QARTOD - Prospects for Real-Time Quality Control Manuals, How to Create Them, and a Vision for Advanced Implementation.

Abstract

The United States Integrated Ocean Observing System® (U.S. IOOS®) Quality Assurance / Quality Control of Real-Time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) Project marshaled hundreds of volunteer subject-matter experts to identify tests to evaluate real-time data quality by variable and instrument type. These quality control steps, outlined in QARTOD manuals, are crucial for documenting the reliability of the collected real-time environmental data. QARTOD, which began as an ad hoc effort in 2003, has published thirteen quality control manuals. Specific aspirations for future QARTOD efforts include revising existing manuals, identifying new manuals for development based on the QARTOD community development process, and promoting the documented quality control procedures within the IOOS and broader ocean observing system communities. QARTOD manuals characterize the quality control processes as required, strongly recommended, or suggested for each sensor type. QARTOD manuals can be developed only when, 1) interoperable data streams are employed, 2) data are disseminated and used in real-time, and 3) there is sufficient community expertise and interest. An initial review of U.S. IOOS core variables and Global Ocean Observing System Essential Ocean Variables (considering these three requirements) reveals no remaining variables with an immediate need for manual development. As technologies advance, the observational maturity increases for these variables, as will the need for a QARTOD manual. QARTOD QC tests are now being implemented by operators at ocean observing systems around the world. Technological progress (e.g., autonomous vehicles) suggests a high potential for expanding the real-time quality control measures integrated within field instrumentation. Most required QARTOD tests can be embedded and implemented within the field-deployed equipment, and QARTOD-ready devices likely will be available soon. As the Internet of Things grows to include oceanographic hardware (Xu et al. 2019), such embedded QC processes will become important.