The USGODAE Monterey data server

The USGODAE Monterey Data Server (http://www.usgodae.org/) has been established at the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) as an explicit U.S. contribution to GODAE. The server is run with oversight from the U.S. Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) Steering Committee and funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Support of the GODAE Monterey Data Server is accomplished by a cooperative effort between FNMOC and NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) in the on-going development of the GODAE server and the support of a collaborative network of GODAE assimilation groups. This server hosts near real-time in-situ oceanographic data available from the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and other FTP sites, atmospheric forcing fields suitable for driving ocean models, and unique GODAE data sets, including demonstration ocean model products. It supports GODAE participants, as well as the broader oceanographic research community, and is becoming a significant node in the international GODAE program.

GODAE is envisioned as a global system of observations, communications, modeling and assimilation, which will deliver regular, comprehensive information on the state of the oceans in a way that will promote and engender wide utility and availability of this resource for maximum benefit to society. It aims to make ocean monitoring and prediction a routine activity in a manner similar to weather forecasting. GODAE will contribute to an information system for the global ocean that will serve interests from climate and climate change to ship routing and fisheries. The USGODAE Server is developed and operated as a prototypical node for this global information system.

The primary challenges in hosting the many diverse formats and broad range of data used by the GODAE community are: presenting the data with a consistent interface, and ensuring its availability in the maximum number of standard formats. To this end, all USGODAE data sets are available in their original format via HTTP and FTP. In addition, USGODAE data are served using Local Data Manager (LDM), THREDDS cataloging, OPeNDAP, and GODAE Live Access Server (LAS) from PMEL. Every effort is made to serve USGODAE data through the standards specified by the National Virtual Ocean Data System (NVODS) and the Integrated Ocean Observing System Data Management and Communications (IOOS/DMAC) specifications.

To provide global surface forcing for ocean model research, USGODAE serves grids from the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) and the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS). Global NOGAPS fields provided by the server are sufficient to force the regional COAMPS model. Custom FNMOC data sets are also served on the original computational grids, providing the highest quality data to force ocean models. FNMOC also provides a 4x daily high resolution sea surface temperature (SST)/sea ice analysis in support of the GODAE High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Project. Furthermore, FNMOC contributes a high-resolution 3D ocean analysis for the GODAE modeling community.

Observational data from the FNMOC Ocean QC Process are posted in near real-time to USGODAE. To provide the maximum information for researchers, the data files contain both the measured observations, and all of the climate and background (forecast) values used in the QC process. The FNMOC QC includes temperature and salinity profiles, in-situ SST, satellite altimetry, MCSST, GOES SST, ship track observations, significant wave height, and SSM/I sea ice concentration. Also, the Naval Oceanographic Office provides daily satellite SST and sea surface height (SSH) retrievals to USGODAE.

The USGODAE Server functions as one of two Argo Global Data Assembly Centers (GDACs), hosting the complete collection of quality-controlled Argo temperature/salinity profiling float data. The Argo collection includes all available Delayed-Mode (scientific quality controlled and corrected) data. Argo data are synchronized between the USGODAE GDAC and the French IFREMER GDAC to ensure data consistency for the collection. USGODAE Argo data are served through OPeNDAP and LAS, which provide complete integration of the Argo data set into NVODS and the IOOS/DMAC.

An ONR funded hardware upgrade in 2005 will provide an extra twelve Terabytes of on-line storage for in-situ data, model forcing fields, and GODAE ocean model data. New Web and application server hardware will ensure that USGODAE can run the next generation of data servers, while providing efficient, reliable service.

Due to its high reliability and increasing breadth of data, the USGODAE Monterey Data Server is becoming an invaluable resource for the global GODAE community as well as the general oceanographic community. Researchers have flexible, easy access to data through standard Internet and oceanographic interfaces. The Web Site is designed to be a one-stop source for GODAE data and information. Continued integration of model, forcing, and in-situ data sets from providers throughout the world is making the USGODAE Monterey Data Server a key part of the international GODAE project.