Oceanographic data center – CORIOLIS

The CORIOLIS data center contributes to the "in situ measurements" component of operational oceanography, complementing ocean surface measurements taken using satellite-borne instruments.

This contribution is achieved through the establishment of permanent and sustainable networks, operated from ships or autonomous systems, whether fixed or drifting.

The Coriolis Data and Services Center (CDS-Coriolis) federates distributed centers implemented by its supervisory bodies. CDS-Coriolis relies on these distributed centers to consolidate and distribute a comprehensive and homogeneous set of real-time and delayed data for operational oceanography and research. It also provides datasets used for validating satellite mission data. It manages the consistency of the service for operational oceanography and research (common database, common quality control procedures, service monitoring, analysis of emerging needs), the pooling of resources, and overall governance.

Coriolis began in 2001 as a pilot program initiated by seven research institutes (CNES, CNRS, IFREMER, IPEV, IRD, Météo-France, and Shom), and was quickly transformed into an operational ocean observation infrastructure in 2009 to establish the in-situ component of French operational oceanography. The Coriolis 2014-2020 agreement allows for the organization of the structure's new phase, with an expanded scope, strengthened links between operations and research, and a confirmed and expanded European mission (Copernicus Marine Service and Euro-Argo).

Coriolis aggregates observations from national, European, and international sources. It is the "global" oceanic region of the European Copernicus Marine in-situ service. The data center collects, verifies, archives, and distributes in-situ physical oceanography data measured from permanent and long-term networks (Argo, SO-SSS, SO-Pirata, drifting buoys), taken from ships or autonomous systems, fixed or drifting, providing profiles or cross-sections in vertical or horizontal resolution, and time series. It also supports the acquisition of measurements from French oceanographic vessels. These data primarily consist of physical parameters: temperature, salinity, currents, and biogeochemical parameters: chlorophyll, oxygen, etc.

The activities of the Coriolis center are structured around several key areas:

• An operational area encompassing the operation of the data center, its maintenance in operational condition, and enhanced user support (ITIL and ISO 20000 standards).

• An evolution area for the data center, enabling the integration of new data sources or new functionalities. This operationalizes the tools and methods developed by the R&D component.

• A delayed processing approach allows for the improvement of the dataset for re-analyses, in close collaboration with Coriolis R&D. The data center participates in major oceanography projects.