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NVODS and the Integrated Ocean Observing System
How does NVODS fit in? |
NVODS is seen as an element of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (ocean.us). Its
bounds within this system are however not well defined. Mel Briscoe provided some guidance
at the National meeting, but his presentation was at the end of the meeting and raised
a number of questions that we did not have time to address. Specifically,
- When will the primary components of the observing portion of the Integrated
Ocean Observing System be in place? Mel suggested that it will be longer than 5 years,
probably closer to 10.
- Who are the primary users of the system? Mel suggested that it is the planner, not
the scientific community, but in what time frame?
- Now?
- In 2 years?
- In 5 to 10 years?
- What data/information are of the highest priority? Mel said that it is data
products, not low level data. Will the answer be different for the present than it
will be 5 to 10 years from now?
- Is the focus on real-time and near real-time data? There was a suggestion
from Mel that this is the case, but our emphasis has been on retrospective data
holdings. Does serving real-time data present any special problems for the system
as being built?
- Does NVODS include the data location component of the system or should this be
left to another data location group or facility?
- How much emphasis should we put on different data format? Mel suggested at
one point that all the data collected by the Integrated Observing System were
going to be in a well defined format. Is the NVODS role to simply help in
selecting the most appropriate format?
- How much emphasis should we put on handling metadata of differing quality
and completeness? Again, Mel suggested that all the data collected by the Integrated
Observing System would use a consistent metadata description. Is the NVODS role
to simply help in selecting the most appropriate metadata standard?