NERC Vocabulary Server

The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) announce the launch of a new version of the NERC Vocabulary Server.

An example of the returned XML document ©

Version 2.0 (NVS2.0) of the server represents a complete rewrite of the internal software, with increases in both functionality and performance. The information returned from calls to the Vocabulary Server has also been redesigned and enhanced to take in to account the latest available standards. Other enhancements include the ability to provide information in multiple languages and for links to be made between the content of the NERC Vocabulary Server and other resources.

Although the code for version 1.1 (V1.1) will remain operational for the foreseeable future, existing users are urged to convert to NVS2.0 as soon as possible. The development of new applications based on V1.1 is strongly discouraged.

NVS2.0 has been developed as part of the European Union Framework Programme 7 funded Open Service Network for Marine Environmental Data (NETMAR) project.

Published Data Library (PDL)

The British Oceanographic data Centre (BODC) announce the launch of an operational prototype Published Data Library. This provides snapshots of specially chosen data sets, archived using rigorous version management. This enables citation of the data set in journal papers through the assignment of a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) in collaboration with the British Library.

An example of a dataset citation. ©

The PDL is for the publication of fixed copies of reference data sets so that they can be re-used and cited over an indefinite period of time. There is a fundamental assumption that the copy of the data set will be exactly the same each time it is referenced. It should be noted that the assignment of a DOI is not a substitute for long-term data management by the NERC data centres, which enables users to construct their own data sets from all data holdings.

Consequently PDL data sets will be restricted to two types

1. Data sets that have not yet been ingested into the BODC system, but are destined for future ingestion.
   Candidate data sets will be identified through discussion between data originators and the BODC data scientists responsible for the data. The data originator has full responsibility for providing data and metadata that meet the technical quality standards. BODC will judge the acceptability of data sets in terms of their completeness, but not in terms of their scientific quality or value.
2. Data sets that have been ingested into the BODC system and subsequently exported.
   Candidate data sets of this type will be identified through discussion between the scientists who supplied the data and the BODC data scientists responsible for their ingestion. The technical quality of these data sets is BODC's responsibility.

Data citation is an exciting and rapidly evolving area of science publication and it is likely that the approach will take time to mature. While we aim to provide an efficient service, a heavy takeup for publication will inevitably take time to process. To help everyone, we would be grateful if contributors to the PDL plan well ahead, contact us early and take time to become familiar with the necessary requirements for submission.

Work is continuing in this area as BODC are committed to improving the services we provide to the marine community.

Data management for the UKOA programme

The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) announces the launch of the data management area for the UK Ocean Acidification (UKOA) research programme.

Chalk cliffs today are the legacy of carbonate shells produced by marine organisms in the distant past ©

UKOA is a five-year, £12 million research programme that began in 2010. It involves 27 research institutes in the UK, has close links with other ocean acidification programmes around the world and is co-funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Ocean acidification occurs as carbon dioxide (CO₂) dissolves in seawater and forms carbonic acid. The oceans absorb roughly half of human CO₂ emissions and, if we continue emitting CO₂ at the same rate, the acidity (hydrogen ion concentration) of the upper ocean is predicted to increase by about 150% by 2100. This pH change has other important implications for ocean chemistry – and marine life.

UKOA aims to better predict the chemical changes involved and their knock-on effects for organisms and ecosystems and thereby help provide effective policy advice on the potential size and timescale of risks.

BODC's role involves the quality control, dissemination and stewardship of UKOA data, as well as facilitating data exchange within the UKOA community and providing advice on data management best practice. Our data management web pages provide background information about the UKOA programme, as well as inventories of research cruises and associated datasets.
The pages are designed to promote data sharing and collaboration between programme participants and the wider scientific community.

BODC at Oceanology International 2012 (Oi2012)

The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) are participating in Oceanology International 2012 (Oi12). It takes place from 13-15 March 2012 at ExCeL London, the international exhibition and conference centre in the Docklands.

BODC stand at Oi10. ©

Oceanology International is a global forum where industry, academia and government share knowledge and connect with the marine technology and ocean science community, looking to improve their strategies for measuring, exploiting, protecting and operating in the world's oceans.

A huge selection of marine technology suppliers will be exhibiting their latest innovations and the event will also include a conference, visiting vessels and live demonstrations. There will also be a Careers Day, which should provide good opportunities for student outreach.

As ever, BODC will have our own stand (it's L250 if you're looking for us) and we'll be demonstrating our current projects and developments. Here's the floorplan of the stands at Oi12, so come and visit us and pick up a BODC brochure, a free General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) poster (showing the GEBCO world map) and a BODC badge!

BODC's Argo data in the ANDRO Atlas

The Argo data set — collected from a global network of 3000 profiling floats — provides the first opportunity to investigate sub-surface ocean circulation. Since 2000, data from more than 6000 Argo floats has been collected worldwide, generating around 800,000 profiles.

Argo floats descend to a depth of 1500 to 2000 metres, typically, and drift at this depth for nine days before rising to the surface. During the ascent a temperature and salinity profile is collected. These data are then transmitted via satellite before the float starts another cycle.

