Best practices for quality control of sensor based biochemical data. Version 1.3. [Deliverable 5.11].

Abstract

Sensor based observations of biogeochemical data : The number of biogeochemical, BGC, sensors in marine research and monitoring has increased during the last decade. These sensors collect a large amount of data and the importance of metadata and quality control is invaluable when scientist want to use the data from different platforms for research, development or modelling. The need of harmonization in parameters, units etc. for biogeochemical data : To be able to compare biogeochemical parameters measured at different stations and platforms, with different sensor brands and parameter names and units, the metadata has to be harmonized. Parameter names must be comparable for the same parameter and the same units have to be used in order to avoid misunderstandings. The metadata must be added to the data set in order to be able to correlate and analyze the data in the most accurate way. Because of the importance of the metadata, it is therefore suggested that analysis method, latest calibration date and/or intercalibration and sensor brand are included in the meta data.