1. OSCAR/Surface
The Observing Systems Capability Analysis and Review tool
for Surface-based observations
Luis Nunes
WIGOS Project Office

2. Outline OSCAR and the RRR The three Databases of OSCAR
The WIGOS Metadata Standard
The Website of OSCAR/Surface
The Machine-to-Machine API & other developments
Implementation and Training efforts

3. Outline OSCAR and the RRR The three Databases of OSCAR
The WIGOS Metadata Standard
The Website of OSCAR/Surface
The Machine-to-Machine API & other developments
Implementation and Training efforts

4. The Observing Systems Capability Analysis and Review tool - OSCAR
Web-based platform for WIGOS
Land, air, ocean and space observations
Current and historic metadata
Requirements vs capabilities (RRR)
Facilitating network planning
For all WMO Application Areas
Supporting your service to society.

5. The Rolling Review of Requirements (RRR)
Congress resolution:
All WMO and WMO co-sponsored observing systems shall use the RRR to design networks, plan evolution and assess performance.
RRR is the WMO process to collect, check and record user requirements for all WMO application areas and match them against observational capabilities
Statements of Guidance are the result of gap analysis:
They show us how well each application area is supported by WIGOS;

6. The WMO Application Areas
Global numerical weather prediction
High-resolution numerical weather prediction
Nowcasting and very short range forecasting
Seasonal and inter-annual forecasting
Aeronautical meteorology
Forecasting atmospheric composition
Monitoring atmospheric composition
Atmospheric composition for urban applications
Ocean applications
Agricultural meteorology
Hydrology
Climate monitoring (as undertaken through GCOS)
Climate applications
Space weather

7. The WIGOS Pre-Operational Phase (2016-2019)
Five main priority areas:
National WIGOS Implementation, coordination and governance mechanisms
WIGOS Regulatory Material, supplemented with necessary guidance material
WIGOS Information Resource, including OSCAR, especially OSCAR/Surface
WIGOS Data Quality Monitoring System (WDQMS)
Regional Structure; Regional WIGOS Centers
Priority areas III and IV will enable us to:
Describe what WIGOS is, and
Measure how well it performs
Initial role of this priority area (RWCs):
Provide support for areas III and IV

8. Outline OSCAR and the RRR The three Databases of OSCAR
The WIGOS Metadata Standard
The Website of OSCAR/Surface
The Machine-to-Machine API & other developments
Implementation and Training efforts

9. OSCAR WIGOS and the RRR are supported by 3 databases of OSCAR:
OSCAR/Requirements,
Requirements for observations (each application area) independent of technology ,
Expressed in units of geophysical variables (260 in total currently); not just atmosphere, also terrestrial, ocean, cryosphere, …
OSCAR/Space
Capabilities of all satellite sensors, whether historical, operational or planned
OSCAR/Surface
Surface-based capabilities; developed by MeteoSwiss for WMO
oscar.wmo.int/surface
"What is WIGOS"

10. OSCAR/Requirements
For each application area and for all relevant variables, the following requirements are included:
Spatial resolution (horizontal and vertical)
Temporal resolution (Observing cycle)
Uncertainty,
Data latency,
Each requirement is expressed in terms of 3 separate values:
Threshold (observations not useful unless this is met)
Break-through (optimum cost-benefit ratio)
Goal (exceeding this provides no additional benefit)
Established by CBS and other WMO Expert Teams and Task Teams with contributions from the scientific community
e.g. WIGOS/ GAW Workshop on Requirements for Observations of Atmospheric Composition, Geneva, Nov. 2014

11. Example of Variable: horizontal wind

12. Example of Variable: horizontal wind (cont)

13. OSCAR/Space Unique to OSCAR/Space
Metadata about all satellite sensors (past, present and future) relevant to WMO Programs and Application Areas:
Instrument type, measurement technique
Instrument characteristics (mass, power, data rate)
Programmatic information, e.g. agency, measurement program, operating period, heritage, etc.
Orbit, coverage, repeat frequency, resolution
Geophysical variables that can be derived from the sensors measurements, listed in order of decreasing fidelity
Unique to OSCAR/Space

