The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)

The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) was established in 1992 and focuses on satellite and in situ observations for climate in the atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial domain. Ocean Observing Systems for climate are planned jointly with the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). Terrestrial climate observing systems are planned jointly with the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS).

The atmospheric elements of GCOS have been planned jointly with the responsible WMO Commissions and are implemented within the program of the World Weather Watch (WWW).

• Development of the GCOS Networks
• GEOSS and GCOS

Updated July 1, 2009

GCOS Networks

Atmospheric Surface Observations:

• GSN > GCOS Surface Network
  • Data Access
  • Program Overview
  • Data Matrix for Historical GSN Data
• WMO/Global Observing System (GOS) Surface Network
• Argo Network **: Global array of profiling floats that measure mid and upper ocean temperature and salinity
  • Data Access
  • Program Overview
  • Argo Sub-Surface Float Summary
• Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) **
  • Data Access
  • Program Overview
• Global Sea-Level Observing System (GLOSS) **
  • data access
  • program overview
• Global Tropical Moored Buoy Network: **
  • Data Access
  • Program Overview
• OceanSITES: **
  • Data Access
  • Program Overview

** Joint programs with GOOS

Atmospheric Upper Air Observations:

• GUAN > GCOS Upper Air Network
  • Data Access
• Program Overview
• GRUAN > GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network
  • Program Overview
  • GRUAN web site
• WMO/Global Observing System (GOS) Upper Air Network

Atmospheric Constituents & Chemical Observations:

• Data Access & Program Overview

Space Based Climate Observations (Atmosphere)

The GCOS requirements for space based climate observations are of three types. Those having to do with the ocean surface have been specified by the OOPC, a joint GCOS/GOOS panel. Those that have to do with the earth's surface have been specified by the TOPC, a joint GCOS/GTOS panel. The requirements described here are related to the atmosphere and soundings of it.

• Satellite Observations for GCOS
• The Space-Based Global Observing System

Regional Observing Systems

• Pacific Islands GCOS (PI-GCOS.org) (The GOSIC developed the PI-GCOS web site and turned in over to SPREP in January of 2009. The GOSIC continues support for training and CMS application development)
• Pacific Islands Regional Meteorological web pages (Several of the Pacific Islands Meteorological Services web pages are hosted on the PI-GCOS web sites. The GOSIC developed the sites and trained the webmasters who have taken over their individual Meteorological Services web pages in January 2009. The GOSIC continues supporting the Meteorological Services with training and CMS application development)
• Pacific Hydrological Cycle Observing System (HYCOS) (Pacific-HYCOS.org) (Prototype developed by the GOSIC and turned over to SOPAC in 2008. CMS/Joomla training and application development provided by the GOSIC)
• US Climate Reference Network
• US GCOS (maintained by the GOSIC)

Joint Observing Systems Programs

• Ocean Climate Observing Systems The GCOS requirements for ocean climate observations have been developed jointly with those of GOOS by the Ocean Observing Panel for Climate (OOPC).
  • GCOS/GOOS Joint Programs Matrix
  • JCOMM (Joint WMO-OIC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology)
  • Development of the Ocean Climate Observing Requirements for GOOS and GCOS
  • Specification of Fields and Variables
  • Development of the Elements of GOOS
  • Space-Based Data Requirements for GOOS
  • Complementary Observations
• Terrestrial Climate Observing Systems The GCOS requirements for land surface climate observations have been developed jointly with those of the GTOS by the Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC).
  • GCOS/GTOS Joint Programs Matrix
  • GCOS/GTOS Observations for Climate

Search Tools

• Search the GOSIC Data Registry
• GCOS/GTOS Joint Programs Data Access Matrix
• GCOS/GOOS Joint Programs Data Access Matrix
• Environmental Climate Variables (ECV) Data Access Matrix
• GCOS Metadata
• GEOPortal

Publications

• GCOS Publications
• Practical Help for Compiling CLIMAT Reports (Spanish, French, Russian) (GCOS 127 - WMO/TD No. 1477 - March 2009)
• WMO Publication No.9, Volume A, Observing Stations and WMO Catalogue of Radiosondes
• Systematic Observation Requirements for Satellite-Based Products for Climate (9/06)(GCOS-107)
• Satellite Observation of the Climate System - The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Response to the Implementation Plan (IP) (9/06) CEOS Response to the GCOS Implementation Plan
• Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC (10/04) (GCOS-92)
• Analysis of Data Exchange Problems in Global Atmospheric and Hydrological Networks (2/05) (GCOS-96)
• The Second Report on the Adequacy of the Global Observing Systems for Climate In Support of the UNFCCC (4/03)(GCOS-82)

Contact Information

• GCOS Secretariat Staff
• Mailing address, e-mail and phone numbers

More on the GCOS Networks

• WMO/GCOS Home Page
• Map Products
• Development of the GCOS Networks
• GCOS Climate Monitoring Principles
• GCOS Scientific Panels
• Information on the Development of the GCOS, GOOS and GTOS programs
• Model for GCOS, GOOS, and GTOS End-to-End Data Management Systems
• Satellite Observations for GCOS