cbs technical conference 2018 -...

World Meteorological OrganizationCommission for Basic SystemsTechnical Conference Geneva, Switzerland, 26 - 29 March, 2018

CBS TECO 2018/Doc. 6.1(8)Submitted by:

A. Rea26.Jan.2018

DRAFT 1

OSCAR, INCLUDING OBSERVATIONAL USER REQUIREMENTS AND MANAGEMENT OF WIGOS OBSERVING STATION METADATA

(Submitted by Anthony Rea (Australia, Chair, OPAG-IOS))

SUMMARY AND PURPOSE OF DOCUMENT

The document provides for OPAG IOS Recommendations with regard to the Observing System Capability analysis and Review (OSCAR) tool, including management of WIGOS Observing Station Metadata.

ACTION PROPOSED

The Conference is invited to advise CBS Management Group on the issues identified in this document, and in particular:

1. Use of OSCAR/Surface for the collection and recording of WIGOS metadata

2. Evolution of OSCAR/Requirement

3. Strengthening collaboration with CGMS regarding operations and evolution of OSCAR/Space

4. Plan for the evolution of OSCAR

5. Proposed analysis tool using OSCAR

…____________

References: OSCAR Platform – oscar.wmo.int

Appendices: 1. Summary description of OSCAR2. Proposal for analysis tool using OSCAR

http://oscar.wmo.int/

CBS TECO 2018/Doc. 6.1(8), DRAFT 1, p. 2

DISCUSSION

INTRODUCTION

The Observing System Capability Analysis and Review tool (OSCAR, oscar.wmo.int ) is comprised of the following components:

OSCAR/Requirements, which is the repository of technology-free observational user requirements recorded quantitatively for the WMO Application Areas.

OSCAR/Space, which includes an inventory of satellite instruments, missions and programmes, and an assessment of the variables that the instruments have the potential to measure.

OSCAR/Surface, which records WIGOS metadata (i.e. description of the observing platforms and their instruments allowing to derive the surface-based observing systems capabilities). This new component developed in partnership with MeteoSwiss was deployed operationally in May 2016, and now replaces WMO No. 9, Volume A.

A summary description of OSCAR is provided in Appendix 1.Through Decision 16 (CBS-16), the Commission for Basic Systems decided to assign responsibility within CBS for the technical development of OSCAR as detailed in Table 1 below:

CBS Team Role Reporting toICT-IOS Lead ICG-WIGOS

IPET-OSDE

1) Functional requirements with regard to the tools required for the RRR process,

2) Review content required for the RRR process including the observational requirements from application areas

ICT-IOS

ET-SAT Space-based observing systems capabilities (programmatic and technical updates) ICT-IOS

IPET-SUP Space-based observing systems capabilities (user assessments) ICT-IOS

ET-ABO Aircraft-based observing systems capabilities ICT-IOS

ET-SBO Surface-based observing systems capabilities ICT-IOS

IPET-SWeISS Space Weather capabilities (surface- and space-based) ICT-IOS

IPET-OWR1 Weather Radar Capabilities ICT-IOS

C-MAR Marine meteorological and oceanographic observing systems capabilities ICT-IOS

Table 1: Responsibility within CBS for the oversight and review of OSCAR (per Decision 16 (CBS-16)))

ISSUES AND ADVICE ON HOW TO ADDRESS THEMFollowing decisions and guidance of CBS-16, the OPAG-IOS discussed OSCAR requirements and issues, and made the following recommendations.

