there have been no coding changes since 1949. It is
important not to change the coding now.

An important recommendation is the future incorporation of information
from the Extended Edited Cloud Report Archive (EECRA) into ICOADS. It is
desirable to have all the information gathered together; which will make
more information available to those analysing the cloud information.
There is an ongoing need for ship-based cloud products. It is important
to use information on all the characteristics of the cloud when deriving
uncertainty estimates. A dataset of high-quality Ocean Weather Station
(OWS) cloud estimates would be useful for quantifying uncertainty and
bias in cloud observations. Validation data are needed for cloud base
height.

**3.5 Plenary discussion on data base development and access**

*How can we better support database development e.g. ICOADS?*

Inventory needed of available data sources (hard copy, imaged, and
digitized). Science requirements (e.g., reanalysis) should drive the
priorities. This small group can't set the specific priorities. Regional
and national priorities will factor in.

An important consideration is the keying of complete logbooks spanning
entire voyages in key regions and periods.

The period 1901-1920 or possibly -1930? may be a rising priority,
especially for regions outside the North Atlantic.

Recommendation: Need inventory of available data sources (hard copy,
imaged and digitised) to guide the prioritisation process.

*How can we accelerate the inclusion of new and improved data into
ICOADS?*

More digital data are available, and CDMP is rescuing and digitizing
additional international sources. These need to be incorporated into
ICOADS.

Partnerships to prepare IMMA data (good idea, volunteers?).

It is important to study and evaluate original format before converting
to IMMA. The ICOADS project has Fortran software available to make
transition to IMMA easier.

It is essential to evaluate result for accuracy and problems. It would
be helpful for procedures or templates to be developed by the
experienced ICOADS group to check accuracy of conversions.

ICOADS is developed by a small group, more money is needed to increase
activity which should come both from the US Government and the
international community. Scientists interested in development of ICOADS
could be encouraged to develop projects. GHRSST may provide a model for
these actions.

Recommendation: Create tools and guidance ('roadmap'), considering the
GHRSST model, for implementing translation into IMMA format.

*How can we improve international recognition leading to formal
international connection and enhanced support from the US and
International centers?*

International co-operation should be developed with the JCOMM Expert
Teams, the WMO Commission for Climatology (CCl), GEOS, and national in
kind programs (e.g. US IOOS, others?).

We have not presented a unified front as the marine climate community.
We could advertise our existence with perhaps a webpage, beyond the
ICOADS webpage.

Reports of the MARCDAT-II meeting are to appear in *CLIVAR Exchanges*,
the *Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society* and the *WCRP
Working Group on Surface Fluxes Newsletter*.

Mechanisms to better integrate operational data collection with the
marine climate community and their datasets should be investigated.
These could involve CLIVAR, JCOMM and CCl, perhaps through the Expert
Team on Climate Change Detection, Monitoring and Indices.

*How important is near real-time data delivery for the ICOADS
observations ?*

At least monthly updates are required, based, at minimum, on real time
(GTS) data. Products will be needed a few days after the end of each
month.

The importance of QC feedback noted.

The scope could be broadened to include results in JCOMM Electronic
Products Bulletin.

However we must not forget the importance of delayed mode data (e.g.,
ship logbook IMMT data, which are presently only included through 1997
in ICOADS) and metadata.

Recommendation: Emphasize the importance of near-real-time data delivery
and QC feedback. Explore the inclusion of analysis products,
incorporating both near-real-time and historical data, in the JCOMM
Electronic Products Bulletin.

*What is the best strategy to keep the research community informed about
advances in marine databases?*

Is the ICOADS portal (icoads.noaa.gov) sufficient?

Additional portals: sea ice, satellite, subsurface, analyses/reanalyses,
intercomparisons, new Live Access Servers (LAS)?

Online fora using wiki technology could be developed, also a mailing
list, or tutorial by technical experts to advise new users.

The JCOMMOPS website portal (www.jcommops.org) provides information on
most real time products, and links to other websites.

NASA has DAC network, but underfunded. Recommend that NASA continue to
support DACs.

Recommendation: ICOADS portal by itself isn't sufficient for all
requirements. Other mechanisms including JCOMM should be explored.
However, the new icoads.noaa.gov URL could provide an umbrella web
domain for linkages, etc.

*How can we improve acquisition of science quality data?*

Possible sources of high quality data are: research vessels, moored
buoys, Argo, OceanSITES.

Recommendation: Cataloguing of existing science-quality is key.

*How can climate proxy data be used more?*

What are the advantages of creating an integrated collection, versus
stand alone?

Should they be integrated with *in situ* based collections?

Recommendation??: go back to EuroClivar document and see what we can do.

*How can attain better integration of sea ice, subsurface, and surface
databases?*

Additional near-surface data should be incorporated from WOD into ICOADS
(included presently only through 1996). GHRSST taps the highest profile
temperatures from GTS, and this, and well as possible incorporation of
sea surface salinity (SSS), should be explored. A request has been made
to fit Argo floats with thermistors to measure surface temperature as
the pumped systems are switched off at 8 m and there is the potential
for other parameters to be measured.

ETMC may also undertake some related tasks towards improved integration
of data from the three domains.

Consider the use of dynamically linked web portals.

Integration of databases may come from application of the data. WOCE may
be a mode for this activity, however significant resources and money
were required.

Existing standards may prove critical for storage, discovery, and
interoperability of metadata. Recommendation: Considering available
resources, initially handle data integration through web technologies
and standard metadata and catalogue services to promote easy discovery
and data access.

Consider feasibility of operationally stripping out top-level near-SST
profile measurement from GTS, perhaps in collaboration with GHRSST-PP.

*What data qualities help define the priority for historical data work
(both digitization and database preparation)?*

Data sparse: periods such as WWI and WWII, and regions such as the
Southern Ocean.

Reanalyses (1850-present): set priorities moving backwards.

For the pre-instrumental period the North Atlantic is important, for the
instrumental period the priority areas are outside the North Atlantic.

*What are good mechanisms to capture and use user feedback to improve
ICOADS?*

Simple questionnaire. Send out to community. Collate information
collected and put into summary document for program managers.

Recommend that IMMA software be created to read and write new
attachments? These attachments could be used to provide corrections and
flags. The question of integration of the information held in the
various attachments can be made later. An example would be the proposed
EECRA cloud attachment.

Recommendation: Need both user survey, and methods to capture the
feedbacks and bias assessments (e.g., IMMA attachments) that can be
provided by users and applications such as reanalyses.

*What is the future role of the basic MSG/ICOADS in relationship to
climate quality products?*

E.g. HadISST, bias adjusted fields from NOC S

ICOADS should continue to provide monthly summaries, as many papers are
still based on these. Stopping production would badly undercut user
community. However, there is a need for communication between ICOADS and
user community in that some datasets are corrected. Needed: DISCLAIMER:
'SST data before 1940 are not corrected for biases.' Similarly for
winds: although corrections are not known yet, users need to understand
the shortcomings of the uncorrected data.

GCOS climate monitoring principals mandate the continued production
until a full replacement is available.

Recommendation: Continue to produce ICOADS MSG summaries. Important
benchmark. More documentation and cautions needed, but presented in a
positive way.

*How can we upgrade the QA/QC for ICOADS observations?*

Existing trimming is OK for some applications, should be continued.

Users with expertise can apply their own QC and provide IMMA attachments
for wider use.

Desirable to develop methods beyond climatological trimming, for example
adaptive techniques, buddy checks, winsorization.

A multi-variable approach to QA/QC should be developed.

The dynamic computation of statistics should be considered.

Metadata or a website about tools, techniques, information, processes,
methods used to create data and metadata would be useful. Should we go
further and develop additional attachments to hold bias corrected data
and QC information?

Recommendation: Keep existing ICOADS QC intact. Try to collect some of
the external QC information. Work towards dynamic generation of
summaries, possibly using different QC schemes.

*How to improve availability of metadata?*

Recommendation: WMO Pub 47 should be developed into a consistent
metadatabase.

**4. Consolidated Recommendations**

**4.1 Inventories and digitisation priorities**

1)  Digitisation and other data recovery initiatives should take account
    of the needs of the marine climate community in prioritising
    activities.

2)  It is recommended that logbook recovery and keying continue for both
    the pre-instrumental and instrumental periods.

3)  The development of data inventories (for hard copy, imaged and
    digitised sources) and assessments of user requirements are
    essential to guide the prioritisation process. An International
    Catalogue of imaged and hardcopy logbooks and data collections not
    yet incorporated into ICOADS should be initiated within the next 2
    years. The catalogue should include as a minimum information on ship
    routes, start date, position, measurements taken, sampling
    information and the end date. One immediate need is for an inventory
    of pre-instrumental and early instrumental (1840s onwards)
    observations, see for example icoads.noaa.gov/reclaim/ .

4)  Within the next four years a community discussion should be held to
    prioritize future digitization efforts. It is recommended that an
    important consideration be the keying of complete voyages from
    logbooks including data within prioritized areas and times. The
    imaging and keying of partial voyages can result in incomplete
    metadata, make utilizing keyed data difficult (e.g., track checking,
    QC) and complicate future keying; and therefore is not recommended.

