14
BAMOS
Sep 2019
Article
Data challenges for future services in
the AMOS disciplines
Michael Coughlan, Mary Voice and John Zillman
Email: mvoice@unimelb.edu.au
Introduction
This article is presented to promote discussion following the
release of the AMOS Position Statement on International
Cooperation and Data Sharing in Meteorology and
Oceanography. It points to some but not all of the discussions
currently in the science community, with a focus on the AMOS
disciplines.
A century of progress in weather prediction and weather services,
in small and large countries alike, has been built on routine
quality observations collected and shared via international
agreement. Those same data, through their availability to the
research community, have underpinned the research needed
to develop the scientific understanding and Numerical Weather
Prediction (NWP) models to support that progress.
Open and accessible data, end‑to‑end along the service
production and delivery chain, helps ensure the transparency
and reproducibility needed for the scientific process, to the
benefit of all. The need for continuity, homogeneity and quality
assurance in meteorological, oceanographic and hydrological
services has increased over recent decades as aviation, shipping
and general warning services have been in stronger demand,
and as the demand for quality assurance of climate information
has increased. The ability for end users to consume and generate
value from observations and data has also grown.
The entry of new observing technologies and new participants
into this regime brings new data challenges. The Southern
Hemisphere (SH) and particularly mid‑to‑high latitudes
presents special challenges of more dispersed populations and
lower land‑sea ratio resulting in lower observation density. This
continues to be a challenge for global NWP, but also to achieve
improved regional high resolution modelling for SH locations.
Some parallel developments of note
1. Open data in a 'big data' world—an International Accord
The accord, Open Data in a Big Data World, was developed
by four international science organisations and proposes 12
principles to guide open access to publicly funded 'big data'.
The accord, to promote open access to 'big data' that are the
basis of advanced research, has passed 120 endorsements, and
the list includes prominent science organisations that support
the principles of open data through dedicated commitments.
Of relevance to the earth sciences community, Future Earth, the
international sustainability research platform, has said it will
continue to work with the intergovernmental Group on Earth
Observations (GEO) to support the open data principles.
The International Council for Science (ICS, formerly ICSU) notes
there are also trends towards privatisation of knowledge that
are potentially at odds with the ethos of scientific inquiry and
the basic need of humanity to use ideas freely. It calls for the
scientific enterprise to flourish, with commitment to principles
of open data, open information and open knowledge from the
wide global scientific community. The ICS has developed a set
of Principles of Open Data under three headings of:
•
•
•
Responsibilities,
Boundaries of openness, and
Enabling practices
that are relevant to and deserve support of the meteorological
and oceanographic communities.
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 'big data' (including
data analytics and machine learning)
AI and 'big data' are growing areas across the weather enterprise
and beyond. The Australian Government Department of
Innovation, Industry and Science has developed a discussion
paper to inform the government’s approach to AI ethics in
Australia: Artificial Intelligence: Australia's Ethics Framework.
These developments may be of interest to the AMOS community.
3. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) progress
on data issues
WMO Resolution 40 has underpinned the global weather
enterprise, as well as enabling an essential supply of
quality‑controlled data for climate research, for 25 years and
more. Former President of WMO, Dr John Zillman, recently
wrote the following:
“I continue to believe that the basic philosophy of Resolution
40 remains central to the effectiveness and stability of the
evolving public‑private‑academic‑media partnership on