Objectives
The World Ocean Database represents the world’s largest collection of vertical profile data of ocean characteristics available internationally without restriction. The World Ocean Database was first released in 1994 and updates have been released approximately every four years, 1998, 2001, and 2005. The most recent World Ocean Database series, WOD09, was released in September 2009. The WOD09 has more than 9 million temperature profiles and 3.6 million salinity profiles.
The World Ocean Database is hosted and managed by the World Data Center Oceanography in Silver Spring, USA. It can be accessed through http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/OC5/SELECT/dbsearch/dbsearch.html
The WOD Project is closely related to the Global Archaeology and Rescue (GODAR) Project.
Management/Governance
Contrary to other IODE projects, the WOD Project is not (yet) managed by a Steering Group. Instead WOD is managed by Sydney Levitus, Director of the WDC Oceanography, Silver Spring.
Establishment
The World Ocean Database (WOD) project was established through Recommendation IODE-XVI.6 (2000):
Recommendation IODE-XVI.6
DATA ARCHAEOLOGY AND RESCUE PROJECT (GODAR)
The IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange,
Appreciating the success of the first phase of GODAR, Acknowledging that substantial amount of historical ocean data observations are still at risk of being lost due to media decay or neglect,
Noting that global, integrated, comprehensive, scientifically quality-controlled oceanographic databases are of great importance to understand the role of the ocean in climate change such as articulated by the WCRP CLIVAR project, GOOS and GCOS, Emphasizing that in order to make sound policy decisions, scientific advisory groups require assessments based on such databases,
Acknowledging the demonstrated willingness of IOC Member States to contribute to the second phase of GODAR through the implementation of regional and other projects,
Welcoming the new GODAR initiatives operated or proposed in a few regions such as WESTPAC, IOCARIBE and the Mediterranean and Black Sea,
Recommends that:
A
(i) IOC establish a World Ocean Database Project as presented in Annex IX to the Summary Report;
(ii) special attention be paid to the speed of transfer of modern data in real-time into integrated, comprehensive oceanographic databases for research, monitoring or establishment of quality control for oceanographic data on local, regional and global scales to support research and real-time analysis of data;
(iii) a Project Leader be designated by the IOC Executive Secretary in consultation with the Chairman of the IOC Committee on IODE to supervise the project implementation;
(iv) Member States of the IOC and international organizations support and participate in the project, including the possibility of providing financial support through the IOC Trust Fund arrangements;
B
(i) Member States of the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions strongly support and contribute to the implementation of the MEDAR/MEDATLAS project funded by the European Union;
(ii) the WESTPAC GODAR project be approved, and the necessary resources be provided for its implementation;
(iii) in co-operation with the GLOSS Group of Experts, a GODAR sub-project for sea-level data be established;
(iv) IODE Centres will co-operate with the IOCARIBE GODAR initiative by providing advice and sharing experience, and Member States provide information on their data holdings and data for the creation of a comprehensive regional ocean data inventory and database;
(v) sub-project leaders be considered and designated by the IOC Executive Secretary in consultation with the Chairman of the IOC Committee on IODE and the Chairmen of relevant regional bodies as appropriate, for those projects that are still at the planning stage.
- Details
-
Created on: Thursday, 18 April 2013 16:04
-
Last Updated on: Thursday, 16 March 2017 09:18