Circular No. 04/2022/TT-BTNMT stipulates technical procedures for inspecting, controlling, and evaluating the quality of high-altitude meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation.

Number: 04/2022/TT-BTNMT Hanoi, June 3, 2022

CIRCULAR
Technical regulations for inspecting, monitoring, and evaluating the quality of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation
Technical regulations for inspecting, monitoring, and evaluating the quality of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation

Pursuant to the Law on Meteorology and Hydrology dated November 23, 2015;

Pursuant to Decree No. 38/2016/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2016 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law on Meteorology and Hydrology; and Decree No. 48/2020/NĐ-CP dated April 15, 2020 of the Government amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 38/2016/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2016 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law on Meteorology and Hydrology;

On the basis of Decision No. 36/2017/NĐ-CP dated April 4, 2017, of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment;

At the proposal of the Director General of the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, the Head of the Science and Technology Department and the Head of the Legal Department;

The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment issues this Circular on technical regulations for inspecting, monitoring, and evaluating the quality of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates technical regulations for inspecting, monitoring, and evaluating the quality of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to the national meteorological and hydrological station system and organizations and individuals related to activities of inspecting, monitoring, and evaluating the quality of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms shall be understood as follows:

1. Upper air meteorological data are paper products and information carriers, including radio sounding data and upper air wind data.

2. Inspection of data is the activity of reviewing the completeness of the quantity and volume of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation (hereinafter referred to collectively as data).

3. Monitoring of data is the process of comparing actual results in the data with standards, specifications, and technical regulations to determine discrepancies and causes of discrepancies, thereby adjusting discrepancies in the results within the data.

4. Evaluation of data quality is the activity of determining the score achieved out of the total standard points and classifying the quality level of the data.

5. Standard points are the highest point level prescribed for evaluating data quality; deduction points are the points prescribed to be deducted for errors occurring during observation, collection, calculation, correction, analysis, and submission of data; the score achieved is calculated by subtracting the total deduction points from the standard points.

6. Spatial consistency of data refers to the rationality of one or more meteorological factors at the observation location compared to data observed at surrounding locations (or stations) or from other data sources.

7. Temporal consistency of data refers to the rationality of one or more meteorological factors compared to values of data at the same observation location over different time periods (statistical).

Article 4. Types of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation subject to inspection, monitoring, and evaluation

Data subject to inspection, monitoring, and evaluation include paper records (observation data logbooks, reports, statistical result tables, calculation tables) and data files containing numerical data:

1. Radio sounding data: files containing original data, calibrated data, statistical data, and reports.

2. Upper air wind data: observation data, files containing calculated results of observations, and reports.

3. Ozone and ultraviolet radiation data: files containing original data, files containing calculated results of observations, statistical data tables, and reports.

4. Weather radar data: files containing original data and reports.

Article 5. Contents of the inspection of upper air meteorological documents, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation

1. Receiving documents and inspecting the time of submission of documents in accordance with regulations.

2. Inspecting quantity, volume, and classification: inspecting the number of copies, the number of pages of paper documents, the number of information carriers (data files, CDs, DVDs, storage devices, etc.) of the documents.

3. Inspecting the physical condition and form of the documents: inspecting whether the documents are damaged, wrinkled, torn, blurred, erased, or not conforming to the standard format (for paper documents); warping, mold, breakage, virus infection, or inability to open for electronic files on information carriers.

4. Inspecting the legal validity and completeness of the documents: inspecting whether the origin of the documents was performed by observation equipment provided by the management agency; parameters such as serial numbers, machine numbers, or source of the equipment; inspecting the number of items and sub-items for paper documents, the number of files, and the size of each file of the documents.

5. Inspecting to determine the status of observation facilities and observation equipment:

a) Inspecting information reports about station structures and technical corridors;

b) Inspecting to determine calibration, testing, maintenance, and preservation of equipment;

c) Inspecting to determine the completeness of materials and consumable equipment.

Article 6. Contents of the control of upper air meteorological documents, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation

1. Controlling wireless upper air observation documents including: observation methods, instrument and tool calibration; observation procedures, observation schedules, observation times; data entry, data calculation, selection of characteristic values, coding; spatial, temporal, and observational factor rationality of data:

a) Controlling data and momentary release data entry;

b) Controlling the selection of convective limits, maximum wind, greatest wind, characteristic points;

c) Controlling encoded data;

d) Controlling and comparing momentary release data spatially and temporally;

đ) Controlling characteristic points to supplement or remove from the data series;

e) Controlling the ascent speed (straight up) of the observation balloon;

g) Controlling the data submission (transmission) time and report time.

