Toward a Standardized Metadata Protocol for Urban Meteorological Networks (original) (raw)

With the growing number and significance of urban meteorological networks (UMNs) across the world it is becoming critical to establish a standard metadata protocol. Indeed, a review of existing UMNs indicate large variations in the quality, quantity and availability of metadata containing technical information (i.e. equipment, communication methods) and network practices (i.e. quality assurance/quality control and data management procedures). Without such metadata, the utility of UMNs is greatly compromised. There is a need to bring together the currently disparate sets of guidelines to ensure informed and well documented future deployments. This should significantly improve the quality, and therefore, the applicability of the high resolution data available from such networks. Here the first metadata protocol for UMNs is proposed, drawing on current recommendations for urban climate stations and identified best practice in existing networks.