WMO Core Metadata

Dr Steve Foreman

Chair, Inter-Programme Expert Team on Metadata Implementation

Contents

• Data challenges facing meteorology

• What is “metadata”?

• WMO approach to metadata

• Implementation of the standards

Challenges facing WMO

Regional Associations

R.A. IR.A. IAfricaAfrica(56 Members(56 Members))

R.A.IIIR.A.IIISouth AmericaSouth America(13 Members)(13 Members)

R.A. VR.A. VSouth-West PacificSouth-West Pacific(22 Members)(22 Members)

R.A. VIR.A. VIEuropeEurope(49 Members)(49 Members)

R.A. IVR.A. IVNorth North America, America, Central Central AmericaAmericaAnd the And the CaribbeanCaribbean(25 (25 Members)Members)

R.A. IIR.A. IIAsiaAsia(35 Members)(35 Members)

Challenges for WMO Technical Commissions

Basic Commissions

Commission for Basic Systems (CBS)

Commission for Instruments and Methods of Observations (CIMO)

Commission for Hydrology (CHy)

Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS)

Applications Commissions

Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (CAeM)

Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM)

Joint WMO/IOC technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM)

Commission for Climatology (CCl)

Challenges for WMO

Weather forecast

23 400 000

Surface temperature

3 050 000

Climate change

67 600 000

Hurricane warning

375 000

What is metadata?

• “Data about data”– describes data

• what are the data?• where are they for?• who is responsible?• what are the units?• ………..

What is metadata?

• In this context it is not– the conditions at an observing site

• although– these can be described by metadata

What is metadata?

Observing site name: AviemoreLocation (deg lat, deg long): 57N, 3WElevation: 226mParameter observed: temperatureOperator: Met OfficeStarted: 11:50 01/01/01Ended: 12:00 01/01/01

Value: 4Units: CelsiusInstrument

instrument number: 123456instrument inspection date: 01/01/01instrument type: Magic mercury 1234

Data

Metadata

What is metadata?

• Need to agree– what needs to be described– how they will be organised– what they will be called

• So that– non-specialists can find data– applications can handle data

WMO approach to metadata

• Build on existing standards– WMO

• GRIB and BUFR definitions

– ISO• 191xx series

– Geographic metadata (19115) – XML representation (19139) ?

– Open Geospatial Consortium

• Catalog service ?

WMO Core metadata

• Use ISO 19115– international standard

• evolving• lessons from other users

• Complex– select subset– expand where essential

• but can cause problems for others

WMO Core Metadata

• Core metadata:– subset of full standard– most appropriate elements for field– some extensions to cover specific needs

• Contents of Core:– Mandatory: required either by ISO standard

or by Core– Optional: elements expected to be

included, but not always applicable

WMO Core metadata - overview

About metadata

Metadata standard

Language

Maintenance

Dataset details

Title of dataset

Description (abstract), topics covered

Where data are, format

Time and space

Representative:

Area/volume covered by data

Time span for data

IPR issues

Owner and contact

Restrictions on use

Data types

Physical quantities, units, specific qualities

Quality control and processing information

WMO Core metadataWMO specifics

• TopicISO standard: climatology, meteorology,

atmosphere, environment, oceans

add: list of more specific topics

• Keywordsadd: define list of standard physical quantities

WMO Core MetadataWMO specifics

• Spaceadd: Irregular point set

• Timeadd: 360 day calendar

WMO Core metadataStatus

• Draft standard– presented to CBS XIII– available for testing

• does it cover needs of Programmes?• are all the extensions needed?• is it too biased to World Weather Watch?

WMO Core metadataStatus

• XML– practical method of exchanging information– schemas written and tested

• but now ISO standard agreed

WMO Core metadataStatus

Discover

Temperature in Sweden?

Stockholm,please

Select

Retrieve

WMO Core MetadataStatus

• Features– describe actual data

211620Z EGLL EGLL 211620Z 19007KT 170V230 9999 FEW038 BKN060 20/11 Q1020 NOSIG

WMO Core metadataStatus

• Tests:– Russian climatology– SIMDAT data supply– ACSYS polar information

Implementation

• Technical– define features– review standard

• ISO changes• extensions needed?• what in “metadata”, what in “features”?

– apply new standards• XML representation• Open Geospatial Consortium catalogues

Implementation

• Testing– needs of other Programmes– interoperability

• Processes– maintenance

• Core Profile• Catalogues• Lexicons• etc….

Summary

• Metadata– increase usefulness of data

• WMO Core– description available to all

• Implementation– test for non-World Weather Watch– XmL representation– feature definition– tools