5)  Any digitisation project should attempt to identify resources to
    ensure: 1) the full translation of descriptive terms into
    quantitative measures where appropriate; 2) the inclusion of all
    available metadata; and 3) incorporation of any digitised data into
    marine datasets such as ICOADS is achieved.

6)  Subsurface data recovery should be raised as a priority with data
    reclamation projects. An inventory of available subsurface data,
    both digitised and undigitised started under the ENACT project
    should be further developed.

7)  An inventory of research vessel and other research quality
    observations should also? be developed.

*Further information*

*Possible data sources for digitisation or incorporation into ICOADS
include: at least 25 million ship data from UK archives, possibly
extending past the mid C19th; Hudson Bay ship logs 1700 to 1860s;
Russian Antarctic sea ice atlas containing statistics for sea ice for
1950s and 1960s; sea ice information for the Atlantic Arctic for late
C19th and early C20th from undigitised Danish ice charts; research
quality data from ships and buoys including 2.1 million Russian research
vessel data not yet in ICOADS; CLIWOC data not yet in ICOADS. (See also
Figure 7 in Worley et al, 2005, International Journal of Climatology).*

*User requirements identified include: enhancement of the data records
for reanalyses (1850 to present), World War II, World War I, and the
regions of the North Pacific, Southern Ocean, South Atlantic, South
Pacific and Southern Indian Ocean; to enhance data for the
pre-instrumental (e.g. expanding CLIWOC) period by keying data for the
North Atlantic from 1690s and instrumental data (1790's) for the
Southern Hemisphere; interdecadal climate change analysis could be
improved by extra data for the period 1900 -- 1920 for all areas apart
from North Atlantic.*

**4.2 User requirements, measurement standards and adequacy
assessments**

8)  It is vital to halt and preferably reverse the decline in the number
    of VOS reports and their spatial and temporal coverage in line with
    the GCOS climate monitoring principles. To achieve this it is
    necessary to improve links with e.g. JCOMM, GCOS, WCRP, CCl and the
    WMO Commission for Basic Systems (CBS).

9)  Mechanisms to better integrate operational data collection with the
    marine climate community and their datasets should be investigated.
    These could involve CLIVAR, JCOMM and CCl, perhaps through the
    Expert Team on Climate Change Detection, Monitoring and Indices.

10) A set of user requirements for the marine climate observing system,
    including for non-physical subsurface parameters, should be
    developed within the next 2 years. Once developed the user
    requirements should be regularly reviewed.

11) The adequacy of the marine climate observing system should be
    regularly assessed against these user requirements. An important
    step would be the near-real time availability of ICOADS.

12) More interaction with users is highly desirable. Current users can
    be identified using ICOADS data requests which may also help to
    identify ICOADS development needs.

13) The importance of reports of visual estimates of cloud and wave
    properties (including manual supplements to otherwise automatic
    reports) should be stressed to marine observers. Observers should be
    encouraged to make full reports including visual observations of
    clouds (including types and heights), weather codes, visual winds
    (where appropriate), waves and visibility. It is essential that the
    present codes and observing practices be maintained, particularly
    for cloud reports.

14) All suitable VOS ships should be recruited to VOSClim.

15) Links with organisations developing recommendations on standards for
    VOS and buoy observations should be improved. Guides to
    climatological practices should be strengthened to foster marine
    climate-quality observations, traceable to absolute standards.

16) An increased effort should be made to report back to observers
    through national programs and through JCOMM the importance of marine
    observations and information on how the observations are being used.

17) As the low accuracy of ship position hinders comparisons,
    particularly with satellite data, it is recommended that future ship
    position reporting accuracy be upgraded from 0.1 to 0.01 or higher.

**4.3 Individual Observations, ICOADS and Other Databases**

18) Users can benefit from having all available data and metadata of a
    given type brought together into a single, easily accessible and
    secure, archive; it is recommended that this approach be continued
    or adopted, to the maximum extent feasible, for the following broad
    data categories:\
    (a) Surface marine meteorological data and metadata (e.g., ICOADS).\
    (b) Subsurface oceanographic data and metadata (e.g., WOD).\
    (c) Ice extent data sets and associated uncertainties and metadata
    (e.g., GDSIDB). It would be useful for all sources of ice thickness
    to be listed together in one place.

19) CLIWOC data should be fully blended into ICOADS in the next two
    years. CLIWOC has created an extensive dataset of pre-instrumental
    wind estimates and made progress in translating 'descriptive wind
    estimates' into Beaufort equivalent wind speeds. It is recommended
    that over the next 4 years, pre-instrumental data continue to be
    carefully converted to wind measurements, including translating US
    Maury text wind terms.

20) The added value from delayed-mode data as compared to real-time data
    should be assessed. Changes in data characteristics of ICOADS in
    1997/98 due to the reliance on GTS ship reports after 1997 are
    apparent. It is important to determine if these changes are due to
    ICOADS quality control procedures, to the addition of delayed mode
    data, or to both factors.

21) The integration of appropriate datasets into ICOADS should be
    accomplished using IMMA attachments to provide ancillary
    information. Priorities for integration should include: information
    for the interpretation of cloud information including the solar
    elevation and the relative lunar illuminance from the Extended
    Edited Cloud Reports Archive (EECRA); and meteorological reports
    from research vessels.

22) Improve integration of sea ice, subsurface, and surface databases,
    initially using web technologies and standard metadata and catalogue
    services to promote easy discovery and data access.

23) Consider the feasibility of operationally stripping out top-level
    near-SST profile measurements from GTS for ICOADS, possibly with
    GHRSST-PP.

24) ICOADS should investigate the requirements for, and feasibility of,
    decoding extra information from GTS and delayed-mode archives of
    buoy observations including: humidity; additional wave parameters;
    and buoy anemometer height and type. Other sources of additional
    information, for example for humidity observations only available as
    relative humidity, should also be investigated.

25) NWP centers, data assimilation and reanalysis projects, and other
    users are encouraged to flag marine data problems (e.g., track-check
    rejections, and ship 'black' lists) and make these QC results
    readily available for access by data providers, ICOADS, and other
    interested groups. The desired feedback results may already be
    produced in many of these areas, but the reverse linkages and access
    mechanisms are not yet adequate. The approach taken by the AOPC/OOPC
    Surface Pressure Working Group, who are developing a new data format
    for their pressure data base that includes fields/flags for analysis
    error, could be used as a model.

26) The real-time data collection centres should keep original copies of
    the GTS data stream (e.g., such as NOAA/NCEP is doing by attaching
    original FM 13 and FM 18 messages to BUFR). A comparison of GTS
    receipts at these collection centers should be made.

27) A complete set of subdaily pressure observations around the globe
    with a focus on 1850 to present (instrumental period) should be
    constructed within the next 2 years.

28) Within the next 3 years, specific data collections (e.g., VOSClim
    and RVs) should be specifically identified within ICOADS as being
    useful for validation.

29) A dataset of ocean surface and subsurface currents for tropical
    oceans should be developed. Interaction with the OSCAR program could
    be a good step towards this goal.

30) A high quality subset of wave information should be developed.

31) All available wave parameters should be used to improve the
    consistency and quality assurance of wave datasets.

32) Gaps in the (A)ATSR data 1991-date need to be plugged. The record
    should be complete by 2008/09 save for one month.

33) The role of IMMA attachments for incorporating quality control,
    bias, metadata and other non-standard information into ICOADS should
    be expanded. Tools and documentation should be developed to guide
    users in the conversion of datasets into IMMA format. GHRSST may be
    considered as a model for this.

34) The possibility of improving links with sources and users of proxy
    data should be investigated, using the EuroClivar document as
    initial guidance.

35) Need both user survey, and methods to capture the feedbacks and bias
    assessments (e.g., IMMA attachments) that can be provided by users
    and applications such as reanalyses.

**4.4 Metadata**

36) The need for observing method and instrumentation metadata is key to
    all marine climate activities. Improvements are needed to both
    historical and operational metadata availability and to links
    between the metadata and data.

37) It is highly desirable that the possibility of resolving ambiguities
    in historical wind measurement method metadata using alternative
    historical data sources be investigated.

38) The possibility of including or enhancing the metadata (for example,
    anemometer and thermometer height and SST depth) in the real time
    and delayed mode transmission formats should be investigated.

39) ICOADS should decode metadata available in buoy reports, in
    particular anemometer height and type.

40) The ODAS metadata bank should be populated with both historical and
    contemporary metadata, including the necessary metadata rescue
    efforts.

41) An inventory of national and international (e.g., WMO) marine
    observation and code manuals should be developed, and rare
    historical publications should be imaged and made available on-line
    if possible (continuing JCOMM, JMA, and CDMP efforts in this area).

42) A summary of available observing instructions for visual
    observations should be made including observational practice and
    code changes.

43) Noting that large variations ship draft occur, the possibility of
    extracting information on loading-level from ships' logbooks should
    be investigated to supplement the information available for VOSClim
    reports.

