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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Quality-Controlled Underway Oceanographic and Meteorological Data from the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Predictions Studies (COAPS) - Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS)

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The Florida State University has been operating a data assembly center (DAC) to collect, quality evaluate, and distribute Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS) observations since 2005. SAMOS are typically a computerized data logging system that records underway meteorological and near-surface oceanographic observations collected on research vessels. The SAMOS initiative does not provide specific instrumentation for vessels, but instead takes advantage of science quality instrumentation already deployed on research vessels and select merchant ships. The SAMOS initiative provides vessel operators with desired sampling protocols and metadata requirements that will ensure the DAC receives a consistent series of observations from each vessel. The DAC and its partners in U. S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System, the U. S. Coast Guard, and the U. S. Antarctic Program have implemented a series of daily data transmissions from ship-to-shore using an email protocol. A set of observations recorded at one-minute intervals for the previous day arrive at the DAC soon after 0000 UTC and undergo automated quality evaluation. A trained data analyst reviews data and responds directly to vessels at sea when problems are identified. A secondary level of visual quality control is completed after all data from a single ship and day are merged into a common daily file (allowing for delayed data receipts). All quality-evaluated data are freely available to the user community and are distributed to national archive centers. This project is supported by the NOAA Climate Observation Division.
  • Cite as: Smith, Shawn R.; Rolph, Jeremy J.; Briggs, Kristen; Bourassa, Mark A. (2009). Quality-Controlled Underway Oceanographic and Meteorological Data from the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Predictions Studies (COAPS) - Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5qj7f8r. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:COAPS-SAMOS
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Distribution Formats
  • netCDF (Version: netCDF-3)
    • File Specification: SAMOS netCDF Version 1.0
  • CSV
  • ASCII
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
NCEI.Info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2005-05-09 to Present
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -180
East: 180
South: -79
North: 90
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS)
  • Smith, SR, Briggs, K, Bourassa, MA, Elya, J, Paver, CR. Shipboard automated meteorological and oceanographic system data archive: 2005–2017. Geosci Data J. 2018; 5: 73– 86. https://doi.org/10.1002/gdj3.59
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2009-09-09
  • revision: 2023-11-20
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Ongoing - data is continually being updated
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose Provide quality underway meteorological and physical oceanographic data to the user community.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Smith, Shawn R.; Rolph, Jeremy J.; Briggs, Kristen; Bourassa, Mark A. (2009). Quality-Controlled Underway Oceanographic and Meteorological Data from the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Predictions Studies (COAPS) - Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5qj7f8r. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
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Publishers
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords SAMOS Data Types
  • air temperature
  • air temperature 2
  • air temperature 3
  • air temperature 4
  • atmospheric pressure
  • atmospheric pressure 2
  • atmospheric pressure 3
  • conductivity
  • conductivity 2
  • dew point temperature
  • dew point temperature 2
  • earth relative wind direction
  • earth relative wind direction 2
  • earth relative wind direction 3
  • earth relative wind speed
  • earth relative wind speed 2
  • earth relative wind speed 3
  • latitude
  • long wave atmospheric radiation
  • long wave atmospheric radiation 2
  • longitude
  • net atmospheric radiation
  • net atmospheric radiation 2
  • photosynthetically active atmospheric radiation
  • photosynthetically active radiation 2
  • platform course
  • platform course 2
  • platform course 3
  • platform heading
  • platform heading 2
  • platform heading 3
  • platform relative wind direction
  • platform relative wind direction 2
  • platform relative wind direction 3
  • platform relative wind speed
  • platform relative wind speed 2
  • platform relative wind speed 3
  • platform speed over ground
  • platform speed over ground 2
  • platform speed over ground 3
  • platform speed over ground 4
  • platform speed over water
  • platform speed over water 2
  • platform speed over water 3
  • precipitation accumulation
  • precipitation accumulation 2
  • precipitation accumulation 3
  • rain rate
  • rain rate 2
  • rain rate 3
  • relative humidity
  • relative humidity 2
  • relative humidity 3
  • salinity
  • salinity 2
  • sea temperature
  • sea temperature 2
  • sea temperature 3
  • sea temperature 4
  • sea temperature 5
  • sea temperature 6
  • short wave atmospheric radiation
  • time
  • wet bulb temperature
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords ICES/SeaDataNet Ship Codes
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS)
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER