Quality Assessment (QA)

R2R will undertake routine/automated Quality Assessment (QA) in order to:

• provide timely feedback to shipboard operators to ensure that high quality data are consistently acquired, and
• provide science users with background information to perform detailed analysis of data disseminated via the National Data Centers

R2R will document the quality of data as originally delivered from vessels. An R2R Quality Assessment Certificate (QAC) will be generated post-cruise for most standard data types through the use of automated scripts, and made available to operators, scientists, and data centers via both Web services and direct download from the Cruise Catalog. Initially, the QAC will provide essential file details including name, size, checksum and date, but as tools mature, additional content will be added.

These QA procedures will be developed over time, engaging specialists and requesting community feedback for each data type.

R2R will perform full Quality Control (QC) on Navigation, as well as MET and TSG (delivered in realtime).