SeaDataCloud data products for the European marginal seas and the Global Ocean

Abstract

Data products, based on in situ temperature and salinity observations from SeaDataNet infrastructure, have been released within the framework of SeaDataCloud (SDC) project. The data from different data providers are integrated and harmonized thanks to standardized quality assurance and quality control methodologies conducted at various stages of the data value chain. The data ingested within SeaDataNet are earlier validated by data providers who assign corresponding quality flags, but a Quality Assurance Strategy has been implemented and progressively refined to guarantee the consistency of the database content and high quality derived products. Two versions of aggregated datasets for the European marginal seas have been published and used to compute regional high resolution climatologies. External datasets, the World Ocean Database from NOAA and the CORA dataset from the Copernicus Marine Service in situ Thematic Assembly Center, have been integrated with SDC data collections to maximize data coverage and minimize the mapping error. The products are available through the SDC catalogue accompanied by Product Information Documents containing the specifications about product’s generation, characteristics and usability. Digital Object Identifiers are assigned to products and relative documentation to foster transparency of the production chain, acknowledging all actors involved from data providers to information producers.