From Ocean Teacher Library

Marine Data Standards

Contents 1 Background 2 Data Standards Process 3 Recommended Standards 4 References 5 Subsections of this Article 6 Information about this article 7 Contact

Background

The value of standards for the management and exchange of oceanographic data has always been acknowledged. There have been many efforts to develop common standards and data frameworks but these have never been widely adopted by the community.

In January, 2008, the IODE and JCOMM convened a workshop entitled the IODE/JCOMM Forum on Oceanographic Data Management and Exchange Standards ^[1], to consider selected principal issues on establishing marine data standards, with the goal of furthering marine data interoperability. In particular the aim of the workshop was to get broad agreement and commitment to adopt a number of standards related to ocean data management and exchange, thereby assembling not only the agreed conditions by which we operate, but in fact enact these agreements in the participants' respective organizations.

Data Standards Process

The value of standards for the management of oceanogarphic data and exchange has always been acknowledged. There have been many efforts to develop common standards and data frameworks for processing data but these have never been widely adopted by the community. The IODE/JCOMM Forum on Oceanographic Data Management and Exchange Standards established a process for submitting proposed standards and their acceptance by the ocean community.

The standards that are produced by this process are intended primarily for the use of the marine meteorological and oceanographic community. If they have wider applicability, they may be submitted to appropriate international standards bodies, such as ISO. However, after recommendation, their use will be widely encouraged withinIOC and WMO.

This 5-step process, presented in the figure, are propsal submission, internal review, expert review, community review, and recommedation. The process from submission through to evaluation may result in a recommended standard for IOC and WMO member/member states. Documentation of the proposal and comments generated through the review will be available through a web site. ^[2].

Recommended Standards

• Country Codes. Recommendation to Adopt ISO 3166-1 and 3166-3 Country Codes as the Standard for Identifying Countries in Oceanographic Data Exchange.
  
• Date and Time. Recommendation to Adopt ISO 8601 as the standard for the representation of dates and times in Oceanographic Data Exchange

References

1. ↑ IODE/JCOMM Forum on Oceanographic Data Management and Exchange Standards (IOC Workshop Report 206)
2. ↑ Ocean Data Standards Process

Subsections of this Article

	Pagename	Short title	Description
Biological Taxa Standards for Marine Data	Biological Taxa Standards for Marine Data	Biological Taxa	none
Institution Name Standards for Marine Data	Institution Name Standards for Marine Data	Institution Names	none
Instrument Name Standards for Marine Data	Instrument Name Standards for Marine Data	Instrument Names	none
Latitude Longitude and Altitude Standards for Marine Data	Latitude Longitude and Altitude Standards for Marine Data	Latitude, Longitude, Altitude	none
Measurement Units Standards for Marine Data	Measurement Units Standards for Marine Data	Measurement Units	none
Parameter Name Standards for Marine Data	Parameter Name Standards for Marine Data	Parameter Names	none
Platform Name Standards for Marine Data	Platform Name Standards for Marine Data	Platform Names	none
Platform Type Standards for Marine Data	Platform Type Standards for Marine Data	Platform Types	none
Project Name Standards for Marine Data	Project Name Standards for Marine Data	Project Names	none
Science Word and Key Word Standards for Marine Data	Science Word and Key Word Standards for Marine Data	Key Words	none
Standard Depths for Marine Measurements	Standard Depths for Marine Measurements	Standard Depths	none

Information about this article

Short title: Ocean Data Standards

Description: The Ocean Data Standards project aims to achieve broad agreement and commitment to adopt a number of standards related to ocean data management and exchange.

Expertise level: beginner

Author: Greg Reed

Approval status: approved

Approved by: Greg Reed

Last change: 2011-8-10

Subsection of: Marine Data Concepts

Contact

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