Quality Assurance/Quality Control of Real-Time Oceanographic Data

The Quality Assurance/Quality Control of Real-Time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) project was formally adopted in 2012 as a part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Data Management and Communication (DMAC) system. A well-established process has resulted in eight manuals that provide specific quality control tests for a variety of U.S. IOOS core variables of interest. Specifically, the manuals address quality control (QC) for observations of dissolved oxygen, currents, waves, water levels, winds, temperature and salinity, ocean optics, and dissolved nutrients. Regional Associations within the U.S. are now working toward implementing these test procedures, which are also being incorporated by international ocean-observing organizations, the private sector, and manufacturers developing sensor improvements.