Metadata Report for L:\users\bodc\requests\rn104482\ishrefs

• Introduction
• Series Index
• Series Specific Information
• General Documentation
• Parameters
• BODC Quality Control Flags

Introduction

The BODC National Oceanographic Database (NODB) is a collection of entities known as series. Each series is a repeated set of measurements of one or more oceanographic parameters plus one or more of the independent variables time, latitude, longitude and depth. These data are delivered to the user as either simple ASCII files or as platform-independent binary files in QXF format (a BODC subset of NetCDF).

The database holds metadata for the series, including both fixed fields and plain-language documents. This is delivered to the user either as discrete XHTML files containing all the metadata for a series (Single-Series Reports) or as a condensed XHTML Combined Series Report.

The BODC metadata model includes three types of series aggregation entities:

• Data Activities are groupings of series measured simultaneously from a common platform. Data Activities generally either group together the series from the various instruments on a mooring or the series associated with a research cruise.
• Fixed Stations are groupings of series at a fixed location, where location may be a point, line or polygon. Generally they include series where the same parameters were measured in the same location at different times. However, they have also been used to cluster together the series from several simultaneous Data Activities at a common location.
• Projects are groupings of series associated with a common research activity, funding activity or other such political grouping of data.

The metadata for each of these aggregation entities is included in both types of report.

Report Layouts

Single-Series Report

The BODC Single-Series Report contains eight sections:

• The Metadata Summary contains the fixed-field metadata for the series.
• The Problem Reports section contains plain language metadata that should be taken into account by the user when assessing whether the data series is 'fit for purpose'.
• The Data Restrictions section contains information on the terms and conditions under which the data series may be supplied by BODC.
• The Narrative Documents section contains the main body of the plain-language metadata for the series. This may include further information that some users may like to take into account when assessing whether the series is 'fit for purpose'.
• The Project Information section contains the fixed-field and plain-language metadata for any projects to which the series is linked.
• The Data Activity Information section contains the fixed-field and plain-language metadata for any data activities to which the series is linked.
• The Fixed Station Information section contains the fixed-field and plain-language metadata for any fixed stations to which the series is linked.
• The BODC Quality Flags section contains the definitions of the single-character data quality codes that are associated with every value in the data files.

Combined Series Report

The BODC Combined Series Report contains six sections.

• Introductory text (this document).
• The Series Index. This is a summary table containing key metadata fields presented with one series on each row. Hyperlinks are provided to the Series Specific Information entry for each series.
• The Series Specific Information section is headed by a hyperlink index to its individual series entries. Each series entry consists of three elements:
  • The fixed-field metadata for the series.
  • The Problem Reports (plain language metadata that should be taken into account by the user when assessing whether the data series is 'fit for purpose') linked to the series.
  • A list of the plain language metadata documents linked to the series, with hyperlinks to the document text. This includes documents covering data restrictions, projects, data activities and fixed stations in addition to narrative documents.
• The General Documentation section contains the document text. Each document is only included once no matter how series in the report are linked to it. An index, including hyperlinks, to the documents in the section is provided at the beginning. Each document is preceded by a list of hyperlinks to the Series Specific information for the series linked to that document.
• The Parameters section provides the definitions of the BODC parameter codes used to label the channels in the data files. It contains the superset of the parameters contained in all the series covered by the report. If information on the parameters contained in individual series is required then the Single-Series Report for that series should be consulted.
• The BODC Quality Flags section contains the definitions of the single-character data quality codes that are associated with every value in the data files.