1 Note: IPET-OWR is an Inter-programme Expert Team established jointly by CBS and CIMO with team members from both Commissions, and the team reports to CIMO.

https://oscar.wmo.int/surface

https://oscar.wmo.int/space

http://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/observingrequirements



Issue 6(8)/1 Use of OSCAR/Surface for the collection and recording of WIGOS metadata

References 1. WMO No. 1160, WIGOS Manual2. Recommendation 28 (CBS-16) - Submission and Maintenance of WIGOS

Metadata in OSCAR by Members.3. ICT-IOS-10 final report (Geneva, 5-8 February 2018)4. IPET-OSDE-3 final report (Geneva, 29 January – 1 February 2018)

Background According to the WIGOS Manual, WMO No. 1160, Members shall make available to WMO for global compilation those components of the WIGOS metadata that are specified as mandatory or conditional (whenever the condition is met). Global compilations of WIGOS metadata are held in several databases. The database of the Observing Systems Capability Analysis and Review tool (OSCAR) of the WIGOS Information Resource (WIR) is the key source of information for WIGOS metadata.To be acknowledged:(1) The contribution of Switzerland for the operation and long-term maintenance of the Observing Systems Capability Analysis and Review tool (OSCAR) and the Global Atmosphere Watch Station Information System (GAWSIS); and the specific mechanism in place for collecting GAW observing stations metadata supported by several Members hosting data archives relevant for GAW,(2) The contribution of Turkey with regard to the establishment and operation of the WMO Weather Radar Database (WRD) and the process established by the Secretariat in which National Focal Points for weather radar metadata are requested to maintain the WRD,(3) The contribution of the Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) with the JCOMM in situ Observations Programme Support Centre (JCOMMOPS) with regard to the collection of WIGOS metadata concerning marine meteorological and oceanographic observing systems,(4) Some Members are maintaining their own databases of WIGOS metadata for the observing systems they operate,(5) WIGOS metadata need to be kept up to date in order to be of full value to the Members,

Rationale for the proposed advice

The development of machine-to-machine interfaces for the exchange of metadata between existing databases (including national databases) and OSCAR is essential for the upload and management of WIGOS metadata, for avoiding duplication of work, and for increasing reliability and quality of WIGOS metadata in OSCAR. Some observing systems (GAW, JCOMMOPS, WRD) have already developed their own information systems for WIGOS metadata, and they should continue to be used and interfaced with OSCAR/Surface for centralizing all WIGOS metadata of surface-based observing systems within OSCAR/Surface.Members have also developed national databases for the recording of WIGOS metadata, and such databases ought to be preferably interfaced with OSCAR/Surface through machine to machine interfaces in order to reduce workload of the OSCAR/Surface NFPs and the risk of introducing typographic errors when using the human interface.A WMO stand-alone national implementation metadata management tool for holding national WIGOS metadata, and interfacing it with OSCAR/Surface through machine to machine interface ought to be investigated. Such a solution could be seen as a reduced, more simple, version of OSCAR/Surface, compatible with the WIGOS Metadata Standard, and which could be offered for free to developing Countries. If Members wish to develop such a tool, they are invited to collaborate together to do so.

Advice for CBS-MG

What By whom DeadlineTo confirm its concurrence with the proposed EC-70 Recommendation, and adjust it as needed, in

CBS-MG Mar. 2018


particular with consideration of CBS TECO 2018 feedbackConsider mechanism by which Members could form a consortium for developing a stand-alone solution for national management of observing station metadata that is compatible with the WIGOS Metadata Standard and the OSCAR/Surface machine-machine interface.

CBS-MG End 2018

Advice on recommendations to EC and Congress

What To whom (e.g. EC-70, Cg-18, …)

Time frame

The Executive Council:

To request the Secretariat and OSCAR/Surface Project Committee to assure development and operational implementation of API for Machine to Machine Interface with OSCAR/Surface by end of 2018.

To Recommend to Cg-18 to request(1) Members to submit to OSCAR required WIGOS metadata for all observing stations for which observations are internationally exchanged through the following mechanisms:(a) for all relevant WIGOS observing systems operated by them, in addition to the ones explicitly listed below (i) preferably through machine-to-machine interface as soon as available, or (ii) directly to OSCAR using human interface,

(b) for any GAW observing stations they operate through GAWSIS (https://gawsis.meteoswiss.ch/);(c) for any weather radars they operate through the WMO Radar Database (WRD) (http://wrd.mgm.gov.tr/);(d) for any marine meteorological and oceanographic observing systems they operate through JCOMMOPS (http://www.jcommops.org);

(2) Members operating their own databases of WIGOS metadata to develop and implement procedures for the use of the machine-to-machine interfaces with OSCAR;

(3) Members who have not already done so to nominate OSCAR/Surface National Focal Points as soon as possible in order to ensure that WIGOS metadata in OSCAR/Surface are maintained to the agreed standard.