However, scientific efforts to understand the oceans' sub-surface circulation has been hindered by several data issues. For example

• invalid data when floats became grounded
• incomplete information — missing positional or depth information
• inconsistent international metadata standards

BODC contribution to ANDRO for the layer 750-1250 dbar in the Atlantic Ocean. ©

To address this, the ANDRO Atlas aims to produce a reliable global atlas of Argo ocean sub-surface trajectories. ANDRO is led by Michel Ollitrault (Ifremer, France) with much of the analysis conducted by Jean-Philippe Rannou from the French company Altran.

The Atlas covers 10 years of Argo data spanning 1999 to 2009 and, funding permitting, will include data from all Argo participant countries. Once complete it will be an unprecedented database of direct and absolute measurements of the ocean circulation down to a depth of 2000 metres.

The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC), the Data Assembly Centre (DAC) for Argo floats from the UK, Ireland, Mauritius and Saudi Arabia, submitted more than 30,000 raw data profiles from over 300 floats to ANDRO in late 2010. Analysis of these data is now complete and they have contributed to the Atlas in the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian and Southern oceans.

Feedback from the data analysis, primarily relating to the inconsistent metadata standards, will be used by BODC over the coming year to improve the quality and scientific value of the BODC-hosted Argo float data. It is also anticipated that the feedback will form the basis for the development of new standard practices within the global Argo community.

BODC awarded prestigious medals

The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) is proud to announce that the prestigious UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) 50^th Anniversary Commemorative Medal has been awarded to

• Dr Lesley Rickards — Deputy Director of BODC and Director of the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL)

• Dr Meirion Jones — former Director of BODC

• Dr Nicholas Flemming — former Head of the Marine Information and Advisory Service (MIAS) — from which BODC was born — and ex-Director of EuroGOOS, the European Global Ocean Observing System

The IOC 50^th Anniversary Commemorative Medal ©

The IOC, which held its first assembly in 1961, was set up "to promote international cooperation and to coordinate programmes in research, services and capacity building, in order to learn more about the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas and to apply that knowledge for the improvement, management, sustainable development and protection of the marine environment and the decision making process of its Member States."

Medals were awarded, as part of the IOC 50^th Anniversary celebrations, to those deemed to have made a substantial contribution to the work of IOC. In its citation, IOC says that recipients "...are decorated for their exemplary dedication to the IOC, for their devotion to the IOC mission and for their continuing support to IOC activities."

Altogether, 43 individuals selected by the Medal Nomination Committee, based on Member States and committee members recommendations, were presented with medals during the 50^th Anniversary Closing Ceremony on 22 June 2011. Prof. Philip Woodworth (National Oceanography Centre and former Director PSMSL) and Dr Harry Dooley (former International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Oceanographer and leader of joint ICES-IODE data management activities) were other medal recipients from the UK.

More information and biographies of all medal recipients is available from the IOC web site.

The long way round

A British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) Data Scientist, Mike Nelson, took part in the RRS Discovery cruise D365 in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. He joined a team of marine scientists from various centres to make measurements along the Extended Ellett Line.

The Extended Ellett Line, an oceanographic section that runs from Scotland to Iceland, crosses the main pathways of warm, salty water flowing towards the Arctic Ocean.

'Stormtrooper Mike' coping with the ash cloud! ©

It is important for investigating oceanic climate variability and is one of the few long-term monitoring datasets in the North Atlantic Ocean, with measurements being collected along the section at regular intervals since 1975. With over 80 cruises having worked the Ellett Line and the Extended Ellett Line, BODC provides access to a wealth of data from this section.

Coping with Mother Nature!

For most people, the word 'cruise' conjures up images of cocktails and sunbeds. However, the reality of a research cruise - particularly in rough seas - is very different. Imagine completing your daily tasks whilst riding a Big Dipper; even sleep becomes impossible for all but the hardiest of seamen!

On cruise 365, after sailing through the relatively sheltered waters of the Irish Sea, Discovery headed out to the west coast of Scotland to start the planned data collection. Almost immediately the forecast storm force winds (~ 65 mph) struck.

With conditions too dangerous to deploy the scientific equipment, she was forced to seek shelter among the islands of the Hebrides. To avoid the worst of the weather, a decision was made to sail north and restart the sampling programme working along the section from Iceland toward Scotland.

Unexpectedly, this route took Discovery straight into the ash cloud from the recently erupted Grimsvotn volcano! Filthy but unscathed, she eventually made it to Iceland's jagged islands and the fabled 'midnight twilight'. From then on it was plain sailing and, despite mother nature's best efforts, most of the planned scientific work was completed.

Why do BODC take part in research cruises?

While onboard a research cruise our Data Scientists gain first-hand experience of sampling techniques and data processing methodologies. This improves our efficiency when ingesting the data into the National Oceanographic Database (NODB). They also help coordinate metadata (information about data) collection, which saves us a lot of time when the data arrive at BODC.

Working alongside colleagues in testing and tiring conditions improves their understanding of how inaccuracies in metadata might occur and developing a good relationship with the scientists, the ship's technicians and students helps remedy these issues.

Ultimately this aids BODC towards its goal of providing a large and accessible marine data resource for the scientific community and the general public.