The CORA dataset: validation and diagnostics of ocean temperature and salinity in situ measurements.

The French program Coriolis as part of the French oceanographic operational system produces the COriolis dataset for Re-Analysis (CORA) on a yearly basis which is based on temperature and salinity measurements on observed levels from different data types. The latest release of CORA covers the period 1990 to 2010. To qualify this dataset, several tests have been developed to improve in a homogeneous way the quality of the raw dataset and to fit the level required by the physical ocean re-analysis activities (assimilation and validation). These include some simple tests, climatological tests and a model background check based on a global ocean reanalysis. Visual qual ity control (QC) is performed on all suspicious temperature (T ) and salinity (S) profiles identified by the tests and quality flags are modified in the dataset if necessary. In addition, improved diagnostic tools were developed - including global ocean indicators - which give information on the potential and quality of the CORA dataset for all applications. This Coriolis product is available on request through the MyOcean Service Desk (http://www.myocean.eu/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]