(4) JCOMM to ensure that JCOMMOPS will be fully compliant with the WIGOS metadata standard and to facilitate ingestion of relevant WIGOS metadata in its database while providing fully compliant machine-to-machine interfaces with the surface-based observation system component of OSCAR (OSCAR/Surface);

EC-70,Cg-18

Jun. 2018,2019


Issue # 6(8)/2 Evolution of OSCAR/Requirement



Background OSCAR/Requirements software and database needs to evolve in order to facilitate the undertaking of the RRR. The OPAP IOS agreed with possible changes to be proposed for development and implementation in the OSCAR/Requirements information system:1. Allowing requirements of specific climate zones to be documented in

OSCAR/Requirements for each application area2. Updating the list of variables in OSCAR/Requirements to reflect the

proposal of the ad hoc OPAG-IOS/ICG-WIGOS review group on variable names.

3. Allowing requirements of sub-application areas to be documented in OSCAR/Requirements

However, the OPAG IOS did not recommend introducing regional requirements in OSCAR and properly managing them would be too complicated.


A few possible evolutions of OSCAR/Requirements were identified for IPET-OSDE consideration.

Advice for CBS-MG

What By whom DeadlineThe CBS Management Group to advise the WIGOS Editorial Board to avoid making reference to the OSCAR/Requirements database with regard to regional observational user requirements (as there is no plan to have such requirements recorded in OSCAR), and update draft regulatory material accordingly.

WIGOS EdB

asap

The CBS Management Group to recommend the list of desired evolutions of OSCAR/Requirements (bulleted above), and request the Secretariat to facilitate their development and implementation.To invite Members to contribute resources in support of development of the required changes.

CBS MG Mar. 2018

Issue # 6(8)/3 Strengthening collaboration with CGMS regarding operations and evolution of OSCAR/Space



Background The Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) Working Group III (WG-III) to review and update the status of the identified critical issues on space-based global observing system, which is provided by the WMO Secretariat to be discussed in CGMS Plenary for risk assessment and gap analysis on global continuity, based on the "Vision for the GOS in 2025"


In order to ensure the sustainability of OSCAR/Space in the years to come, there is a need to achieve a sufficient maintenance and support for OSCAR/Space with keeping the database updated with information of sufficiently high quality.

Advice for CBS-MG

What By whom DeadlineCBS MG to take note of OPAG IOS recommendations with regard to OSCAR/Space,

CBS MG Mar. 2018


refine draft EC-70 recommendation below and communicate about resource requirements.

Advice on recommendations to EC and Congress

What To whom (e.g. EC-70, Cg-18, …)

Time frame

Executive council to recommend to Congress(1) to strengthen the cooperation between WMO and CGMS members and observers from other space agencies through establishment of relevant advisory and support groups to assist maintenance of information on satellite capabilities in OSCAR/Space.(2) to request Members and invite other interested parties to invest in OSCAR/Space

EC-70,Cg-18

Jun. 2018,2019

Issue # 6(8)/4 Plan for the evolution of OSCAR



Background Plan for the evolution of OSCAR in particular for the migration of OSCAR/Requirements with OSCAR/Surface within the MeteoSwiss IT infrastructure was discussed at IPET-OSDE-3 (Annex XV of final Report of the meeting). ICT-IOS-10 concurred with this plan.


The goal is to rationalize operations and long-term maintenance of OSCAR, and undertake the software developments necessary for meeting the identified requirements.

Advice for CBS-MG

What By whom DeadlineCBS Management Group to invite ICG-WIGOS to concur with the OSCAR development plan (Annex XV of IPET-OSDE-3 Final Report) with consideration of the following priorities: (1) OSCAR/Surface operational use, (2) other evolutions of OSCAR/Surface, (3) tools and foundation for gap analysis

ICG-WIGOS asap

Issue # 6(8)/5 Proposed analysis tool using OSCAR



Background ICT-IOS agreed to support the development of OSCAR/Analysis by providing a list of reports that could support the RRR process. A proposal of analysis tool using OSCAR was submitted to IPET-OSDE-3 for its review and concurrence.


