1. An Overview of ARM Program Climate Research Facility Data Quality Assurance
- Author
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C. P. Bahrmann, Sigurd W Christensen, Justin Monroe, D. L. Sisterson, J. H. Mather, Kenneth E. Kehoe, M. C. Macduff, K. L. Nitschke, N. N. Keck, Robin C. Perez, K. J. Doty, Karen L. Sonntag, Raymond A. McCord, R. C. Eagan, Mark D. Ivey, David D. Turner, Chuck A. Long, B. D. Perkins, Sean T. Moore, Richard Wagener, J. C. Liljegren, Scott J. Richardson, B. W. Orr, Todd D. Halter, Randy A. Peppler, and Jimmy W. Voyles
- Subjects
Data stream ,Atmospheric Science ,Data processing ,Data collection ,Operations research ,Computer science ,business.industry ,Weather and climate ,Data set ,Software deployment ,Data quality ,Systems engineering ,business ,Quality assurance - Abstract
We present an overview of key aspects of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Climate Research Facility (ACRF) data quality assurance program. Processes described include instrument deployment and calibration; instrument and facility maintenance; data collection and processing infrastructure; data stream inspection and assessment; problem reporting, review and resolution; data archival, display and distribution; data stream reprocessing; engineering and operations management; and the roles of value-added data processing and targeted field campaigns in specifying data quality and characterizing field measurements. The paper also includes a discussion of recent directions in ACRF data quality assurance. A comprehensive, end-to-end data quality assurance program is essential for producing a high-quality data set from measurements made by automated weather and climate networks. The processes developed during the ARM Program offer a possible framework for use by other instrumentation- and geographically-diverse data collection networks and highlight the myriad aspects that go into producing research-quality data.
- Published
- 2008