Surface in situ datasets for marine climatological applications

These products require consistent and well-characterised observational data and metadata from the earliest ship observations and from the modern ocean observing system. Maintaining and developing long-term surface marine climatological datasets requires a different approach to data management than for operational applications.

The current management of climatological datasets is discussed and specific modernization steps recommended. The status of relevant in situ observing systems is reviewed in the context of available satellite data. The extent to which requirements for maintaining sampling, redundancy, and consistency are met by existing data delivery mechanisms is considered.