A relatively simple solution is being proposed (Appendix 2) as one of many other tools that can be used for gap analysis purposes (e.g. impact studies, expert knowledge) and meant to be used by experts knowing limitations of such a tool.

Advice for CBS-MG

What By whom DeadlineCBS Management Group to request the Secretariat to finalize specification the proposed analysis tool using OSCAR in the view to estimate the cost of and options for its development.

Secretariat Once approved by ICG-WIGOS

CBS Management Group to invite ICG-WIGOS to concur with OPAG IOS proposal for analysis using

ICG-WIGOS Mar. 2018


OSCAR as described in Appendix 2

____________


APPENDIX 1

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF OSCAR

The Observing System Capability Analysis and Review tool (OSCAR, oscar.wmo.int ) is comprised of the following components:

OSCAR/Requirements, which is the repository of technology-free observational user requirements recorded quantitatively for the WMO Application Areas.

OSCAR/Space, which includes an inventory of satellite instruments, missions and programmes, and an assessment of the variables that the instruments have the potential to measure.

OSCAR/Surface, which records WIGOS metadata (i.e. description of the observing platforms and their instruments allowing to derive the surface-based observing systems capabilities). This new component developed in partnership with MeteoSwiss was deployed operationally in May 2016, and now replaces WMO No. 9, Volume A.

1. OSCAR/Requirements - www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/observingrequirements OSCAR/Requirements is the official repository of requirements for observation of physical variables in support of WMO Programmes and Co-sponsored Programmes. These requirements are maintained by the focal points designated for each application area.It is the foundation of the Rolling Requirements Review (RRR2) process overviewed by the Inter-Programme Expert Team on Observing System Design and Evolution (IPET-OSDE) of the WMO Commission for Basic Systems (CBS).The requirements are regularly reviewed by groups of experts nominated by these organizations and programmes. For WMO, this process is conducted by the IPET-OSDE and its designated focal points for each of the Application areas.Information on observations user requirements in OSCAR/Requirements is organized as follows:2 http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/OSY/Documentation/RRR-process.pdf

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/OSY/Documentation/RRR-process.pdf







Application Areas, i.e. an activity involving primary use of observations, in a chain of activities which allow National Meteorological Services or other organizations to render services contributing to public safety, socio-economic wellbeing and development in their respective countries, in a specific domain related to weather, climate and water. The concept of a WMO Application Area is used in the framework of the WMO Rolling Review of Requirements (RRR) and describes a homogeneous activity for which it is possible to compile a consistent set of observational user requirements agreed by community experts working operationally in this area. There are currently 15 Application Areas considered in the RRR.

Vertical dimension, i.e. layers sorted by domain. In OSCAR, a layer refers to a range of altitude or depth where a physical variable is measured and a requirement for this variable is applicable. This concept allows assigning different requirements for the same variable depending on the considered altitude or depth. See table 1 for the full list of domains and layers.

Horizontal dimension, i.e. “horizontal coverage types” to further specify where a specific Requirement is applicable, e.g. only over the oceans, at specific points (Airports), regionally or globally. See table 2 for the full list of horizontal coverage types.

Cross-cutting themes are used to show a specific view on a topic / area of interest which is not otherwise covered by domains or the WMO application areas. Themes are used to add additional semantic information ("tagging") to variables. This can then be used for filtering purposes in the Requirements or Variables table.

Observational user requirements: For an Application Area, an horizontal coverage type, a vertical layer, and an observed variable, observational user Requirements are expressed in terms of 6 criteria: uncertainty3, horizontal resolution, vertical resolution, observing cycle, timeliness, and stability (where appropriate). For each of these criteria we introduce 3 values determined by experts:

1) The “threshold” or “minimum requirement“ is the value that has to be met to ensure that data are useful. Below this minimum, the benefit derived does not compensate for the additional cost involved in using the observation. Threshold requirements for any given observing system cannot be stated in an absolute sense; assumptions have to be made concerning which other observing systems are likely to be available.