14. OSCAR/Surface (1)
Repository of metadata for all surface-based observations under WIGOS (WMO and co-sponsored observing systems)
Highly heterogeneous with multiple owners and operators;
Includes surface and upper-air stations, aircraft, ships, buoys, radars…
Practical implementation of the WIGOS Metadata Standard;
Modern, web-based searchable inventory of all metadata for
What should go into OSCAR/Surface?
All WIGOS stations, mandatory for those exchanging data internationally
Use OSCAR even when data is not shared
Use it for network planning and documenting observing systems evolution
OSCAR can be used as national station DB

15. OSCAR/Surface (2)
OSCAR/Surface is replacing WMO Pub. 9, Volume A, will also include information from inventories for non-GOS components
Operational mode started May 2, 2016
Transition period will last for 2 years:
Members may start providing their WIGOS metadata directly via OSCAR
Or continue to provide their metadata through existing WMO procedures
Education and training to Members in populating, editing and using OSCAR/Surface is a major priority for
Developed jointly by WMO and MeteoSwiss, with the Swiss government providing the major part of the funding

16. Initial data integration into OSCAR/Surface
# stations
GAWSIS
Global Atmosphere Watch stations = 1.053
WMO Pub 9 Vol A
Catalogue of GOS stations >13.026
JCOMMOPS
Marine element of GOS / GOOS >11.387
WMO Radar DB
World-wide weather radars >762
Amdar
Coming soon …

17. First Results of OSCAR/Surface operational (1)
Stable operations 24/7
1 major incident (Swiss ISP down)
More than 20 tickets opened and treated
«How do I do this or that?»
«I cannot log in»
Feature requests, e.g. different map projection
Next release November 2016
Bug fixes
Several open CRs implemented

18. First Results of OSCAR/Surface operational (2)
Worldwide distribution of access

19. Outline OSCAR and the RRR The three Databases of OSCAR
The WIGOS Metadata Standard
The Website of OSCAR/Surface
The Machine-to-Machine API & Other Developments
Implementation and Training efforts

20. WIGOS Metadata Standard (WMDS)
WIGOS metadata = observational metadata or description metadata: enables data values to be interpreted;
It is not discovery metadata, which facilitates data discovery, access and retrieval (part of WIS - WMO Information System)
WMDS is a semantic standard:
Defines the requirements for observational metadata,
Describes the elements to be reported
Its practical implementation is done through OSCAR
Applicable to all observing systems:
In-situ, remote, fixed, mobile, on land, on sea, on ice, on rivers, etc
Meant to be used by all 14 Application Areas:

21. WIGOS Metadata Standard (WMDS)
Developed by Task Team on WIGOS Metadata (TT-WMD) of Inter-Commission Coordination Group on WIGOS (ICG-WIGOS)
1st version approved by Congress-17 as part of Manual on WIGOS:
It has entered into force for WMO Members on 1 July 2016
What Members will have to do to comply with the Tech.Regs. (WMO-No. 49, Vol. I, Part I – WIGOS and Manual on WIGOS):
Collect and keep records of WIGOS metadata
Provide WIGOS metadata for observations exchanged internationally
Review current entries in OSCAR/Surface and keep them up-to-date
The 1st edition of the Guide to WIGOS, which includes the WMDS and OSCAR/Surface, is available online since June 2016

22. WIGOS Metadata Standard (WMDS)
It is organized in 10 categories
Each category consists of 1 or more elements: 65 in total (+2 new)

23. WIGOS Metadata Standard (WMDS)
There are 3 levels of metadata reporting:
Mandatory - Required for all WIGOS observing systems/platforms
Conditional - Required if applicable
(e.g. instrument calibration is not applicable to a human observer)
Optional – Desirable/useful, but non-compulsory
The WMDS includes 33 Code Tables – Example of a Code table:

24. WIGOS Metadata Standard (WMDS)
Implementation Phases
Extract of the WMDS elements per Implementation Phases

25. Outline OSCAR and the RRR The three Databases of OSCAR
The WIGOS Metadata Standard
The Website of OSCAR/Surface
The Machine-to-Machine API & other developments
Implementation and Training efforts

26. OSCAR/Surface Website: oscar.wmo.int/surface

27. OSCAR/Surface Website Screenshots:
RA I
Zooming in…

28. Security and user management
The authorization process is based on «trust-relationships» and various «user roles»
Edit all stations in country
Also: register new contact
NFP
Station contact
Admin
Register
Edit assigned stations
Each Member need to have an active National Focal Point for OSCAR/Surface

29. Example of the Details of a station

30. Outline OSCAR and the RRR The three Databases of OSCAR
The WIGOS Metadata Standard
The Website of OSCAR/Surface
The Machine-to-Machine API & other developments
Implementation and Training efforts

