1. WIGOS Metadata Standard & OSCAR/Surface
… Supporting adequate use of observations & rational network evolution
Jörg Klausen, MeteoSwiss
Timo Pröscholdt, WIGOS PO, WMO Secretariat

2. Outline Motivation WIGOS Metadata Standard OSCAR and OSCAR/Surface
Initial data sources & Vol A transition
Exchange format & automation
Summary

3. Why do we need Metadata and OSCAR?
Motivation

4. What are metadata? Why are they essential?
Metadata = documentation describing data, context of observations
Observed variable
Location
Environment
Intended use …
Essential data are exchanged globally, but metadata are not.
Metadata are needed to make adequate use of observations globally, but they are not always easily obtained by users.
T=17°C
T=17°C
T=17°C
T=17°C

5. What are metadata? Why are they essential?
AWS #1
AWS #2
Metadata = station exists, where is it?
latitude
longitude
elevation
name ..
Metadata allows for more efficient network planning. All stations, including those of partners, can be taken into account when extending the network.
The photos show three AWS of different organizations in the same site, each having separate instruments measuring identical variables.
AWS #3

6. Members shall share metadata …
WIGOS Manual

7. Use of Metadata OSCAR/Analysis OSCAR/Surface OSCAR/Requirements
Evolve observing systems rationally  WIGOS “Rolling Review of Requirements” Process
Metadata & Analysis of Observing Systems
Societal Impact
Improved services for society
OSCAR/Analysis
«Know the gap»
Analysis
«Critical Review»
Guidance for Action
«Know what we have»
OSCAR/Surface
Capabilities
Surface-based observing systems
Space-based observing systems
«Fill the gap»
RRR
OSCAR/Requirements
Requirements
«Know what we need»
OSCAR/Space
Enable adequate use of observational data  Operational Meteorology, Climatology, Public Health, …

8. WIGOS METADATA STANDARD (WMDS)

9. WIGOS Metadata Standard
1. Observed variable
2. Purpose of observation
3. Station/ platform
4. Environment
5. Instruments & methods of observation
6. Sampling
7. Data processing and reporting
8. Data Quality
9. Ownership and Data Policy
10. Contact
StationSet
Station/Platform (fixed, mobile)
Observation
Contact
Deployment
Instrument
Procedures
Contact
Contact

10. OSCAR & OSCAR/Surface

11. WIGOS Priority 3: WIGOS Information Resource
Portal providing all relevant information on WIGOS
Background material
Operational status of WIGOS component systems
Evolution of WIGOS implementation
WIR
SORT
The WIR provides …
The WIR has 2 main components
SORT
Regulatory material >>> REPOSITARY OF REFERENCE DOCUMENT AND INFORMATION, MORE TO SAY ??’ …
OSCAR
OSCAR is being developed to document the observational assets of NMHSs and their partners.
It consists and consists of 4 components
Requirements
Surface capabilities
Space capabilities
Analysis
Requirements
Surface capabilities
Space capabilities
Analysis

12. OSCAR/Surface web application
Industry-standard technology stack
Oracle DB, ArcGIS
JEE, AngularJS
Safe and secure, traceable
Publicly available for anonymous use
Management console for registered users
oscar.wmo.int/surface

13. OSCAR quick access & reports
Map filter
+ click =
Detailed station report

14. Various search targets
OSCAR detailed search
Various search targets
Instruments (soon)
Finely tuned search

15. Download for further analysis GoogleEarth, QuantumGIS, …
OSCAR search results
Download for further analysis
Integrate with geospatial tools
GoogleEarth, QuantumGIS, …
Mashup for online maps

16. Security and user management
Authentification by identity provider (Swiss Government)
Authorization within application based on «trust-relationships» and various «user roles»
Register
Edit all stations in country
Also: register new contact
Admin
NFP
Edit assigned stations
Also: register new contact
Station contact

17. OSCAR management console
Stations
Basic characteristics
Photos
History
Observations
Location
Variable
Methods
Instruments
Quality and uncertainty
Contacts
Bibliographic references & documents

18. INITIAL DATA & Vol A transition

19. Data integration # stations GAWSIS WMO Pub 9 Vol A JCOMMOPS
1’053
13’026
11’387
762
GAWSIS
Metadata for the Global Atmosphere Watch
WMO Pub 9 Vol A
Catalogue of synoptic and upper-air stations of GOS
JCOMMOPS
Marine element of GOS / GOOS
WMO Radar DB
World-wide radars
Amdar
Coming soon …
32’417 stations/platforms as of 9 May 2017