2) The “goal” or “maximum requirement“ is the value above which further improvement of the observation would not cause any significant improvement in performance for the application in question. The cost of improving the observations beyond the goal would not be matched by a corresponding benefit. The goals are likely to evolve as applications progress and develop a capacity to make use of better observations.

3) Within the range between threshold and goal requirements, the observations become progressively more useful. The “breakthrough” is an intermediate level between “threshold” and “goal“ which, if achieved, would result in a significant improvement for the targeted application.

3 The "uncertainty" characterizes the estimated range of observation errors on the given variable, with a 68% confidence interval (1 σ ).


Example of observational user requirements as recorded in OSCAR/Requirements for Global Numerical Weather Prediction is provided in Table 3 below.Note: A manual for Application Area Points of Contact is available on the WMO Website4.

Domain Acronym Full nameAtmosphere TC

TrCHS&MLSHTLTNear SurfaceCloud-topTOALoThermoHiThermo

Total columnTroposphere columnHigh stratosphere and mesosphereLow stratosphereHigh troposphereLow troposphereAt the surface (in the air)At the cloud top surfaceTop of the atmosphereLow Thermosphere (From 100 km to 200 km altitude)High Thermosphere (From 200 to about 500 km altitude)

Ocean Sea surfaceBulkUpper ocDeep oc

Surface of the oceanBulk layer (ocean sub-surface)Upper oceanDeep ocean

Terrestrial Land surfaceRootDeep soilInterior

Land surfaceRoot region of the soilDeep soil layerInterior earth

Outer Space IonosL1L4-L5GeoLeoMeoHelioSunMagnet

IonosphereAt Lagrange point L1 (about 1,500,000 km from Earth)At Lagrange points L4, L5Around the geostationary orbitLow Earth Orbit altitude rangeMedium Earth Orbit altitude rangeIn the whole heliosphereSolar surface and atmosphereMagnetosphere

Cross-cutting n/a (2D)n/a

Not applicable. 2D field, no altitude dependenceNot applicable. No altitude dependence

Table 1: The vertical dimension in OSCAR/Requirements

Name DefinitionGlobal Applicable globallyGlobal Globally applicable to oceans and ocean surfaces

4 http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/sat/documents/OSCAR_Focal_Point_Manual.pdf

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/sat/documents/OSCAR_Focal_Point_Manual.pdf


Name DefinitionoceanGlobal land Globally applicable to land surfaces and over land surfacesCoastal areas

Globally applicable to coastal areas

Regional Applicable in specific WMO regions as defined in "Comments"Sub-regional

Applicable in specific areas of typically 1000*1000 km to be defined in "Comments"

Local Applicable in specific areas of typically 100 *100 km to be defined in "Comments"

Point Applicable at specific locations, e.g. Airports, to be defined in "Comments"

Table 2: The horizontal dimension in OSCAR/Requirements


Table 3: Example of user requirements provided in OSCAR/Requirements (here for Global Numerical Weather Prediction)

2. OSCAR/Space OSCAR/Space contains details of environmental satellite missions, instruments and other related information. It also provides expert assessments on the relevance of instruments for fulfilling some WMO pre-defined capabilities (see list of mission types) and the measurement of particular physical variables (see See Gap analyses by variable or by type of mission).OSCAR/Space is available since September 2012. It currently records references and details of more than 900 instruments from more than 600 satellites. It is regularly updated based on input from space agencies including the reports to CGMS and ET-SAT. Version 2.0 with an improved expert system approach for instrument assessment was deployed in mid 2016.Satellite details recorded in the database (see example in Figure 2) include for example the name of the satellite, its purpose, mass, power, orbit type, altitude, Equatorial Crossing Time (ECT) or orbit inclination or longitude, launch date, end date, status, telecommunication frequencies, and information on data access.

