Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will analyze and publish data that has been collected over a three year period on an NSF project to improve meteorological measurements from ships and buoys. The goal of this WOCE long-lead time development program was to improve the accuracy, reliability and availability of meteorological and air-sea flux measurements made over extended time periods from ships and buoys. A major focus of the program was to improve the sensors used for these measurements, evaluate their accuracy, and reduce errors in making those measurements. Improved sensors have resulted for barometric pressure, precipitation, humidity, incoming longwave radiation, air temperature, sea temperature and wind speed and direction. Analyzing and publishing this long-term sensor data will provide the research community with a full description of sensor performance for various models available for use at sea. Additionally, IMET system software and hardware will be documented for purposes of technology transfer to commercial vendors and the research community.