44) Observational metadata are vital for the calculation of high quality
    surface fluxes. Methods to improve and extend metadata should be
    investigated including the development of an improved and consistent
    metadatabase from WMO Publication No. 47 and its extension using
    other documentary sources.

45) Methods of obtaining metadata for the historical record should be
    investigated, for example, using country information, national
    observing instructions, Lloyds register, and published historical
    ship descriptions.

**4.5 Analysis of Bias and Uncertainty and the need for validation
data**

46) Within the next two years the feasibility of incorporating bias and
    other homogeneity corrections into ICOADS and other datasets should
    be explored.

47) A web site should be created for collecting and distributing tools,
    techniques, and information used in bias correction, homogenization,
    and uncertainty estimates in order that biases, other data quality
    problems, and techniques for correcting them are fully communicated
    to the scientific community. This would serve as data base for bias
    corrections methodology. The utility of a users web forum or mailing
    list should be considered.

48) Buoys have a global average SST bias but we should also make an
    effort to adjust the data for regional changes in measurement
    method. Kent and Kaplan (*2006: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic
    Technology*) bucket correction method could be extended to full
    global dataset.

49) Bias in MAT should be investigated including: using optimal blending
    techniques to de-bias and incorporate historical day-MAT;
    reassessment of questionable MATs since 1979 in the tropical South
    Pacific; the use of time-slice difference analysis to highlight
    pattern of trends.

50) Investigate the use of empirical orthogonal function analyses as one
    way of diagnosing biases in SST, MAT and humidity.

51) Intercomparisons in a local area between different data sources can
    show strengths / weaknesses / biases (e.g. aircraft, ship, buoy; or
    between different historical decks).

52) The random uncertainties for bias corrected and uncorrected surface
    fluxes should be calculated and compared.

53) Further investigation is required to characterise air flow
    distortion over ships.

54) Further investigation of pressure bias in the US Maury collection is
    required.

55) Further investigation of adjustments required to both visual and
    anemometer winds are required. Adjusted gridded wind datasets should
    be developed using the results of these studies.

56) Reference humidity measurements are needed.

57) It is recommended that ice thickness distribution and snow depth on
    sea ice be measured throughout the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice.

58) The limiting factor in the accuracy of emissivity modelling is the
    correct specification of the configuration of the snow cover and sea
    ice. It is recommended that concurrent measurements of sea ice and
    snow microphysical parameters and *in situ* radiometric measurements
    be made as part of IPY.

59) The significance of sensor drift in the passive microwave sea ice
    record should be considered along with algorithm tie point
    emissivity drift from physical causes. The need to carefully study
    overlap periods is noted.

**4.6 Analysis and Intercomparison of non-gridded datasets**

60) Diurnal cycles of SST must be reliably estimated, for example,
    through GHRSST-PP.

61) MAT observations should be calibrated against a reference dataset of
    radiometric and interferometric instruments. However, these devices
    do not work in rainy conditions.

62) ETSI should continue its work on investigating ice thickness using
    remote sensing. Stage of development may be used for estimating ice
    thickness, especially in the marginal ice zone. This information is
    available for the second half of the C20th. There is evidence that
    duration of ice existence (age if ice) may also be used as a proxy
    for ice thickness.

63) Cloud parameters observed by OWS should be compared with other cloud
    datasets and products.

64) It would be timely to re-visit the development of parameterisations
    of shortwave radiation from co-located cloud observations and solar
    radiation measurements.

65) The applicability of flux parameterisations derived from research
    quality data to routine observations requires investigation.

66) The usefulness of a variety of new sources of wave information
    should be investigated. Possible sources include standard ship radar
    estimates of wave spectra (e.g. German and Russian research
    vessels), ship motion information or data from laser range finders.

67) The wind-wave and stress-wave relationship should be further
    investigated.

68) The usefulness of ocean profile information, from a variety of
    sources, to improve surface variables, especially SST should be
    investigated.

69) Further develop global and regional estimates of upper heat content
    and explore their application in hurricane research.

**4.7 Gridded datasets:**

70) Continue to produce ICOADS MSG summaries as an important benchmark
    in climate research.. It is necessary to improve documentation and
    provide cautions, presented in a positive way, to enable best use of
    the data.

71) The existing ICOADS QC should be kept intact. Collect alternative QC
    information and make available with IMMA attachments. Work towards
    dynamic generation of summaries, possibly using different QC
    schemes.

72) All gridded datasets should contain estimates of random and bias
    uncertainty and error co-variances. Where data corrections have been
    applied the data uncertainties should be re-evaluated.

73) Gridded datasets should include metadata describing the processing
    done on the original data and the gridding procedures.

74) Some estimate of the resolution (rather than grid-spacing) should be
    included in data products. The use of variable grid-spacing should
    be investigated.

75) A range of interpolated gridded products are needed to verify
    existing products. For global climate monitoring, we need 3 or more
    independently analysed datasets. Reasons for differences between
    analyses still require investigation. Comparisons between analyses
    should uncover errors but need not result in uniformity, only a
    better estimate of structural uncertainty.

76) The development of multi-variate products for intercomparison should
    be encouraged, including surface flux and subsurface products.

77) A more integrated approach should be adopted to the evaluation of
    heat and freshwater budgets, incorporating information from surface
    fluxes, SST, subsurface and sea ice observations.

78) Data centres should produce and compare datasets in near real-time
    for both single variable and multivariate analyses to evaluate
    biases in gridded products. Monitoring statistics and results need
    to be published and be freely available.

79) To allow the independent validation of gridded products, it should
    be considered whether some sources of data should be withheld from
    particular analyses.

80) The resolution of each product should be accounted for in any
    intercomparisons.

81) SST analyses should be compared, including by using them to force
    the same models. An ensemble of bias corrections could also be used
    to assess these corrections following Folland (2005; *International
    Journal of Climatology*).

82) We need to review techniques for optimal analysis of local-scale as
    well as large-scale SST variations and for ascribing error-bars. It
    is accepted that error estimates and effective resolution will vary
    temporally and geographically. HadISST2 will need these optimal
    analyses for input to future reanalyses and CLIVAR Climate of the
    20th Century simulations. Tropical SST maxima, and gradients round
    them, are particularly important.

83) Analyses made without using full-period modes to reconstruct early
    SST and MAT should assess the resulting uncertainty early in the
    record.

84) The existing ICOADS QC should be kept intact but enhanced with
    external QC information where possible. It is desirable to
    eventually generate summaries dynamically, with the possibility of
    using different QC schemes.

85) It is highly desirable that in addition quality assurance procedures
    beyond climatology-based approaches are used, for example using
    near-neighbour or model forecast comparisons. For some parameters it
    would be desirable to use multivariate QA to determine rejections.

86) We note the need for satellite as well as *in situ* observations for
    re-analyses, but clouds can cause problems for satellites. GHRSST-PP
    reanalysis project 1981-present will use AVHRR as a basic input,
    (A)ATSR as a reference and buoys as a backup truth.

87) The development of blended products requires improved
    characterisation of data (uncertainties and biases point-by-point)
    in order to blend data from a variety of sources (e.g. VOS, moored
    buoys, drifting buoys, platforms, NWP and satellites).

88) (A)ATSR data should be used in a version of HadISST and of similar
    products as a reference for *in situ* observations.

89) The priority for humidity is to produce initial datasets which will
    form the basis for further research.

90) Sea-ice data should be used in the gridding of SST to produce a full
    dataset. Also minimum SSTs may be -1.9˚C in Antarctic oceans due to
    higher salinity. Presence of sea ice may have a greater effect on
    the MAT.

91) A combined data set of ice thickness information should be created
    with uncertainty estimates.

92) Intercomparisons between historical and recent chart sea ice data
    sets, along with passive microwave derived fields, using many
    different algorithms should be made. Additional satellite derived
    information and marine *in situ* data could be used as validation
    data.

93) Useful indications of structural uncertainties in ice data sets can
    be derived from comparisons between ice concentration retrievals
    using many different algorithms. These uncertainties can be
    attributed to different causes with the aid of radiative transfer
    modelling in the case of atmospheric effects and comparison of
    detailed operational charts may be used to evaluate errors due to
    emissivity changes. Uncertainties in operational ice charts depend
    on data collection periods and natural variability of ice processes
    in each region and errors connected with processing methods. WMO
    publication No. 574 provides description of data processing
    techniques. In general, we note that in all cases ice concentration
    variability distribution is non-Gaussian, so robust statistics
    should be used to estimate uncertainties.

94) All available cloud parameters should be used in the derivation of
    uncertainty estimates for gridded cloud cover datasets.

95) The development of uncertainty estimates for subsurface data
    (profile data and products) should be a priority including error
    bars on derived time series. Validation data for subsurface datasets
    is required.

96) The possibility of including wave summaries as ICOADS products
    should be investigated.

97) Climate indices, for example heat content, should be calculated from
    subsurface data following the recommendations of the CCl/CLIVAR
    Expert Team on Climate Change Detection, Monitoring and Indices.