Figure 2: Example of satellite details from OSCAR/Space

Instrument details recorded in the database (see example in Figure 3) include for example the instrument name, purpose, mass, power, type, description, scan mode, resolution, field of view (FOV), coverage, status, and spectral characteristics. Initially, the recurrent instruments of a same series were only characterized as one instrument model in OSCAR. This was changed in 2015 to allow providing details on the individual status of each instrument including for example its commissioning dates, with links to calibration information when such information is made available by satellite operators in a coordinated manner (see example in Figure 4).

https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/gapanalyses

https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/observingmissions


Figure 3: Example of satellite instrument details from OSCAR/Space

Figure 4: Example of instrument status and links to satellite operators’ “landing pages” with calibration information

OSCAR/Space also contains assessments of the potential measurements of geophysical variables that can be derived from the respective sensors, as a basis for performing gap analyses, as discussed below.OSCAR/Space is widely used with more than 1000 visits per day in average from various countries worldwide. Users include space agencies, researchers, students, application centres, and consultants. OSCAR/Space is routinely feeding the CGMS website. It is used as reference for reports, application planning, gap analysis, socio-economic benefit studies, frequency management, etc. Expert assessments of satellite capabilitiesThe most original information provided by OSCAR/Space for each instrument, which is also the biggest challenge, is to evaluate objectively the hundreds of satellite sensors in order to support gap analyses. One should determine which sensors are relevant to measure a particular geophysical variable, and what performance level can be expected. Mapping instruments to variables is difficult since the sensor characteristics driving the performance cannot be directly translated into product quality. Complexity of the exercise is essentially due to (i) the instrument-variable relationship not being one-to-one, (ii) most instruments measuring “radiances” (product derivation results of complex multispectral processing), (iii) things evolving with the progress of science, (iv) different users having different relevance criteria (depending on application requirements), and (v) users and providers having different viewpoints.For each instrument, OSCAR/Space provides a “Tentative evaluation of measurements” listing the variables that can typically be retrieved from this instrument, with a rough classification into five levels. Reciprocally, for each variable, the “Gap Analysis” view of OSCAR provides a list of instruments that are potentially relevant to measure the said variable. Combined with the programmatic information, this allows displaying time charts indicating when the measurements are potentially available, from which orbits, and with which expected quality.It is underlined that OSCAR assesses the “potential” performance of instruments, rather than their “actual” performance, since the assessment of each instrument is based on its technical specifications but does not take into account the practical data availability, the actual instrument status or its calibration accuracy. Furthermore, each sensor is assessed separately without considering the possible benefit of combined use of complementary sensor types (e.g. active + passive, or IR + MW), or of similar sensors to improve the sampling. For these reasons it is emphasized that the output of OSCAR/Space should not be seen as an automatic “Gap Analysis” per se, but rather as a tool to assist experts in performing a Gap Analysis in the context of a critical review, in complement to new tools to be provided for OSCAR/Surface.

3. OSCAR/Surface The surface-based observing systems capability module of OSCAR, OSCAR/Surface is a web-based inventory of all surface observing stations contributing to the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS). It is typically an evolution of WMO No. 9, Volume A (VolA), Observing Stations and WMO Catalogue of Radiosondes. It includes WIGOS metadata provided by Members, and also records station histories. The WIGOS metadata recorded in OSCAR are consistent with the WIGOS Metadata Standard regulated in the WIGOS Manual.


