Data Format Documentation Overview

This section contains documentation about data formats used in AMOCatlas. The documentation is organized to follow the data processing workflow from native formats to standardized outputs.

Understanding the Documentation Structure

The data format documentation is organized around four key stages of data handling:

Documentation Organization
Document	Purpose	When to Use
Array Format (Native / Original)	Native formats from observing arrays	Understanding original data structure from each array (RAPID, OSNAP, etc.)
OceanSITES Format for AMOC Arrays	Standards compliance requirements (planned)	Future OceanSITES-compliant data format implementation
Converting to OceanSITES format	Conversion strategies from native to standard	Planning how to transform native formats to standardized ones
AMOCatlas Format AC1	Final standardized format specification (planned)	Future `amocatlas.convert.to_AC1()` function output

Workflow Overview

The planned data processing workflow follows this sequence:

Original Data → Each observing array provides data in its own native format
Analysis & Planning → Understand native formats and plan conversions
Standardization → Convert to OceanSITES-compliant intermediate format (not yet implemented)
Final Output → Produce AC1 standardized format for interoperability (not yet implemented)

Note

Current Status: AMOCatlas currently reads native array formats and provides standardized access through the readers module. The conversion tools to produce OceanSITES-compliant and AC1 formats are planned but not yet implemented.

Native Formats     Conversion       OceanSITES        AC1 Format
(format_orig) →  (format_conversion) → (format_oceanSITES) → (format_AC1)

RAPID.nc
OSNAP.nc        →  Analysis &     →  Standards      →     Standardized
MOVE.nc            Planning          Compliance            Output
SAMBA.txt

Key Concepts

Array Independence: Each observing array (RAPID, OSNAP, MOVE, SAMBA, etc.) provides data in different formats, units, and structures. The native format documentation captures these differences.
Standards Compliance: OceanSITES provides community standards for oceanographic data. We follow these conventions while adapting them for AMOC array requirements.
Unified Access: The AC1 format provides a consistent interface regardless of which array the data originally came from, enabling cross-array analysis and comparison.
Metadata Preservation: Throughout the conversion process, we preserve attribution to original data providers and maintain full provenance tracking.

Getting Started

New to the project? Start with Array Format (Native / Original) to understand the data landscape
Planning conversions? Use Converting to OceanSITES format for conversion strategies
Need standards compliance? Refer to OceanSITES Format for AMOC Arrays for future requirements
Planning standardized output? See AMOCatlas Format AC1 for the planned format specification

Questions and Contributions

If you have questions about data formats or want to contribute to format development:

Check our GitHub issues
See the developer_guide for contribution guidelines
Review existing format documentation for similar arrays before proposing new formats