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What are the sensors' reporting, sampling, and accuracy readings?
The payload (on-board computer system) presently installed at each station is given in the
opening paragraph of each station's present data page. For information on what payloads were
used historically at each station, consult the NDBC
data inventory.
ARES Payload
PARAMETER | RANGE | FREQ. | AVG. PERIOD | RESOLUTION | ACCURACY |
Wind Dir. | 0 to 360 | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 1.0 deg | +/- 10.0 deg |
Wind Speed | 0 to 62 m/s | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s or 10% *** |
Wind Gust | 0 to 82 m/s | 1.71 Hz | 3 & 5 sec | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s or 10% *** |
Air Temp. | -40 to +60 C | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Pressure | 800 to 1100 hPa | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 hPa | +/- 1.0 hPa |
Sea Surface Temp. | -5 to +40 C | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Rel. Humidity | 0 to 100% | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1% | +/- 3% |
Wave Height | 0 to 35 m | 1.71 Hz | 40/20 min § | 0.1 m | +/- 0.2 m |
Wave Period | 0 to 30 SEC | 1.71 Hz | 40/20 min § | 1.0 sec | +/- 1 sec |
Wave Spectra | 0 to 99 m*m/Hz | 1.71 Hz | 40/20 min § | 0.01 Hz1 | NA |
Wave Dir. | 0 to 360 | 1.71 Hz | 40/20 min § | 0.1 deg | +/- 10 deg |
Dew Point | -35 to +30 C | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Solar Radiation | 0 to 2150 W/m*m | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.5 W/m*m | +/- 5% |
Water Level | 0 to 99.99 ft | 1.71 Hz | 10 min | 0.1 ft | .01% |
Visibility | 0 to 8 mi | 1.71 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.125 mi | +/- 10% |
ADCP | -10 to 10 m/s | 1.71 Hz | 20 min | 0.1 cm/s | +/- 2 cm/sec |
Rain Accumulation | 0 to 999 mm | 1/min | 16 min | 1 mm | 1 mm |
10-Minute Rain Rate | 0 to 999 mm/hr | 1/min | 16 min | 1 mm | 1 mm |
24-Hour Rain Rate | 0 to 999 mm/hr | 1/min | 16 min | 1 mm | 1 mm |
DACT Payload
PARAMETER | RANGE | FREQ. | AVG. PERIOD | RESOLUTION | ACCURACY |
Wind Dir. | 0 to 360 | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 1.0 deg | +/- 10.0 deg |
Wind Speed | 0 to 62 m/s | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s |
Wind Gust | 0 to 82 m/s | 1.0 Hz | 5 sec | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s |
Air Temp. | -40 to 50 C | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Pressure | 800 to 1100 hpa | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 hPa | +/- 1.0 hPa |
Sea Surface Temp. | -5 to 40 C | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Wave Height | 0 to 35 m | 2.56 Hz | 20 min | 0.1m | +/- 0.2 m |
Wave Period | 0 to 30 sec | 2.56 Hz | 20 min | 1.0 sec | +/- 1 second |
Wave Spectra | 0 to 999 m*m/Hz | 2.56 Hz | 20 min | 0.01 Hz1 | NA |
Wave Dir. | 0 to 360 | 2.56 Hz | 20 min | 0.1 deg | +/- 10 deg |
Rel. Humidity | 0 to 100% | Special | 3-5 samples | 0.1% | +/- 6% |
Dew Point | -35 to +30 C | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Solar Radiation | 0 to 2150 w/n*n | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.5 w/m*m | +/- 5% |
Precipitation | 0 to 999 mm | Cont. | 6 hr # | 1.0 mm | +/- 5 mm |
GSBP Payload
PARAMETER | RANGE | FREQ. | AVG. PERIOD | RESOLUTION | ACCURACY |
Wind Dir. | 0 to 360 | 1.0 Hz | 8.5 min | 1.0 deg | +/- 10 deg |
Wind Speed | 0 to 62 m/s | 1.0 Hz | 8.5 min | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s |
Wind Gust | 0 to 82 m/s | 1.0 Hz | 8 sec | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s |
Air Temp. | -15 to 50 C | 0.01 Hz | 8.5 min | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Pressure | 800 to 1100 hPa | 0.25 Hz | 8.5 min | 0.1 hPa | +/- 1.0 hPa |
Sea Surface Temp. | -5 to 40 C | 1.0 Hz | 1 sec | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Wave Height | 0 to 35 m | 1.5 Hz | 20 min | 0.1 m ¶ | +/- 0.2 m |