Series Index

This report contains the qualifying documentation and header information associated with the following data series extracted from the BODC database :

where Data Type

• HH = Sea surface elevation -unspecified

Series Specific Information

BODC Series References 29080 29092 29147 36353 36365 36377 36389 39086 39098 39117 39129 44353 44365 44389 44390 44494 44501 44513 44525 240551 244435 310556

Information for BODC Series Reference 29080

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 29092

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 29147

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 36353

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 36365

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 36377

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 36389

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 39086

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 39098

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 39117

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 39129

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44353

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44365

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44389

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44390

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44494

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44501

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44513

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 44525

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 240551

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 244435

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

Narrative Document 30700

Fixed Station Document 35266

Edit Document 59201 115586 115586

Information for BODC Series Reference 310556

Data Description

Time Co-ordinates(UT)

Spatial Co-ordinates

The following additional documents apply to this series :

Restriction Document 57144

General Documentation

Restriction Document

57144 Public Domain Data

Narrative Document

30700 Tide Gauge Data Processing by IOS Tidal Computation Section

Fixed Station Documents

35266 Prince's Pier (Liverpool, Merseyside) Site History

Restriction Document : 57144

Applies to BODC Series Ref. Nos : 29080, 29092, 29147, 36353, 36365, 36377, 36389, 39086, 39098, 39117, 39129, 44353, 44365, 44389, 44390, 44494, 44501, 44513, 44525, 240551, 244435, 310556

Public Domain Data

This series has no specific confidentiality restrictions. However, the Intellectual Property Rights of the data originator must be respected, including acknowledgment in any publication or other output resulting from usage of the data.

Narrative Document : 30700

Applies to BODC Series Ref. Nos : 29080, 29092, 29147, 36353, 36365, 36377, 36389, 39086, 39098, 39117, 39129, 44353, 44365, 44389, 44390, 44494, 44501, 44513, 44525, 240551, 244435

Tide Gauge Data Processing by IOS Tidal Computation Section

Data processing takes place in 3 stages:

1. Hourly digitizing of the chart record, followed by an assessment of gauge errors, by continuity checks and correlating with gauge operator's remarks, if any.

2. Data are processed through the IOS Tidal Elevation Reduction Package (TERP) incorporating error findings. Checks include identifying gaps in the data , flagging errors notified in the form filling stage, checking for smoothness of hourly data by difference methods and curve fitting. Suspect values are listed. Interactive editing may be carried out to correct spikes or to modify time or datum errors.

3. Check that the editing has been carried out with the added assistance of predicted values. This is used particularly to confirm the time error applicatiion.

Note: Data processed prior to 1979 has had known timing errors corrected for manually.

Reference

Ovadia,D.C. and Graff,J.
Tidal Reduction Elevation Package (TERP) Software Description and Systems Specification. March 1981

Fixed Station Document 35266

Applies to BODC Series Ref. Nos : 29080, 29092, 29147, 36353, 36365, 36377, 36389, 39086, 39098, 39117, 39129, 44353, 44365, 44389, 44390, 44494, 44501, 44513, 44525, 240551, 244435

Prince's Pier (Liverpool, Merseyside) Site History

History Summary

• Admiralty chart datum (ACD) is quoted as Ordnance Datum Newlyn (ODN) minus 4.432m until 1975 when it was lowered by 0.5m, becoming ODN minus 4.93m.

• ACD is equivalent to Liverpool Bay Datum.

• Ordnance Datum Liverpool is defined as 0.04m above ODN.

• No tide staff is located at the site.

Benchmarks

Levelling

Benchmarks were established by the Ordnance Survey (OS) Geodetic Levelling Party in 1956 and have been confirmed twice yearly.

Data are quoted relative to Tide gauge zero (TGZ) minus 3.048m until the end of Dec 1974, and (TGZ - 3.0m) from 1 Jan 1975.

The table below shows TGZ relative to ODN and the TGBM, calculated from an average of mean well soundings.

Corrected Timing Errors

The table below lists the notified time errors for which corrections have been made (if the time error is positive the clock was fast, and if negative the clock was slow):

1982: 2 missing errors

Corrected Datum Errors

The table below lists the notified datum errors for which corrections have been made:

Gaps in the Data Record

The following gaps occur in the data set.

Parameters

Definition of Rank

• Rank 1 is a one-dimensional parameter
• Rank 2 is a two-dimensional parameter
• Rank 0 is a one-dimensional parameter describing the second dimension of a two-dimensional parameter (e.g. bin depths for moored ADCP data)

BODC Quality Control Flags

The following single character qualifying flags may be associated with one or more individual parameters within a data cycle :