*Specific dataset requirements*

*The requirements for specific datasets are noted including: the WCRP
Strategic Framework: Coordinated Observation and Prediction of the Earth
System (COPES) needs blended SST products; current model validation
requires sea ice data set resolution of at least 1/3 degree spatially
and monthly mean; high spatial and temporal (subdaily) resolution wind
and pressure gridded fields (including ERA 70 (1940-2010) in the next 5
years; Subdaily Northern Hemisphere SLP (1850-2009) in the next 4 years;
20th Century reanalysis in the next 4 years; the extension and
improvement of products like HadSLP, ERSLP, and KaplanSLP in the next 4
years).*

**4.8 Links, Visibility and Wider Data Dissemination:**

98) The possibility of closer interaction with projects such as GOSUD
    and GTSPP should be investigated.

99) The potential for the provision of *in situ* flux estimates to the
    WCRP SURFA project or other intercomparison efforts should be
    investigated.

100) Explore the inclusion of analysis products in the JCOMM Electronic
     Products Bulletin, incorporating both near-real-time and historical
     data and information on advances in marine datasets.

101) We must ensure adequate links with a range of organisations
     including: JCOMM and their various Expert Teams, WMO CBS and CCl;
     AOPC/OOPC and their working groups on pressure and SST and sea ice;
     WCRP Working Group on Surface Fluxes (WGSF) and Observations and
     Assimilation Panel (WOAP); CLIVAR Global Synthesis and Observations
     Panel (GSOP) and the Joint CCl/CLIVAR Expert Team for Climate
     Change Detection Monitoring and Indices (ETCCDMI).

102) Improve international recognition with a view to formal
     international connection and enhanced support from the US and
     international centers. A report of the MARCDAT-II meeting should be
     published in one or more high-visibility publications (e.g. CLIVAR
     Exchanges, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society).

103) Emphasize the importance of near-real-time data delivery and QC
     feedback. Explore the inclusion of analysis products, incorporating
     both near-real-time and historical data, in the JCOMM Electronic
     Products Bulletin.

104) ICOADS portal alone isn't sufficient for all requirements. Other
     mechanisms including JCOMM should be explored. It is noted that the
     new icoads.noaa.gov URL could provide umbrella web domain for
     linkages, etc.

105) CLIMAR-III should be held as a self-funding meeting in 2007.

**5. Summary**

The meeting goal of *setting priorities for the future development of
marine climate data and products over the next four years* was in the
main addressed.

Significant progress had been achieved toward addressing the
recommendations of the previous workshops (see Appendix II). Areas where
progress had been made included: large volumes of historical data
recovered; improved measurement method metadata availability for ships;
development of a variety of new data products, many containing
uncertainty information; improved data access and formats; blending of
SST and sea ice data; However several areas showed little progress, in
particular there was need to: improve bias adjustments for several
variables; begin regular intercomparisons of data products; develop
target accuracies for marine climate variables and assess the adequacy
of the observing system against those targets; and improve data set
visibility and links to complementary sources of climate data.

Activities required to enhance marine datasets were identified. The
development of inventories indicating the availability or potential
availability of data, whether undigitised, imaged or digitised, as
candidates for digitisation or inclusion into ICOADS was thought to be
key. These inventories would guide the prioritisation of data recovery
activities, but more work is required to identify scientific data
priorities for analyses on a variety of timescales. The definition of
user requirements and regular assessments of observations against those
requirements is necessary to ensure future data availability. Improved
links with observers, managers of operational and climate observing
systems, national data collectors, international bodies, NWP and
reanalysis centres were all thought to be important to increase the
quality and quantity of marine climate data. Integration of datasets
(for example of enhanced cloud information, data from research vessels
or historical digitised sources) into ICOADS is a priority. The need for
single repositories for particular data sources, for example ICOADS for
surface marine meteorology, WOD for ocean profiles, GDSIDB for ice, was
highlighted, along with the importance of effective linking of these,
and other, datasets. Improved QC was a priority for many, but it was
agreed to keep the ICOADS QC intact and to encourage users to develop
procedures which could lead to information being added to ICOADS as IMMA
attachments. Metadata should also be closely linked to the relevant data
in a similar way.

Outstanding needs for the development of multi-decadal climate quality
datasets were also discussed, among other priorities recommended by the
different breakout groups:

•The breakout group for SST, air temperature and humidity identified a
range of priorities. These included: the advantages of strengthened
links to and feedback from modelling, reanalysis and data assimilation
activities; improved characterisation of all *in situ* and satellite
data sources to aid the generation of blended products; digitisation of
data from the early C19th; additional validation and comparison data
from a variety of sources; for datasets available in near real time; for
the recovery of humidity data from buoys; and for observation metadata
to allow improved bias adjustments.

•For pressure and winds the priorities were for data cataloguing and
digitisation activities, particularly of whole voyages, the development
of wind speed equivalents for early descriptive wind reports, for
observation method and height metadata for ships and buoys. Improved
homogenisation techniques for winds are required including the
quantification of bias in visual winds and that due to airflow
distortion. Improved interaction with reanalysis activities has the
potential to lead to improved QC and bias correction.

•Sea ice development priorities included: the need for a multi-variate
approach going beyond sea ice concentration and extent to include
parameters such as ice thickness, ice albedo, ice drift and ice type;
the quantification of bias and uncertainty in these parameters; the
blending of the *in situ* ice chart and passive microwave records into
climate datasets; digitisation of all available historical ice charts
and measurements; the need for more research and validation
measurements.

•The breakout group for subsurface ocean data, waves, fluxes and clouds
were keen to promote a multi-variate approach to dataset development,
particularly for ocean, SST and flux data and including heat budget
approaches. Metadata availability was key, as was the exploitation of
measurements such as radar waves, electromagnetic-log currents. The
automation of VOS had led to a reduction in visual cloud and wave
observations beyond the general decline in ship report numbers, which is
significantly impacting on dataset quality.

All groups were concerned that the identification of users, user
requirements and assessments of data adequacy should proceed without
delay. The observed decline in VOS report numbers was seen as a threat
to the development of long term homogeneous climate datasets.

The need for more resources for ICOADS was highlighted to enable the
development of near-real-time update capabilities, the incorporation of
new datasets and delayed mode data, the continued development of the
successful IMMA format, improvements to data accessibility and the web
portal and links to other organisations.

It was agreed that good progress had been made toward the quantification
of data uncertainty and the development of gridded datasets with
associated uncertainty estimates. More research is needed however, and
ocean profile and sea ice data were seen as needing the most work. Data
biases and homogeneity are still a problem, for example biases in some
Maury Collection pressure data; there are spurious trends in modern
visual wind data and biases in post-WWII SST; we need to rehabilitate
daytime air temperatures and questionable air temperatures in the
Tropical South Pacific in the 1970s. Satellite sensor drift needs to be
identified and corrected. All gridded datasets should contain estimates
of random and bias uncertainty, resolution and error-covariance.

All agreed that the definition of our future data requirements was long
overdue but no firm plans for assessments have yet been made.
Recommendations have been drafted to try to ensure that this is
addressed in the short term by the group.

Summaries of the MARCDAT-II meeting have appeared in *CLIVAR Exchanges*
and the WCRP Working Group on Surface Fluxes Newsletter and are
anticipated shortly in the *Bulletin of the American Meteorological
Society*.

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**Appendix I: Acronyms**

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ***Acronym***   ***Meaning***
  --------------- ----------------------------------------------------------
  (A)ATSR         (Advanced) Along Track Scanning Radiometer

  AMSR-E          Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS

  AOPC            GCOS/WCRP Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate

  ASPeCt          Antarctic Sea ice Processes and Climate

  AVHRR           Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer

  AWS             Automatic Weather System

  BUFR            Binary Universal Form for the Representation of
                  meteorological data

  CCl             WMO Commission for Climatology

  CDMP            NOAA Climate Database Modernization Program

  CFD             Computational Fluid Dynamics

  CLIMAR          JCOMM Workshop on Advances in Marine Climatology

  CLIVAR          Climate Variability and Predictability Project

  CLIWOC          Climatological Database for the World's Ocean 1750-1854

  COBE-SST        Centennial in-situ Observation-Based Estimates - SST (JMA)

  COPES           WCRP Coordinated Observation and Prediction of the Earth
                  System Framework

  CryoSat         European Space Agency Ice Mission Satellite

  CTD             Conductivity/Temperature/Depth

  DAC             Data Acquisition Center

  DMI             Danish Meteorological Institute

  E2EDM           End to End Data Management

  EASE            Equal-Area Scalable Earth

  ECMWF           European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts

  EECRA           Extended Edited Cloud Report Archive

  EMULATE         European and North Atlantic daily to MULtidecadal climATE
                  variability

  ENACT           Enhanced ocean data assimilation and climate prediction

  ENVISAT         European Space Agency Environmental Satellite

  EOS             Earth Observing System

  ERA70           Planned ECMWF 70-year Reanalysis

  ERS             European Remote-sensing Satellite

  ERSLP           Extended Reconstructed Sea Level Pressure

  ETCCDMI         Expert Team on Climate Change Detection, Monitoring and
                  Indices

