Short-Course: Quality control and management of carbonate chemistry data for studies of ocean natural variability and long-term ocean acidification monitoring programs in Latin America

The Latin American Ocean Acidification Network (LAOCA), with co-sponsorship from the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO), the Coastal Socio-Ecological Millennium Institute (SECOS), the Anillo Project ENSO-Climate Change and the Carbon cycle in the Pacific South East (ECLIPSE), is coordinating and hosting a Short Workshop for Latin America and other developing countries on Carbonate Chemistry data QC and management from November 9 to 11 2022.

This -free of charge- workshop aim giving some background information and training for a group of scientists from Latin America, on data quality control (QC) procedures that estimate the consistency of the data across ocean acidification observing systems, including pH and pCO2 data from oceanographic buoys and ship-based observations, as well, as principles on data management of carbonate chemistry data.

With representation from at last 5 – 6 Latin American countries included in the Latin-American Ocean Acidification Network (LAOCA), and other developing countries the course will convene 5 renowned instructors and 15 selected participants.

Rationale

Best practices data standards and data quality control (QC) procedures are fundamental requirements for data-sharing and global repositories of ocean data. The lack of analytical measurement of uncertainty can result in biassed conclusions of spatial or time climate processes, for example, seriously compromising predictive capabilities of models. On the other hand, arbitrary removal of minimum or maximum values can also result in losing important extreme environmental events, extremely important in an evolutionary context for marine populations.

QC must be able to identify wrong measurements, but at the same time be able to identify data falling into reasonable ranges, but nevertheless are erroneous at the same time. Data validation and analytical measurement uncertainty are highly essential QC processes, whenever data is getting used (data repositories, models ‘parametrization and/or data products). Based on the recent growth in large-scale collaborative oceanographic research programs, quality control of data is mandatory to be able to synthesise and integrate data from different sources and develop long time series especially focused in the analysis of global drivers of change (e.g. climate change and/or ocean acidification).

Despite the significantly lower amount of data in some regions of the world, such as coastal and ocean areas in Latin America, recently, different initiatives have strengthened the observation capabilities in some regions, such as Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and other countries of Central America, Africa and Asia. The above implies the need to strengthen the pathways so that this highly relevant data in both open-ocean and coastal environments, presently under-sampled, can be available for the international scientific community.

Course objectives and content.
Upon completion of the training course, participants will have gained increased knowledge in the following aspects:
Measuring natural variability in carbonate chemistry: observing platforms, instruments and spatial-temporal scales. From observation to databases.
Sharing carbonate chemistry data. Databases creation, reporting data and metadata.
Findable, accessible, interoperable, and re-usable (FAIR) principles for scientific data management.
Data reduction and quality control (QC), e.g. pH data validation, flag criteria for pH, SOCAT QC editor, flag criteria in SOCAT, analytical measurement uncertainty.
Data validation and analyses for OA time-series.
Data repositories and data services. Networking of data. Challenges for international networking of ocean acidification datasets.

Instructors
Dr. Richard Feely – NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, United States
Dr. Hernán García – National Centers for Environmental Information (formerly NODC), NOAA NESDIS, United States
Dr. Liqing Jiang – Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, United States

Dr. Anton Velo – Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, CSIC, Vigo, Spain
Dr. Luis Antonio Cuevas – Coastal Ecosystems and Environmental Global Change Lab (ECCALab), Department of Aquatic System, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile, Coastal Social-Ecological Millenium Institute SECOS.

Who Should Attend?
The course is targeted at all senior scientists, lab managers, and marine chemists involved in different carbon chemistry laboratories in Latin American countries focused not only in the analysis but also data repository of the different carbonate system parameters for ocean acidification research. Although there are no prerequisites for this course, a detailed comprehension and understanding of carbon chemistry in the ocean is mandatory in the selection process.

Language
English

How to apply?
Those interested in participating should complete the “application form”, which can be downloaded from the following URL, including all the required personal and curricular information, in addition to their summarized CV (maximum 5 pages, and a letter of intent that clearly indicates their experience, current interests, and the benefits you expect to gain from your participation in this course.

Deadline for application
November 2, 2022
Note: Participants selected will be informed during the next 2 days after the deadline of submission

Contact and submission of applications
postulaciones@socioecologiacostera.cl

Organized by:
Dr. Cristian A. Vargas –
Department of Aquatic Systems, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Chile, Coastal Social-Ecological Millenium Institute &

Dr. Victor M. Aguilera –
Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile

Co-sponsored by:
Coastal Socio-Ecological Millennium Institute (SECOS)
Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO)
Latin-American Network of Ocean Acidification (LAOCA)
Anillo Project Code ACT210071

Download the brochure with detailed information here.