OSCAR/Surface is a one-stop-shop for surface-based observing instruments & platforms metadata, covering the land and the oceans. Authorized users can register and enter and update their observing station details in OSCAR/Surface through a web interface. A machine-to-machine interface also allows OSCAR/Surface to import information from existing databases in a semi-automated fashion.OSCAR/Surface allows (i) the data users to understand the observations they are using, (ii) to identify potential synergies between the different observing communities (e.g. sharing of common resources and infrastructure), and (iii) interested developing countries to use OSCAR/Surface as their primary WIGOS metadata database.WIGOS metadata recorded in OSCAR/Surface also allow to derive surface-based observing systems capabilities for the purpose of the Rolling Review of Requirements (RRR) critical review and objective gap analysis. It will also be a tool for monitoring the evolution of the capabilities, compare with plans, look at progress, and eventually help for planning the evolution of the observing system.OSCAR/Surface was implemented operationally on 2 May 2016. In advance of this, the Secretariat wrote to all Members on 26 February 2016 announcing the launch of OSCAR/Surface and requesting Permanent Representatives to nominate National Focal Points on OSCAR/Surface. A “legacy file of VolA” is being maintained and updated on a daily basis from a routine export of OSCAR/Surface. The weekly notifications of changes to Volume A (METNO messages) are also no longer circulated. Members were also requested to keep OSCAR/Surface up to date with the WIGOS metadata of the observing stations they operate, and which data are exchanged internationally. The NFPs for OSCAR/Surface are now responsible for updating metadata of national observing stations which data are internationally exchanged. The metadata of GAW stations, weather radars, and marine observing stations however continue to be submitted through GAWIS, the Operational Weather Radar Database operated by Turkey, and JCOMMOPS.Efforts were made to progress on the development of machine to machine interfaces between national databases of WIGOS metadata with OSCAR/Surface. It is to be noted that Decision 8 (CBS-16) on the provisional operational implementation of data representation for WIGOS metadata, decided to endorse experimental use of the WIGOS metadata data representation in XML as provided in the annex to this decision for exchange of WIGOS metadata between Members and between Members and OSCAR/Surface. CBS-16 further decided to review the effectiveness of the WIGOS metadata data representation in XML following a period of use by Members. The OPAG-ISS was tasked to gather feedback on the effectiveness of the WIGOS metadata data representation in XML and to provide a revised version for recommendation to the Executive Council in 2019. CBS requested its president to assess whether modifications proposed by OPAG-ISS following the review of use require a vote by correspondence before the WIGOS metadata data representation in XML can be recommended to the Executive Council. It authorized CBS president, subject to the outcome of any vote by correspondence, to recommend the modified version to the Executive Council.

Figure 5: Home page of OSCAR/SurfacePlan for the development of OSCAR/SurfaceThe following OSCAR components are foreseen to be developed in the next two years:

M2M: Machine to Machine Interface and API to allow national databases to update their WIGOS metadata content automatically with OSCAR/Surface.

ABOS: Aircraft-based Observations interface as stated by the CBS Expert Team on Aircraft-Based Observations (ET-ABO). This will allow AMDAR fleet metadata and airports to be recorded in OSCAR/Surface.

OSCAR Common Homepage: Integration of the OSCAR/Surface, OSCAR/Space and OSCAR/Requirements into one single homepage at http://oscar.wmo.int.

OSCAR/Surface training and e-learning material. Consideration of WIGOS metadata for surface-based Space Weather observing

systems. Interface to OSCAR/Space: IT interface between OSCAR IT infrastructure as

MeteoSwiss (OSCAR/Surface, then OSCAR/Requirements) with OSCAR/Space. This should allow at some point to facilitate development of the OSCAR/Analysis component.

Migration OSCAR/Requirements: The OSCAR/Requirements currently exists operationally at the WMO Secretariat. The purpose of this development is to migrate it to MeteoSwiss IT infrastructure and integrated it with OSCAR/Surface. This will allow in particular to facilitate development of the OSCAR/Analysis component.

Interface to WDQMS: OSCAR/Surface will be using statistical information from the WIGOS Data Quality Monitoring system (WDQMS) to record for each observing stations specific information related to how observational data from WIGOS observing stations are effectively being received by operational centres and used.

Interface to CPDB: Some Country specific information about the observing stations will also feed Automatically into the WMO country Profile Database (CPDB - https://www.wmo.int/cpdb/). This will include for example the number of observing stations in a country, the number of silent stations etc.

https://www.wmo.int/cpdb/


Some metrics on actual use of the OSCAR/Surface (e.g. number of National Focal Points, number of them actually using the system, number of updated or new stations per country, etc.).

OSCAR/Analysis component will provide some tools for gap analysis purposes in support of the RRR critical review by the Points of Contact of each WMO Application Area. See IPET-OSDE-3 document No. 7.3 for details.