  ETMC            JCOMM Expert Team on Marine Climatology

  ETSI            JCOMM Expert Team on Sea Ice

  ETWS            JCOMM Expert Team on Wind Waves and Storm Surges

  FM 13 or 18     Ship or buoy transmission code

  FSU             Florida State University

  GCOS            Global Climate Observing System

  GDSIDB          Global Digital Sea Ice Data Bank

  GEOS            Global Earth Observation System

  GHRSST-PP       GODAE (Global Data Assimilation Experiment) High
                  Resolution SST Pilot Project

  GOOS            Global Ocean Observing System

  GOSUD           Global Ocean Surface Underway Data Pilot Project

  GSOP            CLIVAR Global Synthesis and Observations Panel

  GTS             Global Telecommunication System

  GTSPP           Global Temperature-Salinity Profile Program

  HadCM3          Hadley Centre Coupled Model, version 3

  HadGAM1         Hadley Centre Global Atmospheric Model

  HadGEM1         Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model

  HadGOA          Hadley Centre Global Subsurface Ocean Analysis

  HadISST1        Hadley Centre Global sea Ice Coverage and Sea Surface
                  Temperature data (1870-present)

  HadSLP          Hadley Centre Sea Level Pressure dataset

  HadSST2         Hadley Centre SST dataset

  ICESat          Ice, Cloud,and land Elevation Satellite

  ICOADS          International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set

  IMET            Woods Hole Improved Meteorology system

  IMMA            International Maritime Meteorological Archive format

  IMMT            International Maritime Meteorological Tape Format

  IOC             Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

  IOOS            US Integrated Ocean Observing System

  IPY             International Polar Year

  JCOMM           Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and
                  Marine Meteorology

  JCOMMOPS        JCOMM in situ Observing Platform Support Centre

  JMA             Japan Meteorological Agency

  JRA25           Japanese 25-year Reanalysis Project

  KNMI            Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

  LAS             Live Access Server

  MARCDAT         International Workshop on Advances in the Use of
                  Historical Marine Climate Data

  MAT             Marine Air Temperature

  MCSS            Marine Climatological Summaries Scheme

  MSG             ICOADS Monthly Summary Groups

  MSLP            Mean sea level pressure

  NASA            National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  NCEP            National Centers for Environmental Prediction

  NIC             US National Ice Center

  NIC e00         GIS interchange format ice information files

  NOAA            US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

  NOCS            National Oceanography Centre, Southampton

  NP-33           Central Arctic Drifting Ice Station

  NSIDC           US National Snow and Ice Data Center

  NWP             Numerical Weather Prediction

  OceanSITES      OCEAN Sustained Interdisciplinary Timeseries Environment
                  Observation System

  ODAS            Ocean Data Acquisition System

  OOPC            GCOS/GOOS/WCRP Ocean Observations Panel for Climate

  OOPC            Ocean Observations Panel for Climate

  OSCAR           Ocean Surface Current Analyses

  OWS             Ocean Weather Ship/Station

  Pub. 47         International List of Selected, Supplementary and
                  Auxiliary Ships, WMO Publication No. 47

  RV              Research Vessel

  SAMOS           Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic
                  System Initiative

  SAR             Synthetic Aperture Radar

  SIMBA           Sea Ice Mass Budget of the Arctic

  SMMR            Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer

  SSM/I           Special Sensor Microwave/Imager

  SSS             Sea Surface Salinity

  SST             sea surface temperature

  SURFA           Surface Flux Analysis Project

  ULS             Upward Looking Sonar

  VOS             Voluntary Observing Ships

  VOSClim         JCOMM VOS Climate Project

  WCRP            World Climate Research Program

  WGSF            WCRP Working Group on Surface Fluxes

  WMO             World Meteorological Organization

  WOCE            World Ocean Circulation Experiment

  WOD2000         World Ocean Database 2000
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**Appendix II: Tracked Recommendations from Previous Meetings**

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Recommendation**   **Status**                      **Carried forward?**
  -------------------- ------------------------------- -----------------------
  A1                   More work needed                4.6

  A2                   Close to completion             

  A3                   More work needed                4.6

  A4                   More work needed                4.5

  A5                   Withdrawn                       

  A6                   Withdrawn                       

  A7                   Ongoing                         

  A8                   Ongoing                         

  A9                   Significantly improved data     
                       available                       

  A10                  Ongoing                         

  A11                                                  ?

  A12                                                  ?

  A13                  More work needed                Through GCOS SST/SI WG

  A14                  Ongoing                         

  A15                  Ongoing                         

  B1                   Ongoing                         

  B2                   Completed                       

  B3                   Completed                       

  B4                   Ongoing                         

  B5                   More work needed                4.5

  B6                   More work needed                4.5

  B7                   More work needed                

  B8                   More work needed                4.5

  B9                   Ongoing                         4.1

  B10                  More work needed                4.4

  B11                  Completed                       

  B12                  Ongoing                         

  B13                  Ongoing                         

  B14                  Ongoing                         

  C1                   More work needed                4.1

  C2                   Ongoing                         

  C3                   Ongoing                         

  C4                   More work needed                4.7

  C5                   Ongoing                         

  C6                   More work needed                4.3

  C7                   More work needed                4.3

  C8                   Ongoing                         

  D1                   Ongoing                         

  D2                   Ongoing                         

  D3                   More work needed                4.2

  D4                   More work needed                4.2

  D5                   More work needed                4.2

  D6                   More work needed                4.7

  D7                                                   ?

  D8                   Not done                        4.7

  E1                   Ongoing                         

  E2                   More work needed                4.4

  E3                   More work needed                4.4

  E4                                                   ?

  E5                   More work needed                4.4

  E6                                                   4.2

  E7                   More work needed                

  E8                   More work needed                4.3

  E9                   More work needed                4.5

  F1                                                   ?

  F2                                                   4.8

  F3                   Ongoing                         

  F4                   Ongoing                         

  F5                   More work needed                4.3

  F6                                                   ?

  F7                   Completed                       

  F8                   Ongoing                         4.8
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Recommendations from MARCDAT-I, Boulder 2002.**

**A. SST and Surface Temperature Working Group**

**A1 Re-examine the historic bias corrections to SST, especially for the
late 1930s through the end of the 1940s.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** There are two published correction schemes for historic bias
in SST (Folland C.K. and Parker D.E, 1995: Correction of Instrumental
Biases in Historical Sea Surface Temperature Data, Quarterly J. Royal
Met. Society, 121, 319-367 and Smith, T.M. and R.W. Reynolds, 2002: Bias
corrections for historical sea surface temperatures based on marine air
temperatures, J. Climate, 15, 73-87). These corrections need to be
reassessed whenever substantial updates are made to the SST datasets.
The Folland and Parker (1995) correction was developed using the Met
Office Marine Databank and required updating for use with ICOADS. The
Hadley Centre have adapted the corrections to ICOADS (N.A. Rayner, P.
Brohan, D.E. Parker, C.K. Folland, J.J. Kennedy, M. Vanicek, T. Ansell
and S.F.B. Tett, 2005: Improved analyses of changes and uncertainties in
sea surface temperature measured *in situ* since the mid-nineteenth
century, accepted by J. Climate). They also plan to engage in a more
in-depth examination, aimed at determining whether or not corrections
are required post-1941. 3 papers published looking at biases post 1973
(Kent, E.C., and P.K. Taylor, 2006: Towards Estimating Climatic Trends
in SST, Part 1: Methods of Measurement. Journal of Atmospheric and
Oceanic Technology, 23(3), 464-475; Kent, E.C., and P.G. Challenor,
2006: Towards Estimating Climatic Trends in SST, Part 2: Random Errors.
Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 23(3), 476-486; Kent,
E.C., and A. Kaplan, 2005: Towards Estimating Climatic Trends in SST,
Part 3: Systematic Biases. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic
Technology, 23(3), 487-500).

**A2 All the metadata in the issues of WMO Publication No. 47
(International List of Selected, Supplementary and Auxiliary Ships)
should be digitized.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** Imaging of the available published editions and supplements
for 1955-72 has been completed (16 PDF volumes,
http://icoads.noaa.gov/metadata/), under NOAA\'s Climate Database
Modernization Program, and digitization of the metadata for that period
is underway and planned for completion in 2006. (See also E1.)

**A3 Biases in recent night marine air temperature (NMAT) data should be
evaluated, and NMAT interpolation techniques should be re-assessed.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** NMAT biases have reassessed (Rayner, N.A., D.E. Parker, E.B.
Horton, C.K. Folland, L.V. Alexander, D.P. Rowell, E.C. Kent and A.
Kaplan, 2003: Global Analyses of SST, Sea Ice and Night Marine Air
Temperature Since the Late 19th Century, J. Geophysical Res. 108(D14),
4407, DOI:10.1029/2002JD002670) and improved interpolation schemes
tested (Folland C.K., Salinger M.J., Jiang, N. and N. Rayner. Trends and
Variations in South Pacific Island and Ocean Surface Temperature. J.
Climate, 16, 2859-2874).

