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Ocean / Marine State

vr.wm-ear-010 · wm-ear-010-ocean-marine-state

Oceanographic state and observation lifecycle

World Models Physical world and living systems PHY.EAR.OCN
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

3 bundles · 4 layers · 5 findings · 10 questions

Observed state What is measured about the ocean and where.

Physical and chemical variables

Temperature, salinity, currents, waves, oxygen and carbonate system.

Variable and position

A measured variable with its location, depth and time.

  1. Which variable was measured, at what position, depth and time?
  2. Which units and reference scales are the values expressed in?

Biogeochemical state

Oxygen, nutrients, carbonate chemistry and chlorophyll.

  1. Which biogeochemical variables are available for this area and period?
  2. Were samples analysed in situ or later in a laboratory?
Observation lifecycle How observations are taken, checked and distributed.

Platform and method

The platform, sensor and method behind each observation.

Observing platform

The float, buoy, ship, glider or satellite that produced the data.

  1. Which platform and sensor produced the observation?
  2. When was the sensor last calibrated?

Quality control

Flags, delayed-mode corrections and versions.

Quality status

The quality flags and processing level of the record.

  1. Which quality flags apply, and was the record checked in real time or delayed mode?
  2. Has the record been superseded by a corrected version?
Derived conditions States inferred from observations and models.

Analyses and forecasts

Gridded analyses, reanalyses and forecasts of the ocean state.

Model-derived state

A modelled or assimilated estimate rather than a direct observation.

  1. Is this value a direct observation, an analysis or a forecast?
  2. Which observations were assimilated, and what is the stated uncertainty?

Classifiers Filled

Family
World Models
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
standalone-mm
Navigation path
NAV.PHY.EAR.OCN
Domain
PHY.EAR.OCN
Industry
Cross-industry
Tags
oceanmarinestatephy.ear.ocn

What it is Filled

Ocean or marine state is the physical, chemical and biological condition of a body of sea water at a place and time, as established through observations and their quality-controlled records. It covers the state and its observation lifecycle, not the maritime zone as a legal area or the vessels and platforms that take the measurements.

Why it exists Filled

Oceanographic state and observation lifecycle

Distinguishing features Filled

  • It describes the condition of sea water, not the legal maritime zone or the coastline as a place.
  • Observations carry platform, sensor, quality flags and processing level, which a generic place record lacks.
  • Direct observations and model-derived analyses are distinct records with different uncertainty.
  • Distinct from weather and climate models, though they share variables at the air-sea boundary.

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Present real-time unchecked data as final quality-controlled values.
  • Mix values on different reference scales without conversion.
  • Fill gaps with model values while labelling them as observations.
  • Issue navigation or safety warnings in place of the competent authority.

Only with a human decision

  • Issuing public warnings about hazardous sea states or marine pollution.
  • Accepting delayed-mode corrections that change published records.

May

  • Retrieve quality-controlled observations for a stated area, depth range and period.
  • Convert values between documented units and reference scales.
  • Flag observations whose quality flags or calibration status make them unfit for the intended use.
  • Distinguish clearly between observed, analysed and forecast values in reports.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Coastal communities, fishers and mariners depend on accurate sea state information for safety.
  • Observations in other states' waters are subject to marine scientific research consent rules.
  • Ocean data underpins climate assessments, so bias or loss affects long-term public decisions.

Who is affected

  • Mariners and fishers
  • Coastal communities
  • Marine scientists and forecasters
  • Coastal and maritime authorities

Owners Filled

Steward

A national oceanographic data centre or observing programme answers for the quality and archive of the observations.

Master systems

  • National oceanographic data centres
  • Global ocean observing data assembly centres

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • WM-PLC-003

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • An observation is identified by its platform identifier, position, depth and time.
  • Autonomous floats and moored buoys carry WMO platform identifiers.
  • Datasets are identified by the holding data centre's identifiers and versions.

Direct properties required Filled

  • Sea water temperature in degrees Celsius, with the temperature scale stated.
  • Practical salinity on the Practical Salinity Scale, or absolute salinity in grams per kilogram.
  • Pressure in decibars or depth in metres, with the vertical reference stated.
  • Current speed in metres per second and direction in degrees.
  • Significant wave height in metres and wave period in seconds.
  • Dissolved oxygen in micromoles per kilogram, and pH with its scale stated.
  • Sea level in metres relative to a stated datum.
  • Chlorophyll concentration in milligrams per cubic metre.

Recognition required Filled

  • A sea state record names variables, position, depth, time, platform and quality status.
  • Often confused with the maritime zone, with satellite products alone or with weather observations over sea.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • Observations can be reprocessed with improved calibration and re-issued as new versions.
  • Analyses can combine many observations into gridded estimates of the state.

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Decisions on navigation or coastal safety based on stale or unchecked data.
  • Sensor drift or fouling producing plausible but wrong values.
  • Loss of context when units, scales or datums are not carried with the values.

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • NetCDF files following the CF Conventions.
  • OGC SensorThings API for observation access.
  • TEOS-10 for seawater thermodynamic properties.

Context of use required Filled

  • Used in navigation, fisheries, offshore operations, coastal protection and climate research.
  • Collection in foreign waters is governed by the marine scientific research provisions of UNCLOS.

Sources Filled

  1. TEOS-10 Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater 2010 (IOC, SCOR and IAPSO)
  2. Essential Ocean Variables of the Global Ocean Observing System (IOC-UNESCO)
  3. NetCDF Climate and Forecast (CF) Metadata Conventions (CF community)

Open questions

  • Planned model: boundary questions, research and every section remain to be written.

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification AGENTS.md Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

planned (registry candidate) · todo

Built from: models/runtime-index.json, ver-cy/world-models/card-supplements/wm-ear-010-ocean-marine-state.json

Planned entry, hidden from the catalogue until researched.