2. Controlling high-altitude wind documents including: observation methods, instrument and tool calibration; observation procedures, observation schedules, observation times; data entry, data calculation, selection of characteristic values, coding; spatial, temporal, and observational factor rationality of data:

a) Controlling observation data;

b) Controlling the entry of observation data into software for calculation;

c) Controlling calculation results and reporting results;

d) Controlling the selection of maximum wind and greatest wind;

đ) Controlling factors related to the ascent (straight up) speed of the balloon;

e) Controlling and comparing surface meteorological data before releasing the balloon spatially and temporally to consider whether the use of the balloon is appropriate;

g) Controlling weather characteristics at the end of observation to consider whether the reasons for ending observation are appropriate;

h) Controlling the data submission (transmission) time and report time.

3. Controlling ozone and ultraviolet radiation documents including: observation methods, instrument and tool calibration; observation procedures, observation schedules, observation times; data calculation and selection of characteristic values; spatial, temporal, and observational factor rationality of data:

a) Controlling excess or shortage of data in tables;

b) Controlling the accuracy and appropriateness of observation schedules with the sun's activity cycle (by season, month, and cloud and wind characteristics);

c) Controlling parameters regarding temperature and humidity factors of equipment and the operating environment of the equipment;

d) Controlling the appropriateness of observation indices and weather characteristics;

e) Controlling the data submission (transmission) time and report time.

4. Controlling weather radar documents including: completeness of documents; observation methods; spatial, temporal, and observational factor rationality of data:

a) Controlling document volume according to the number of obs (observation periods) conducted;

b) Controlling the data submission (transmission) time and report time;

c) Controlling regular and emergency reporting schedules;

d) Controlling to determine that the observation method is carried out correctly according to technical requirements;

đ) Controlling to determine the observation schedule;

e) Controlling spatial and temporal detail down to each obs observation period;

g) Controlling observational factors for rationality, completeness, and accuracy.

Article 7. Evaluation of the quality of upper-air meteorological data, weather radar data, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation materials

1. Evaluation method:

a) The quality of the materials is evaluated using a scoring method based on standard points (SP), deduction points (DP), and achieved points (AP);

b) Standard points are set at 100 points. Standard points are determined for each item to be evaluated for material quality;

c) Deduction points are determined based on technical inspection reports, technical files, material inspection and control, and reports; analyzing and evaluating errors related to construction, equipment, observation, adjustment, and statistical calculation of data;

d) Achieved points of the material are calculated by subtracting total deduction points from standard points:

AP = SP - ∑ DP

2. Evaluation of upper-air meteorological data, weather radar data, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation materials:

a) Standard points for upper-air meteorological data, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation materials are specified in Table 1:

Table 1: Standard Points for Upper-Air Meteorological Data, Ozone, and Ultraviolet Radiation Materials

b) Deduction points for radio sounding materials are specified in Table 2:

Table 2: Deduction Points for Radio Sounding Materials

c) Deduction points for high-altitude wind observation materials are specified in Table 3:

Table 3: Deduction Points for High-Altitude Wind Observation Materials

d) Deduction points for ozone and ultraviolet radiation materials are specified in Table 4:

Table 4: Deduction Points for Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Materials

3. Evaluation of weather radar data

a) Standard points for weather radar data are specified in Table 5:

Table 5: Standard Points for Weather Radar Data

b) Deduction points for weather radar data are specified in Table 6:

Table 6: Deduction Points for Weather Radar Data

4. Principles for calculating deduction points

a) Total deduction points shall not exceed the standard points;

b) For a single error or omission, deduction points are only counted once when evaluating the quality of a material for an observation element whose final result is not significantly affected by subsequent errors (chain reaction);

c) Quality evaluation of materials is not conducted if the number of observations performed is below 75%;

d) Material quality is rated as poor if the physical condition of the carrier is damaged (moldy, warped, infected with viruses) or if data loss exceeds 30%.

5. Classification of material quality

a) Quality evaluation and classification of materials are conducted once per month per station; annual material quality is the average of monthly results;

b) Material quality is classified according to the achieved points and is categorized as follows in Table 7:

Table 7: Classification of Material Quality

c) The agency or unit assigned by the competent authority to evaluate the quality of upper air meteorological data, weather radar, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation must provide comments and evaluations in accordance with the provisions set out in the Appendix attached hereto.

Article 8. Implementation organization

1. This Circular takes effect from July 18, 2022.

2. The Director of the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology shall be responsible for inspecting and guiding the implementation of this Circular.

3. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, Departments of Natural Resources and Environment of provinces and centrally governed cities, and related organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Circular./.

Appendix

QUALITY EVALUATION FORM FOR DOCUMENTS

(Issued together with Circular No. 2022/TT-BTNMT dated day month year 2022

of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment)

EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT FORM
OF DOCUMENT QUALITY...

1. Station name...Document month...year...

2. Evaluation results of documents:

a) Score achieved...Quality classification...

b) Comments on documents...

3. Recommendation: ...