**A4 Use geostationary satellite and moored buoy data to analyse the
diurnal cycle of SST, particularly in the tropical west Pacific warm
pool.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** Results of analyses of a combination of AVHRR and TMI data
have been published: Gentemann, C., C.J. Donlon, A. Stuart-Menteth, F.J.
Wentz, 2003: Diurnal Signals in Satellite Sea Surface Temperature
Measurements. Geophysical Research Letters , 30(3), 1140-1143 and
Stuart-Menteth A.C., I.S. Robinson, P.G. Challenor 2003: A global study
of diurnal warming using satellite-derived sea surface temperature, J.
Geophysical Res. 108(C5): art. no. 3155 MAY 22 2003. Use of GOES
geostationary data may be problematic due to calibration problems.

**A5 It is recommended that the Voluntary Observing Ship Climate
(VOSClim) Project be extended, or a parallel project be initiated, to
include buoys.**

**Status:** Withdrawn

**Notes:** At CLIMAR-II it was decided to withdraw this recommendation.

**A6 Commence regular comparisons of the quality control (QC) procedures
for SST. For these, common *in situ* input data should be used.**

**Status:** Withdrawn

**Notes:** One motivation for this was the relative annual cycle seen in
SST anomalies of data sets produced by NOAA and those produced by the
Hadley Centre. This arose mainly because of the use of daily anomalies
in the QC and gridding of the Hadley Centre data sets. The daily
climatology was interpolated from the monthly climatology in a
non-conservative way, leading to an enhanced annual cycle in the
aggregated monthly anomalies (see N.A. Rayner, P. Brohan, D.E. Parker,
C.K. Folland, J.J. Kennedy, M. Vanicek, T. Ansell and S.F.B. Tett, 2005:
Improved analyses of changes and uncertainties in sea surface
temperature measured *in situ* since the mid-nineteenth century,
accepted by J. Climate). This has been improved in the latest Hadley
Centre analysis.

**A7 Collate NOAA Pathfinder satellite SSTs for inland seas and large
lakes.**

**Status:** Good Progress

**Notes:** Inland seas and lake temperatures have been calculated and
included in the recent NODC/RSMAS Pathfinder SST Version 5.0
reprocessing (<http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/sog/pathfinder4km>). However,
these data should be treated skeptically until validation studies have
been performed. The Pathfinder algorithms and quality flagging
procedures were not originally designed for small, inland, freshwater
bodies, and no *in situ* matchup data from these areas are included in
the calculation of the algorithm coefficients. Work at the University of
Edinburgh has shown that open-ocean retrievals of SST from infra-red
satellite measurements are not adequate for lake temperature, due to
large spatial gradients in the water temperature leading to clearing of
false clouds (John Marsham, 2003: Lake temperatures - thermal remote
sensing and assimilation into a lake model, PhD Thesis, Institute for
Meteorology, University of Edinburgh, 2003).

**A8 Develop sub-monthly analyses of SST since 1950.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** The Met Office routinely produces pentad (5-day) SST fields
and has a flexible system to grid SST on any spatial and temporal
resolution. Daily analyses on a 1° grid for 1901-2001 are documented in
Ishii, M., Shouji, A., Sugimoto, S., and Matsumoto, T., 2005: Objective
analyses of sea surface temperature and marine meteorological variables
for the 20th century using ICOADS and the Kobe collection, Intl. J.
Climatol, 25, 865-879. High resolution daily analyses for 2005 onwards
are being produced by the GODAE High Resolution SST Pilot Project.

**A9 The Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine
Meteorology (JCOMM) Expert Team on Sea Ice (ETSI) should provide
recommendations on the blending of sea-ice data and on the
interpretation of microwave observations of sea-ice. This will provide
much-needed information on variations in sea ice thickness.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** First version of the blended GDSIDB Arctic sea ice total
concentration data set for 1950-1998 was constructed in December 2002.
Dataset is based on four sets of 5-10 days ice charts from the WMO
Global Digital Sea Ice Data Bank. The fifth set is monthly Northern
Polar Region total concentration dataset for1901-1997, also called John
Walsh dataset. All five datasets were reprojected to the same temporal
monthly scale (mid-month) and to the same 15 by 15 minutes grid.
Population of the grid was carried out by means of substitution values
by the most representative which were chosen according to the zones of
responsibility of the national service. Cases of no-information were
populated by monthly robust means. So far, constructed \"blended GDSIDB
Arctic sea ice total concentration data set for 1950 -1998\" may be
thought as the most informative factual data and is proposed as a source
of WMO norms on sea ice for 1950-1998 period. Further progress is
anticipated in changing general climatic values to typical ones and
involving some regional data sets presently absent in blended data set.
NCDC also produce SST analyses incorporating sea-ice information.

**A10 It is desirable that the ETSI should provide an inventory of
historical sea ice data for the Southern Ocean.**

**Status:** In progress

**Notes:** ETSI-I agreed \"to develop blended sea ice variables for
global climate analysis and to prepare historical sea ice data
information for the Southern Ocean\" during the inter-sessional period.
Status report will be available by ETSI-II (Autumn 2004).

**A11 The use of satellite SSTs in relationships between SST and sea ice
concentration should be re-assessed owing to possible contamination of
these SSTs by the sea-ice. Improved sea-ice data and relationships
should be incorporated into SST analyses.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** Project funded by Hadley Centre and carried out at University
of Edinburgh has used ATSR-2 brightness temperatures to develop an
improved retrieval in polar regions. A demonstration data set of SST
values on a daily 1 km grid for two days per month throughout 1999 has
been produced. This will be taken forward when resources are available.

**A12 Cloud-clearing techniques for satellite-based infrared SSTs should
be compared.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** A NOAA-funded project has developed a new Bayesian cloud
detection algorithm for GOES. The GOES Bayesian cloud mask is running in
parallel with the operational threshold-based scheme. Individual
uncertainty estimates can be assigned to every single SST retrieval.

**A13 Regular comparisons of SST analyses should commence.**

**Status:** Little progress

**Notes:** Some informal comparisons made at the Hadley Centre

**A14 All SST analyses need to include gridded fields of analysis error
including bias correction error. Error covariances are also needed.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** Several analyses including ERSST.v2 (Smith, T.M., and R.W.
Reynolds, 2004: Improved Extended Reconstruction of SST (1854-1997),
Journal of Climate, 17, 2466-2477) and HadSST2 (N.A. Rayner, P. Brohan,
D.E. Parker, C.K. Folland, J.J. Kennedy, M. Vanicek, T. Ansell and
S.F.B. Tett, 2005: Improved analyses of changes and uncertainties in sea
surface temperature measured *in situ* since the mid-nineteenth century,
accepted by J. Climate) now have accompanying error estimates and
covariances.

**A15 Create monthly and sub-monthly blended SST/sea-ice products.
Estimates of errors, and indications of sources of data, should be
included in the product.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** ERSST.v2 (
<http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/sst/sst.html>)
incorporates sea ice concentration to improve high-latitude SST and
includes error estimates. The Hadley Centre plans to develop HadISST2,
which will contain error estimates.

**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**B. Surface Pressure and Wind Working Group**

**B1 The Hadley Centre global monthly MSLP data set HadSLP should be
updated.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** A new version of HadSLP (1850-2004) is now complete
(HadSLP2p) and is updated in near-real-time (HadSLPr). A paper (Allan
and Ansell, 2005) is in preparation, to be submitted to J. Climate by
the 12th of August 2005. HadSLP2p/r are seen as interim products and a
selective release to around eight research groups around the world was
made for testing and evaluation of these products. The final version
will be released in February 2006.

**B2 The Terms of Reference of the GCOS MSLP Working Group should be
expanded to include surface winds.**

**Status:** Amended

**Notes:** At CLIMAR2 SLP Working Group Meeting it was decided to amend
this recommendations to \"The GCOS MSLP Working Group should be expanded
to include a specialist in surface winds.\"

**B3 A catalogue of available pressure products should be developed.**

**Status:** Available

**Notes:** On the AOPC/OOPC Surface Pressure Working Group web page
(<http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/Pressure/>).

**B4 Florida State University will have a non-global (Pacific & Indian
Oceans) data set of surface wind and MSLP, fluxes, and related variables
from 1950 onwards.**

**Status:** Limited progress

**Notes:** 2° wind products are available for the Tropical Pacific from
1961 and the Tropical Indian Ocean from 1970:
<http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/>. Research to extend to pressure and flux
products on a 1-degree grid and prior to 1978 is ongoing.

**B5 Appropriate techniques for the adjustment of both estimated and
measured wind speed observations should be investigated and applied.**

**Status:** In progress

**Notes:** Investigation in progress (e.g. Thomas, B.R., E.C. Kent and
V.R. Swail, 2005: Methods to Homogenize Wind Speeds from Ships and Buoys
Int. J. Climatology (CLIMAR-II Special Issue), 25(7), 979-995, DOI:
10.1002/joc.1176) and analysis of recent wind observations using all
available metadata is underway.

**B6 Monthly wind statistics for 1854 to date should be computed using
the adjusted estimated and measured winds.**

**Status:** No progress

**Notes:** No progress at the moment but is still an important piece of
work.

**B7 The Meteorological Service of Canada has created a high-resolution
analysis of winds over the North Atlantic for 1958-1997. The use of
historical daily MSLP fields to backdate this analysis should be
investigated.**

**Status:** In progress

**Notes:** Feasibility study being performed by Oceanweather under
contract to Environment Canada. More information should be available by
the end of April 2004.

