Recommended algorithms for the computation of marine meteorological variables

Abstract

A range of variables observed under the Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) scheme, and circulated over the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) in real-time (RT), or exchanged internationally in delayed mode (DM), may be computed shipboard or after receipt on shore. A general description of the different VOS variables and measurement methods can be found in the Guide to Instruments and Methods of Observations (WMO 2010; hereafter “WMO No-8”). This publication presents a summarized version of the WMO No-8 information, focusing on the instruments used by the VOS, but breaks new ground in making specific recommendations (including providing software modules and test validation cases) on the algorithms to be used to compute “derived” variables.