20. Vol A integration Vol A contained very limited metadata
Station metadata incl. station «class»
Schedules of observation
Observed variables inferred from station «class» based on Manual on GOS
Automatic station (from “AUT” flag in ObsRems)
PTU, Wind, “Precipitation (yes/no)”
Manned station
PTU, Wind, plus "Present weather", "Past weather", "Cloud amount", "Type of cloud", "Height of cloud base", "Visibility“
 Too many observations assumed for some stations

21. Vol A integration (cont’d)
OSCAR generates reports similar to the historical Vol A flat-files. The new “Vol A legacy report” has all current column headings but does not contain information in all columns.
Station information provided to WMO via current Vol A procedures are used to update WIGOS metadata in OSCAR (manually!)
By beginning of 2018, Vol A will officially cease to exist and related procedures used to maintain station information will be discontinued.
Machine-to-machine interface for automatic metadata transfer under development, expected for testing in July 2017

22. Focal Points for OSCAR/Surface as at 11/05/2017

23. EXCHANGE FORMAT & AUTOMATION

24. Mass changes / batch processing
OSCAR machine-to-machine interface (API) for automated
delivery of metadata from existing national or regional station databases
retrieval of metadata for specific analyses and planning
Exchange format based on WIGOS metadata standard
OSCAR
API
WDC
National DB
Regional DB

25. WIGOS Metadata Representation
Development of UML model by IPET-MDRD sub-group
Model uses OGC/ISO19156 standard (Obs & Meas)
Consultations prior to CBS-16 confirmed approach
REST API (under development) for submission of full records or increments or parts, e.g., new observation at existing station/platform
ObsFacility
Instruments
Observations
Variable
Method
(homogeneous) Segments
Logbooks
Event
Maintenance
Calibration
Processes
Schedule
Sampling
Processing
Reporting

26. summary

27. Integration of OSCAR components by 2019
September 11, 2018
WIGOS & OSCAR
T=17°C
T=17°C
What? Where? How? Why?
Integration of OSCAR components by 2019
T=17°C
Metadata matter!
API
Operational since 2 May 2016
WIGOS Metadata Standard
Enable adequate use of observations
Evolve observing systems rationally
… nationally, regionally, world-wide
Start with a simple number: 17 … what is it?
Ah, it’s temperature … but in what unit?
Oh, there’s more temperature observations , all 17°C … need to know where, how, why!
WIGOS Metadata Standard specifies essential metadata elements that give necessary context to observations,
to make adequate use of observations,
to support gap analysis to evolve observing systems rationally
Four OSCAR components support the WIGOS RRR, a cycle of requirements specification, catalogueing capabilities, and gap analysis
OSCAR/Requirements
OSCAR/Space
OSCAR/Surface
OSCAR/Analysis (a future module)
OSCAR/Surface has been developed in a joint venture of WMO and MeteoSwiss, and has been operational since May 2016.
The web interface is a reference implementation of the WIGOS Metadata Standard and brings together information on observing systems on land, in the air and at sea. Humans can interact with the application and provide metadata manually.
Once the machine-to-machine interface to OSCAR/Surface is ready, it will be possible to document large observing systems comprehensively.
Approved by Cg-17
Amendments by CBS-16
Expected in 2017

28. For more information

29. شكرا Thank you Merci You & your organization!
Financial support. Swiss Federal Office of Foreign Affairs, MeteoSwiss, WMO, Met Norway
Project Team at MeteoSwiss. (current) J Klausen, L Cappelletti, B Calpini, M Musa, M Brändli, L Koppa, C Walder, E Grüter, S Sandmeier, M Schäfer, A Rubli, Tom Hager, Attila Loos; (past) J Mannes, S Spreitzer, M Leutenegger, C Sigg, M Abbt, W Brunelli, J Mettler
Project Team at WMO (current). F Belda, LP Riishojgaard, T Pröscholdt
Project Team at European Dynamics (current). T Galousis, M Ulmann, L Christou, N Pappa, S Sklavos, …
ICG-WIGOS. S Barrell, B Calpini, …
TT-WMD. (current) K Monnik, J Klausen, J Swaykos, T Boston, U Looser, E Büyükbas, Zhao Licheng, T Oakley, S Foreman, D Lockett, L Nunes
IPET-MDRD. D Lowe, J Tandy, …
JCOMMOPS, GAW WDCs, ET-WDC, …