**B8 Biases from the US Maury Collection pressure data set should be
investigated.**

**Status:** Completed for Hadley Centre needs

**Notes:** Hadley Centre made approximate adjustment (Ansell et al.,
2005).

**B9 More observations on pressure are needed to improve historical MSLP
analyses.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** See AOPC/OOPC Surface Pressure Working Group web page
(<http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/Pressure/>).

**B10 The new JCOMM metadata base for moored and drifting buoys, and
other ODAS (eg, offshore platforms), should be populated with current
and** **historical data.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** See item E, 3.

**B11 Merged ICOADS and WMO Publication No. 47 data 1980-97 should be
made available.**

**Status:** Completed

**Notes:** See item E, 5.

**B12 Improved monthly (and daily if possible) surface pressure for land
stations should be made available for blended land-marine analysis.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** Progress for Atlantic/European sector as part of EMULATE. A
new Northern Hemisphere reconstruction of daily MSLP, building on
EMULATE, is planned.

**B13 Improved Reanalysis techniques, currently being developed, should
be used to produce a combined daily MSLP and surface wind product for as
much of the world as possible back to the late 19th Century.**

**Status:** In progress

**Notes:** A pilot reanalysis for 1938 - 1948 is underway as part of the
Historical Reanalysis Project. 4 times daily tropospheric fields
(surface to 250 hPa) are planned to be complete by September 2006. 2
papers on the project are either in press
(<http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/people/gilbert.p.compo/Whitakeretal2004.pdf>)
or under review
(<http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/people/gilbert.p.compo/Compoetal2005.pdf>).

The proposed GCOS daily and subdaily database of surface and sea level
pressure marine and land observations is currently being assembled with
the tentative title of the International Surface Pressure Dataset.

**B14 For all gridded data sets, error estimates of wind and pressures
should include grid box uncertainties and error covariance structures.**

**Status:** In progress

**Notes:** This has been done for EMULATE daily pressures (Ansell et
al., 2005) and for global monthly pressure fields (Allan and Ansell,
2005).

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**C. Technical Issues Working Group**

**C1 Data that add the most information to the existing database should
be given priority for digitisation.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** Taking place within e.g. ICOADS, CLIWOC and EMULATE.

**C2 The research community should have access to preliminary data.
Identification and documentation should clearly distinguish final from
interim products, and advise users of potential duplication and lack of
QC in the interim products.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** ICOADS now offers data for 1998-2002 from a new \"real-time\"
archive, and is beginning to offer supplementary (add-on) datasets in
standard formats: <http://dss.ucar.edu/datasets/ds530.0/>. Further work
is needed on the identification and documentation issues.

**C3 Use a new, fully documented format for interim and newly-digitised
data.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** A new ascii IMMA format is now offered by ICOADS, by the
CLIWOC project for 1750-1854 European ship logbook data, and helping to
meet requirements of the VOSClim project. IMMA format documentation is
available here: http://icoads.noaa.gov/e-doc/imma/. The JCOMM Expert
Team on Marine Climatology agreed at its first session (Gdynia, Poland,
7-10 July 2004) to publicize the format more widely (e.g., through a
JCOMM technical report) and to continue to be involved in its evolution
and development. More information can be found
on:http://icoads.noaa.gov/etmc/, document 4.1)

**C4 Continue development and application of new QC techniques and
utilization of metadata.**

**Status:** Some QC progress

**Notes:** Preliminary work has been done on an \"adaptive\" QC for SST,
which shows promise for other variables. The resulting SST 2-degree
monthly summaries can be accessed from this webpage:
<http://dss.ucar.edu/pub/coads/forms/msg/msga.form.html>. The resulting
QC flags have also been merged into IMMA format for 1784-1997.

**C5 Continue wide distribution of all data in appropriate formats, and
share software to access and analyse the data. Data should be available
freely, e.g. over the Internet, or at a minimum cost for media.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** ICOADS data freely available from on-line sources, or at cost
of reproduction on other media. All Hadley Centre data sets now freely
available (no licence required) from
[http://www.hadobs.org](http://www.hadobs.org/).

**C6 The real-time data collection centres should keep original copies
of the GTS data stream. A comparison of GTS receipts at these collection
centers should be made.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** NCEP\'s BUFR format preserves the original message strings.
NCDC is also translating NOAAPort GTS data into the IMMA format with
attached original message strings. Some preliminary comparisons have
been completed between these sources, and this work continues.

**C7 Incorporating modern high quality, high temporal resolution data
into ICOADS.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** As of October 2005, FSU has defined a procedure, in
collaboration with the ICOADS group, to create hourly sub-samples from
higher temporal resolution meteorological reports collected on research
vessels. The subsampled data will be provided to ICOADS in the IMMA
format using a newly designed supplemental record. The supplement will
provide multiple navigation, meteorological, and near surface ocean
measurements from research vessels, and accommodates multiple
measurements for a single parameter (e.g., 2 air temps. from port and
starboard sensors). The supplement also contains an uncertainty measure
for each parameter. A set of rules has been established to select from
the multiple values in the supplement to populate the core of the IMMA
ICOADS record. Once a few more minor bugs are worked out, all original
one-minute sampled meteorological reports collected by FSU during the
World Ocean Circulation Experiment will be provided to ICOADS. The
procedure will be used as part of an ongoing effort to place additional
research vessel records into ICOADS.

**C8 There should be a mirror data site for the new ICOADS database.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** As a first step in this direction, mirroring arrangements
were developed between NOAA/CDC and NCAR. The focus of this initial
mirroring was on the ICOADS website and metadata (hosted at CDC). In
addition, NCEP Real-Time (NRT) observations, which serve as an interim
update to ICOADS, are being mirrored, since these data have only been
preserved at CDC. Longer-range work is needed to ensure that all major
ICOADS data and products are, at minimum, fully duplicated at separate
formal archive locations, and actively mirrored if this becomes more
feasible.

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**Recommendations from CLIMAR-II, Brussels 2003.**

**D. Climate Monitoring**

**D1 All observations should be taken following the GCOS Climate
Monitoring Principles, remembering that any distinction between
\"operational\" and \"climate\" observations is artificial.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** This philosophy is being pressed widely on the operational
agencies.

**D2 Because remotely sensed data are an important part of the climate
record, it is recommended that the continuity and overlap of satellite
missions should be planned in line with the GCOS Climate Monitoring
Principles.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** This philosophy is being pressed widely on the operational
agencies, including through a letter from the Chair of the World Climate
Research Programme Joint Scientific Committee Prof Peter Lemke to the
Intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations and the Committee for
Earth Observation Satellites. Money is likely to be a constraint.

**D3 It is important that we improve dialogue between Numerical Weather
Prediction, climate and data-generation communities, through for example
the GCOS Panels. Some CLIMAR-II participants should attend the JCOMM
Products Workshop (OCEAN OPS04) (Toulouse, 10-15 May 2004) to broaden
its scope.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** Several CLIMAR-II attendees attended the OCEAN OPS04 Workshop
(<http://www.meteo.fr/marine/oceanops04/>). Other meetings attended
included the UK Met Office User Forum for Observations, Met Office,
Exeter, May 2004. Considerable debate on the application of Reanalyses
to climate is ongoing through the US Climate Change Science Program
Synthesis Product on Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere. This
was developed further at the Workshop on Understanding Vertical Profiles
of Temperature Trends held at the Met Office, Exeter, UK, 13-17 Sept
2004. A JCOMM Ship Observations Team meeting (SOT-III) took place in
Brest 7-12 March 2005.

**D4 To ensure the extension of adequate climate observations into the
future, it is necessary to define target accuracies for fields of each
of the basic meteorological variables (SST, MAT, SLP, humidity, wind
speed and direction, waves, cloud cover) and for their combination into
flux fields (sensible heat, latent heat, longwave radiation, shortwave
radiation, precipitation, atmospheric moisture, momentum). The adequacy
of the observations collected, as measured against these requirements,
should be regularly assessed. The Second Adequacy Report on the GCOS
(GCOS, 2003) has already given an overall assessment, but the Statements
of Guidance (SOG) on observing requirements for climate need to be
completed and regularly updated through the GCOS Panels.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** AOPC-X (April 2004) requested that the SOGs on Monitoring
Climate Change and Monitoring Climate Variability reviewed at this
session be provided to CCl for further review by appropriate CCl Expert
Teams (ETs) and individuals, and subsequently be submitted through these
ETs to the CBS ET-ODRRGOS. It noted that CCl was in the process of
developing additional SOGs for climate applications and agreed that it
should review these as appropriate as part of the process of submitting
them to the ET-ODRRGOS. The Panel further recommended that formal
ownership of these SOGs reside within the CCl structure.

