C-RAID: Comprehensive Reprocessing of Drifting Buoy Data (1979-2018)

The C-RAID (Copernicus - Reprocessing of Drifting Buoys) project delivers a comprehensive global reprocessing of historical drifting buoy data and metadata, providing climate-quality observations for marine and atmospheric research.

Dataset Overview

The C-RAID dataset encompasses metadata from 21 858 drifting buoys deployed between 1979 and 2018. Of these, 17 496 buoys have undergone complete reprocessing with scientific validation in delayed mode, including comparison against ERA5 reanalysis.

Project Context

Managed by the WMO DBCP Drifting Buoys Global Data Assembly Centre (GDAC) through Ifremer, Météo-France, and Ocean Sciences Division of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, C-RAID focuses on enhanced quality control and delivery of climate-quality drifting buoy data for the Marine Climate Data System (MCDS).

Objectives

- Complete reprocessing and clean-up of the historical drifting buoy data archive

- Recovery and rescue of missing datasets

- Reprocessing of Argos data with improved positioning using Kalman filter algorithms

- Homogenization of quality control procedures across marine and atmospheric parameters

Funding & Governance

C-RAID was funded by the Copernicus Programme through the European Environment Agency (Contract # EEA/IDM/15/026/LOT1), supporting cross-cutting coordination activities for the in-situ component of Copernicus Services.

Stakeholders & Partnerships

The project is led by the DB-GDAC consortium (Ifremer, Météo-France) in collaboration with EUMETNET's E-SURFMAR programme, NOAA AOML, and JCOMMOPS.

Key Achievements

- Reprocessing of approximately 24 000 buoy-years of observations

- Recovery of missing datasets and metadata through data rescue efforts

- Implementation of homogeneous, rich metadata and data formats

- Enhanced Argos location accuracy using Kalman filter reprocessing

- Standardized quality control and validation procedures

Data Access & FAIR Principles

C-RAID provides FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data access through:

- Web-based data discovery portal for human users

- API services for data discovery, subsetting, and download (machine-to-machine access)

Target Users

The dataset serves major operational and research programmes including:

- Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)

- Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS)

- iQuam (in-situ SST Quality Monitor)

- ICOADS (International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set)

- GHRSST (Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature)

- ISPD (International Surface Pressure Databank)

- ICDC (Integrated Climate Data Center)