Wave Period | 0 to 30 sec ¶ | 1.5 Hz | 20 min | 1.0 sec ¶ | +/- 1.0 sec |
Wave Spectra | 0 to 999 m*m/Hz | 1.5 Hz | 20 min | 0.01 Hz | NA |
Relative Humidity | 0 to 100% | Special | 127 Samples | 0.1% | +/- 6% |
Dew Point | -35 to +30 C | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Solar Radiation | 0 to 2150 w/m*m | 1.0 Hz | 8.5 min | 0.5 w/m*m | +/- 5% |
MARS Payload
PARAMETER | RANGE | FREQ. | AVG. PERIOD | RESOLUTION | ACCURACY |
Wind Dir. | 0 to 360 | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 1.0 deg | +/- 10 deg |
Wind Speed | 0 to 62 m/s | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1 m/s |
Wind Gust | 0 to 82 m/s | 1.0 Hz | 5 sec | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1 m/s |
Air Temp. | -40 to 50 C | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1 C |
Pressure | 800 to 1100 hPa | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 hPa | +/- 1 hPa |
Sea Surface Temp. | -5 to 40 C | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1 C |
Wave Height | 0 to 35 m | 1.71 Hz | 20 min | 0.1 m | +/- 0.2 m |
Wave Period | 0 to 30 sec | 1.71 Hz | 20 min | 1.0 sec | +/- 1 sec |
Wave Spectra | 0 to 99 m*m/Hz | 1.71 Hz | 20 min | 0.01 Hz1 | NA |
Wave Dir. | 0 to 360 | 1.71 Hz | 20 min | 0.1 deg | +/- 10 deg |
Relative Humidity | 0 to 100% | 1 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1% | +/- 6% |
Dew Point | -35 to +30 C | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Solar Radiation | 0 to 2150 w/m*m | 1 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.5 w/m*m | +/- 5% |
Precipitation | 0 to 999 mm | Cont. | 6 hr # | 1.0 mm | 5.0 mm |
Visibility | 0 to 8 mi | 1.0 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.125 mi | +/- 10% |
VEEP Payload
PARAMETER | RANGE | FREQ. | AVG. PERIOD | RESOLUTION | ACCURACY |
Wind Dir. | 0 to 360 | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 1.0 deg | +/- 10 deg |
Wind Speed | 0 to 62 m/s | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s |
Wind Gust | 0 to 82 m/s | 1.28 Hz | 5 sec | 0.1 m/s | +/- 1.0 m/s |
Air Temp. | -40 to 50 C | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Pressure | 800 to 1100 hPa | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 hPa | +/- 1.0 hPa |
Sea Surface Temp. | -5 to 40 C | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Wave Height | 0 to 35 m | 2.56 Hz | 20 min ** | 0.1 m | +/- 0.2 m |
Wave Period | 0 to 30 sec | 2.56 Hz | 20 min ** | 1.0 sec | +/- 1.0 sec |
Wave Spectra | 0 to 999 m*m/Hz | 2.56 Hz | 20 min ** | 0.01 Hz1 | NA |
Wave Dir. | 0 to 360 | 2.56 Hz | 20 min | 0.1 deg | +/- 10 deg |
Rel. Humidity | 0 to 100% | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1% | +/- 6% |
Dew Point | -35 to +30 C | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.1 C | +/- 1.0 C |
Solar Radiation | 0 to 2150 w/m*m | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min * | 0.50 w/m*m | +/- 5% |
Water Level | 0 to 99.99 ft | 1.28 Hz | 10 min | .01 ft | .01% |
Precipitation | 0 to 99 mm | Cont. | 6hr # | 1.0 mm | +/- 5 mm |
ADCP | -10 to 10 m/s | 0.667 Hz | 20 min | 0.1 cm/s | +/- 2 cm/sec |
Visibility | 0 to 8 mi | 1.28 Hz | 2/8 min | 0.125 mi | +/- 10% |
* | 2 min. for C-MAN; 8 min. for moored buoys |
** | 20 min. for moored buoys and 14 min. for C-MAN. The three Olympic buoys and
41023 had 9 min. averaged waves. Directional waves utilize the WPM. |
*** | Whichever is greater. |
# | Reset at 0000, 0600, 1200, 1800Z |
¶ | Wave heights of less than 0.25 m are reported with zero height and period.
Frequency resolution on some wave measurement systems can vary from 0.005 Hz
at low frequencies to 0.02 Hz at high frequencies. See Column Headings or
Labels in the Raw Spectral files to identify the center frequency of each band. |
§ | Some stations average over a 40-minute period and some other over a 20-minute period. |
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