**D5 Recommendations for standards in instrument location, mast design,
stability.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** Frank Bradley, Chris Fairall, and Shawn Smith are drafting a
handbook outlining the best procedures and practices for marine
meteorological measurement on research vessels. The handbook focuses on
practices that will ensure one\'s ability to calculate accurate
turbulent air-sea fluxes. A first draft of the handbook was completed by
the end of 2005 and the content will be reviewed at the 1st Joint
GOSUD/SAMOS workshop in May 2006. Developing the handbook is a priority
of the SAMOS initiative and the WCRP Working Group on Surface Fluxes.

**D6 Develop, through JCOMM and its Expert Team on Marine Climatology
(ETMC), a list of appropriate climate indices for winds, waves and SLP.
Indices are a logical update in technology to marine meteorological
summaries under the Marine Climatological Summaries Scheme (MCSS).
Development of climate indices should be done in liaison with the
WMO/CLIVAR/CCl Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices, and
with the GCOS Panels.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** AOPC-X (April 2004) reiterated the value of establishing an
open Web site presenting a selected group of climate indices and
requested the Chairman (Mike Manton) to liaise with the UK Met Office
(Chris Folland) to complete this initiative. ETMC discussed the existing
MCSS scheme at its first session (Gdynia, Poland, 7-10 July 2004), but
agreed that the development of useful climatic indices might need
different aspects of expertise than were available on the ETMC-it
encouraged the Task Team on Ocean Product Development to consider this
issue.

**D7 The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) should support extra
spectral ocean wave measurements at existing sites in the Southern Ocean
and tropics.**

**Status:**

**Notes:**

**D8 Investigate the inclusion of wave information in ICOADS
summaries.**

**Status:** Not done

**Notes:** Recommended again at MARCDAT-II

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**E. Metadata and Homogenisation**

**Metadata**

**E1 Digital availability of the entire record of the WMO ship catalogue
(Publication No.47; 1955-), in a format suitable for use in association
with both operational and climate data, should be made a priority.
Editions for 1955-72 and 2005 are not yet available in digital form.**

**Status:** Good progress

**Notes:** WMO Pub. No. 47 is now available in machine-readable form for
the full period 1973 to the end of 2004 (as of July 2004). Editions for
1955-72 have been imaged by NOAA\'s Climate Database Modernization
Program (CDMP) and await digitisation in 2005. More information can be
found on: http://icoads.noaa.gov/etmc/ (modern metadata: document 5.1;
historical metadata: document 5.3)

**E2 Observing practice literature, both national and international, is
an import ant aspect of climate metadata. Two of the more important
decisions recorded in this literature were the historical WMO/Commission
for Marine Meteorology (CMM) decisions which improved VOS data and the
Marine Climatological Summaries Scheme (MCSS). To document the evolution
of observing practice, a procedure for identifying, archiving and
distributing this type of metadata should be developed. The archive
should be updated through JCOMM and its ETMC, without destroying the
older entries, when observational practice is updated. Eventually, the
archive could also link to the results of instrument validations and
comparison studies.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** The ETMC have investigated whether all versions of the WMO
Manual on Codes (WMO-No. 306) and information on IMMT formats
documenting the history of the marine ship codes and exchange formats
are available. More information onhttp://icoads.noaa.gov/etmc/, document
4.2. Many relevant documents have now been scanned by JMA, and through
additional efforts by the NOAA Climate Database Modernization Program
(CDMP), made available as searchable PDFs at this location:
<http://goos.kishou.go.jp/ws/ETMC/code_task/> (availability from CDMP is
also planned).

**E3 An archive of metadata for moored and drifting buoys, and other
ODAS (e.g. offshore platforms), should be filled by Members, with WMO
coordination, as soon as possible with information on both current and
historical deployments.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** A web based buoy metadata collection scheme is being
developed at JCOMMOPS thanks to EGOS funding. Developments started in
January 2004. Implementation is planned for early 2005 to mid-2005.
Collected metadata will be publicly available and submitted to the JCOMM
ODAS metadata database. The database will be hosted in China (see
JCOMMOPS website for more details:
<http://w4.jcommops.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/JCOMMOPS>)

**E4 If possible, a given buoy should have a unique identifier. The
re-use of identifiers (buoy numbers) for different buoys can cause
erroneous application of metadata. If buoy numbers must be reused, the
metadata should include sufficient features (e.g., timestamps) so that
they can be correctly applied.**

**Status:**

**Notes:**

**E5 Metadata, including information on homogeneity adjustments applied,
should be clearly linked to data.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** A subset of Publication No. 47 metadata has been linked to
ICOADS individual ship reports for the period 1973 to 2004 using the
metadata attachment to the IMMA format.

**Homogenisation**

**E6 It remains essential to acquire data from independent platforms
(e.g. VOS, buoys, research vessels, satellites), to allow independent
validation and homogenisation of records. The important VOSClim data
validation and improvement project should be continued.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** The decline in the numbers of observations from VOS was
highlighted at the 3rd meeting of the JCOMM Ship Observations Team and
will be the subject of a poster at the JCOMM Scientific Conference,
Operational oceanography and marine meteorology for the 21st century,
15-17 September 2005 and at the JCOMM-II 19-27 September 2005, both in
Halifax, Canada. See also D2.

**E7 There is a need to investigate the best way of applying wind
homogenization techniques in the absence of adequate metadata.**

**Status:**

**Notes:**

**E8 Proxy data (e.g. coral-based SST estimates) should be carefully
matched with instrumental data, following the GCOS Climate Monitoring
Principles. Error-adjusted annual fields may help in this process.**

**Status:**

**Notes:**

**E9 Continue efforts to make QC of data more consistent and effective,
including documenting and homogenising the methods used as much as
possible.**

**Status:**

**Notes:**

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**F. Uncertainties, Data Availability and Future Workshops**

**Uncertainties**

**F1 Consider forming a working group on uncertainties in climate data
and analyses. This should include all climate data, not just marine, and
the group could appropriately work with, and report to, the GCOS Panels
and IPCC.**

**Status:**

**Notes:** The IPCC held a workshop on Uncertainty and Risk in Maynooth,
Ireland 11-13 May 2004. This included predictions as well as
observational analyses. See <http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/meeting/URW/>.

**Data Availability**

**F2 We need to simplify and accelerate data access to users, especially
new comers to the field. There should be a \"route map\" to the best
available data. JCOMM should work with the GCOS Panels and appropriate
research groups to identify operational, and experimental, integrated
climate information products and put them on their web portal.**

**Status:**

**Notes:**

**F3 The successful International Marine Meteorological Archive (IMMA)
format developed under the ETMC should continue to be used.**

**Status:** Some progress

**Notes:** ICOADS Release 2.1 (1784-2002) data have been converted into
the IMMA format, and updated data through 2004 are anticipated for
availability by late 2005.

**F4 Widening access to high quality research vessel data and
metadata.**

**Status:** Substantial progress

**Notes:** In addition to efforts listed above to subsample WOCE
research vessel data for ICOADS, the Shipboard Automated Meteorological
and Oceanographic System (SAMOS) initiative is completing a successful
pilot data project in 2005. The pilot project consisted of two research
vessels from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution transmitting a
full suite one-minute averaged navigation, meteorological, and
near-surface ocean data from a vessel at sea directly to the SAMOS data
center at FSU. The data transmissions occur on a daily basis via email
and have been ongoing since June 2005. Once the data arrive at FSU, they
are reformatted, blended with vessel specific metadata, and
automatically evaluated for data quality. Preliminary files are made
available to the public, via the web
([http://samos.coaps.fsu.edu](http://samos.coaps.fsu.edu/)), within 5
minutes of receipt of the email at FSU. A process for developing
research quality data files is under development and the recruitment of
additional research vessels is underway. Continued collaboration with
the Global Ocean Surface Underway Data (GOSUD) project is planned,
including the 1st Joint GOSUD/SAMOS Workshop in Spring 2005.

**F5 Investigate the inclusion of relative humidity (RH) data into
ICOADS when RH is the only available moisture parameter.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** Background on the problem is that TAO buoys and some research
vessels (R/V; ref. item C, 7), e.g., report RH, but existing ICOADS
observational formats lack a field to directly store RH (other than as
supplemental data). As a preliminary fix, steps are now being taken in
translations of TAO and R/V data into IMMA format to convert RH into dew
point temperature. Revisions to the new IMMA format might be a better
way to handle this problem (and also possibly include additional data or
metadata specific to buoys) in the future. Humidity at the surface as
well as aloft was one of the themes of the Workshop on Understanding
Vertical Profiles of Temperature Trends held at the Met Office, Exeter,
UK, 13-17 Sept 2004.

**F6 Consider developing links to sources of coastal and island data.**

**Status:**

**Notes:**

**Future Workshops**

**F7 A sequel to the Boulder workshop should be held in 1-2 years
time.**

**Status:** Completed

**Notes:** MARCDAT-II was held at the Met Office, Exeter, UK, 17-20
October 2005.

**F8 CLIMAR-III should be held in 2007.**

**Status:** Ongoing

**Notes:** JCOMM-II endorsed the recommendation of the first Session of
the JCOMM Expert Team on Marine Climatology (Gdynia, Poland, 7-10 July
2004) for a self-funding workshop, CLIMAR-III, to be held in 2007,

[^1]: See Appendix I for a list of acronyms.