Categorization of the Moored Buoy and Mooring models

[MKrieger29]

The categorization of the platform models for the moorings and the moored buoys needs to be reviewed. This is the current categorization in OceanOPS: The definition of the platform family, platform type and platform model is available in the OceanOPS metadata documentation. Here is an overview of these definitions:

• Platform model: The most detailed level of categorization of a platform, ideally containing manufacturer’s information and product reference.
• Platform type: The middle level of categorization of a platform. It makes the link between the platform’s category (family) and the manufacturer’s model.
• Platform family: The highest level of categorization of a platform. Describes to what category instrument this platform belongs to.

[MKrieger29]

Feedback from Kenneth Connell: On the Tropical MBs: I would first recommend striking (i.e., deleting) 'RAMA' and 'PIRATA' from the list of Tropical MB "Platform Models." 'RAMA' and 'PIRATA' refer to the specific arrays (e.g., tropical Indian Ocean array (RAMA) and tropical Atlantic Ocean array (PIRATA)). These do not have any direct relation to the MB "Platform Model." All of the other platform models ('ATLAS', 'ATLAS_NEXT', 'TAO_REFRESH', 'T_FLEX', 'TRITON', and "OTHER_TROPICAL') look correct. You might also add one more, which is 'm-TRITON' -- This is the mini-TRITON buoy that JAMSTEC developed.

On the Tsunameter Buoys: These are correct. However, you might consider adding additional newer generation MB Platform Models, including: "DART-ETD" and "DART_4G". All the DART generation models are described here: https://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/Pdf/brochures/dart4G_Brochure.pdf

I think others would be better positioned to address the other MB platforms.

[MKrieger29]

OceanOPS actions:

• The platform models PIRATA and RAMA are deleted
• Platform models created: m-TRITON, DART_ETD and DART_4G.

[MKrieger29]

Ken's comments( email 2023-03-01):

1. I would recommend changing the name of the category (Platform type): "Surface Moored Buoy". That category would describe all of the buoys under the Moored Buoy designation. I would instead recommend changing to: "High-Latitude Moored Buoy" (which is the primary differentiator of these moored buoys from the "Tropical Moored Buoy").
2. Under Platform type: "Meteorological Moored Buoy", I see there are two very generic sub-categories: 1) "Moored Buoy" and 2) "Other Met Moored Buoy". I would recommend striking "Moored Buoy" and only keeping the second catch-all category: "Other Met Moored Buoy".
3. I note several issues with the third broad category (Platform Family) "Mooring" (at the far right side of the flow chart): o First of all, the category name "Mooring" seems overly generic and is not descriptive of that category (e.g., all of these, including the other two top categories, could fall under the term "Mooring"). I wonder if this should be changed to "Subsurface Mooring"? o Is Cabled Observatory considered a mooring? Maybe or maybe not. I can see arguments either way. But cabled observatories are definitely very different from the rest of these moorings. IF they are considered a mooring (and I'm not sure who should make that determination), we should consider moving it into its own broad Platform Family. o I would recommend only having two Platform Types under this "Subsurface Mooring" broad Platform Family. I would recommend: "Subsurface Moored Buoy" and "Benthic Mooring". If someone determines that Cabled Observatories should indeed be placed in this Subsurface Mooring Platform Family, I would then suggest that it be placed under Benthic Mooring.
4. I recommend we change the name of "Other Wave Buoy" to "Other Wave Moored Buoy" to be consistent with "Other Met Moored Buoy".
5. It might be worthwhile to have someone from the meteorological MB community and someone from the Wave MB Community and someone from the Benthic MB community review those different categories for completeness. I can think of several wave buoys that appear to not be included here, such as Triaxys and there may be others that are not included here (but those might be placed into the generic categories such as "Other Wave Moored Buoy" or "Other Met Moored Buoy").

[MKrieger29]

Following Ken's comments, we updated the classification;

[MKrieger29]

Ken's comment (email 2023-03-02) I agree about the need for additional specificity for cabled observations. I think we could create a high-level category called "Subsea Cable Observing Systems" (or something to that effect) and there could be sub-categories of more specific types of subsea cable observing systems. For example: • Subsea Cable Observing Systems: o SMART (Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications) subsea cable systems o Traditional Cabled Observatories (e.g., VENUS, NEPTUNE, DONET, S-net, OOI, ALOHA, etc.) o Other?

[MKrieger29]

[MKrieger29]

Ken's email 2023-03-25: It is looking better, but I would still suggest the following modifications:

1. For the highest-level platform family (orange/peach-colored box), I would recommend we change the name from 'Subsurface Mooring' to 'Seafloor Observing Platforms' or 'Seafloor Observation Platforms'
2. I suggest moving the middle platform type (green box) category labeled 'Subsurface Moored Buoy' (as well as its dependents in the two blue platform model boxes) entirely out of this 'Seafloor Observing Platforms' family and instead place it in the 'Moored Buoy' family.
3. I would recommend changing the name of the green platform type for 'Benthic Mooring' to 'Benthic Lander', which might be a little more recognizable and descriptive.

[MKrieger29]