31. The Machine-to-machine interface (M-2-M)
To be used by individual Members:
WIGOS metadata exchange format is under review
Based on standards OGC O&M / ISO19156
Supports XML, possibly JSON
Possibly provision of CSV templates for station, observations, instruments, contacts, etc.
Specification of API is in progress
Transactions of full records
Transactions of partial records («deltas»)
Approval planned by CBS-16 in Nov 2016

32. Other developments
Integration of ancillary metadata in OSCAR/Surface as defaults to support /facilitate the edition/updates:
Climate zone, population density, topography/bathimetry, …
Instrument catalogue in collaboration with HMEI and CIMO:
Improve the “instrument catalogue”
Include current and past instruments to document historical observations
Integration and visual alignment of all OSCAR components
Link to WMO Codes Registry (codes.wmo.int)
the official repository for machine-readable version of Manual on Codes
OSCAR shall retrieve code tables from this managed resource
Future integration with WIGOS Data Quality Monitoring System
Development of a quantitative gap analysis module

33. Outline OSCAR and the RRR The three Databases of OSCAR
The WIGOS Metadata Standard
The Website of OSCAR/Surface
The Machine-to-Machine API & other developments
Implementation and Training efforts

34. Implementation efforts
Initial versions of Guidance material and User Manual to be further developed
OSCAR/Surface online help
FAQs
Tooltips
Glossary
Provide operational support
MeteoSwiss (24/7 via ticketing service)
WMO Secretariat (work days during office hours)
Support «Vol A» to OSCAR/Surface transition
WMO Secretariat (Mohan Abayasekara continues until end of 2016)

35. Training efforts Past workshops/training events:
Bridgetown, Barbados, Aug.-Sept.2015 – Inst.Maintenance & Calibration
Nairobi, Kenya, Aug.-Sept – Instrument Maintenance & Calibration
Argentina, Oct – with ETR workshop
Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct –Joint RA-II/V Workshop on WIGOS for DRR
Alanya, Turkey, Oct – Instrument Maintenance and Calibration
Walvis Bay, Namibia, November 2015 – RAI WIGOS Workshop
Belgrade, Serbia, December 2015 – RA VI WIGOS workshop
Willemstad, Curaçao, December 2015 – RA IV WIGOS workshop
Organize hands-on training for OSCAR/Surface Nat.Focal Points
Training plan submitted to CBS-16 for endorsement
Develop e-Learning material for continued training

36. Training Plans for 2017-2018 Type of training Content Audience Region
Language
Date
Classroom
Web interface
NFPs O/S
RA I
French
4th Q 2016
English
1st Q 2017
RA III/IV
Spanish
RA VI
2nd Q 2017
RA II
RA V
3rd Q 2017
Webinar
M-2-M interface
Members IT staff
RA IV/VI
RA III/VI
RA II/V
4th Q 2017
Assumptions:
Not all NFPs for OSCAR/Surface will be able to participate in the classroom/training events;
Some NFPs for OSCAR/Surface participating in the classroom training, could play an important role, in assisting other Members of their Region, e.g. via Regional WIGOS Centre;
Subsequent to the training events in 2017, the e-learning materials should become available for additional non-synchronous training, as self-directed learning.

37. Credits Project Team at MeteoSwiss (current) Project Team at WMO
J Klausen, L Cappelletti, B Calpini, M Musa, M Brändli, L Koppa, C Walder, E Grüter, S Sandmeier, M Schäfer, A Rubli, T Hager, Attila Loos; (past) J Mannes, S Spreitzer, M Leutenegger, C Sigg, M Abbt, W Brunelli, J Mettler
Project Team at WMO
W Zhang, LP Riishojgaard, E Charpentier, J Lafeuille, T Pröscholdt
Project Team at European Dynamics
N Michas, T Galousis, C Kaskoura, M Ulmann, L Christou, N Pappa, …
ICG-WIGOS, TT-WMD, IPET-MDRD (current)
S Barrell, B Calpini, …
K Monnik, J Klausen, J Swaykos, T Boston, U Looser, E Büyükbas, L Zhao, A Mestre, T Oakley, S Foreman, D Lockett, L Nunes; (past) R Atkinson
D Lowe, J Tandy, …
JCOMMOPS, GAW WDCs, NDACC, ET-WDC, …

38. Thank you