The diagram in figure 1 below summarizes foreseen developments of OSCAR/Surface and OSCAR/Requirements, in collaboration with MeteoSwiss, in the next couple of years.

Figure 1: Plan for further development of OSCAR/Surface and OSCAR/Requirements in next two years.

___________

APPENDIX 2

PROPOSAL FOR ANALYSIS TOOL USING OSCAR

Introduction and caveat: the proposed tool would be offered as one of many other tools that can be used for analysing gaps and availability of observations in support of WMO Application Areas (e.g. impact studies, expert knowledge). The tool is meant to be used by experts knowing the limitations of such tool, e.g.

(i) Results may not take into account all possible observations contributing to WMO Application Areas (e.g. satellite or remote sensing observations);

(ii) Threshold criteria may not take into account the fact that isolated observations may still substantially impact models in particular for disaster risk reduction purposes;

(iii) Trade-offs between different criteria, e.g. spatial vs. temporal resolution.With the proposed tool, an OSCAR user willing to use OSCAR for analysing availability of observation as compared to observational user requirements would specify the following elements:

a) Selecting observations on the basis of the following criteria: Whether the analysis should be made on the basis of (i) “Stated Capabilities” i.e.

based solely on the WIGOS metadata in OSCAR, or (ii) “Monitored Capabilities” i.e. based on actual observations (data) received by the application area users and provided by the monitoring centres participating in the WDQMS. A specific monitoring period may be provided in case of using WDQMS input.

Measured variable Geographical area of interest (box) Inclusion or exclusion of specific sources of observations (e.g. specific

networks, types or classes of platforms).

b) Selecting observational user requirements on the basis of the following criteria5: Application Area Vertical dimension (see list6 in OSCAR/Requirements) Horizontal dimension (see list6 2) For what criteria the analysis should be made (i.e. HR, OC, U or Timeliness) –

only one criteria at once for each analysis.The system will compute actual HR, OC, U and timeliness on the basis of the algorithms described in Table 1 below.

Criteria Stated capabilities Monitored capabilities

HRHR=√ Areaof box

Number of observationsFor each selected observing platform time series, the WDQMS returns a number of observations.

5 The user may then wish to overwrite the obtained HR, OC, U or Timeliness values for consideration of specific user requirements, e.g. national

6 https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/layers

https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/layers

HR=√ Areaof boxnumber of observations

VR Not computed Not computed

OC Average of stated observing cycles of selected observations in the considered box

For each selected observing platform time series, the WDQMS returns a number of observations for which an observing cycle is computed as follows:

OCi= Total periodNumber of observations

We then average all OCi values of all selected observing platforms

U Average of the stated uncertainties of selected observations in the considered box

For each selected observing platform time series, the WDQMS returns RMSi of (Obs-FG).

Then average uncertainty is computed as follows:

U=√ ∑ RMSi2

number of platforms

Timeliness Average of the stated timeliness of selected observations in the considered box

For each selected observing platform time series, the WDQMS returns the average Timelinessi.

We then compute the average timeliness of all Timelinessi values.

Stability Not computed Not computed

Table 1: Calculation of capabilities for each of the OSCAR/Requirements criteria

Once criteria values are computed according to the algorithms described in the above table, the results can be presented for the selected Application Area, Vertical Domain, Horizontal Domain, and Criteria (i.e. HR, OC, U or Timeliness) using colour codes as follows:

Value range Color CommentValue > Threshold White No impactOptimum < Value ≤ Threshold Blue Significant

impactGoal < Value ≤ Optimum : Green OptimalValue ≤ Goal : Red OversampledNo requirements value Gray n/a

Notes: 1) Results are displayed for the selected geographic box. Small sub-boxes of the selected

box may be considered, whereby the capabilities would be computed for the sub-boxes and displayed on a map accordingly.

2) When developing the solution corresponding to the above specifications, priority will be given to assessing observations capabilities on the basis of some selection criteria, i.e. visualizing the observations. Analysis has two types of users: PoCs and network managers.

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