The Australian Climate Metadata Resource - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

About This Presentation
Title:

The Australian Climate Metadata Resource

Description:

Preparing meteorological data for court cases Presented by Dr Harvey Stern Australian Bureau of Meteorology Thursday 19 October 6pm for 6.30pm start – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:167
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 37
Provided by: weathercl
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: The Australian Climate Metadata Resource


1
Preparing meteorological data for court cases
   Presented by Dr Harvey Stern Australian
Bureau of Meteorology     Thursday 19 October 6pm
for 6.30pm start   Victoria Police Forensic
Services Centre, Forensic Drive, Macleod   The
Victorian Branch of the Australian and New
Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS)
2
Preparing Meteorological Data for Court Cases
  • Harvey SternVictorian Regional Office
  • Bureau of Meteorology
  • Acknowledgements
  • Neal Moodie (metadata)
  • John Cornall-Reilly Tim Forster Trish McBride
    Chris Kelly.

3
Presentation
  1. Definition
  2. Introduction
  3. Processing (Certified Extracts)
  4. Illustrative Examples
  5. METADATA applications
  6. Concluding remarks

4
Definition
  • Meteorology is used by forensic
    investigators, lawyers, and prosecutors to look
    for specific information to be used in court when
    climate conditions are of relevance in explaining
    an event
  • Meteorologists may be requested by courts or by
    companies to give information necessary for
    reconstructing ship or airplane accidents, or on
    wind chills affecting outdoor workers, or to
    present a detailed weather reconstruction for a
    given area on a particular day.
  • Meteorologists are sometimes requested to explain
    events associated with air pollution and airborne
    spread of dangerous substances, or to clarify
    whether a given meteorological event is abnormal
    or expected in a certain region and period of
    the...
  • "Meteorology." World of Forensic Science. Ed. K.
    Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Thomson
    Gale, 2006. eNotes.com. 2006. 10 Oct, 2006
    http//science.enotes.com/forensic-science/meteor
    ology

5
Introduction
  • We usually receive requests for certified
    extracts or data or statement or opinion we
    suggest certification in all cases, via
  • Mail.
  • Telephone.
  • Email.
  • In all instances, the first step is to contact
    the person making the request in order to clarify
    exactly what is required. If no file reference
    and/or postal address has been provided by the
    client, it is necessary to obtain one from
    him/her.
  • Certifiable Data
  • Only data from the Bureau's official data bases
    may be certified.

6
  • Expert Knowledge
  • Sometimes, a client may desire an analysis to be
    carried out, or an opinion given about the data
    provided. In such circumstances, the results of
    such an analysis of the data and/or the opinion
    should appear in the covering letter.
  • Analyses and/or opinion come under the area of
    "expert" knowledge. If given, they would likely
    result in the author of the analysis and/or
    opinion attending court as an expert witness
    and/or sign a witness statement.
  • Signing Certified Extracts
  • Certified extracts are usually signed by the
    Senior Meteorologist (Climate and Consultancy)
    (SMCC) "for Regional Director, Victoria". In the
    event that SMCC is unavailable for signing a
    certified extract, the Regional Director may sign
    such documents.

7
Processing
8
   EVIDENCE ACT 1995 No. 2 of 1995 SECTION
155 CERTIFIED EXTRACT FROM THE OFFICIAL
METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS OF THE COMMONWEALTH BUREAU
OF METEOROLOGY   Appendix 1 shows the official
three hourly precipitation observations as
recorded by the Bureaus cooperative observer at
Wonthaggi 86217 from 3am EST on Saturday 20th
April 2002 to 900pm EST on Saturday 27th April
2002.   Appendix 2 shows the official
observations of precipitation for 24 hours ending
9am daily as recorded by the Bureaus cooperative
observer at Wonthaggi 86217 from Saturday 20th
April 2002 to Saturday 27th April 2002.   I,
HARVEY STERN, meteorologist in charge of the
Climate and Consultancy Section of the Victorian
Regional Office of the Bureau of Meteorology,
MELBOURNE, HEREBY CERTIFY that this document
consisting of 3 pages is a true extract from the
meteorological observations database, of which
the said databases are one of the official
meteorological records of the Commonwealth of
Australia Australian Data Archive for
Meteorology, AND I FURTHER CERTIFY that I am the
Officer to whose custody the said records are
entrusted.     SIGNED by the said HARVEY STERN at
Melbourne this 11th day of October
2006.     (Harvey Stern) For Regional Director
(Victoria) 11th October 2006 Ph 9669 4949  
9
Process for Preparing Certified Extracts
Request Received
From a lawyer, Police, Court case, etc.
Failed QC check
Is it a CE?
QC Quality Control
Completeness gt 90?
No
Yes
Data available?
AWS?
No
Yes
Clarify by phone
Search for sites
Extract Data
Check data QC flags
Yes
Pass QC
Yes
  • Price
  • What they need
  • What we can offer
  • Delivery date
  • Payment process

Was instrument in calibration?
No
Produce CE document
Get CE checked
Get CE signed
Send to client Archive
10
Processing (cont.)
  • Receive Request for Certified Extract
  • Read Request details received by email, post or
    fax.
  • What to look for?
  • Postal address.
  • Reference (File) number, or similar, from them.
  • Check  Date, time, location and description of
    event.
  • Date due.
  • Check  If the request for a Certified was posted,
    ensure there is not a faxed copy already being
    processed here.  (Saves doubling up)

11
Processing (cont.)
  • Ring customer by phone to clarify details
  • Obtain any details missing from above.
  • Confirm Court date (for deadline), cost method
    of payment.
  • Advise what we can supply (data elements
    resolution).
  • Be aware of limitations of what can be certified
    or not.
  • Confirm that the weekday for the date supplied is
    correct.  (Just in case the customer has made a
    mistake with their request date)
  • Why do they need weather data?  (Help you supply
    the appropriate data for their purposes
    establish units required)
  • Advise statement is prepared as per the FEDERAL
    Evidence Act 1995, No2 of 1995, Section 155.

12
Processing (cont.)
  • Develop a data presentation plan
  • (maybe in association with other Sections
    e.g Hydro).
  • Sometimes, a client may desire an analysis to be
    carried out, or an opinion given about the data
    provided. In such circumstances, the results of
    such an analysis of the data and/or the opinion
    should appear in the covering letter.
  • Analyses and/or opinion come under the area of
    "expert" knowledge. If given, they would likely
    result in the author of the analysis and/or
    opinion attending court as an expert witness
    and/or sign a witness statement.

13
Processing (cont.)
  • Search for sites using TCZ Sitefinder
  • The Aim is to provide
  • Nearest or most representative station with
    required element.
  • Only data from the Bureau's official data bases
    may be certified.
  • Data from other authorities Government
    astronomer, EPA, Melbourne Water Could be
    included on an attachment (suggest client contact
    other authority for certification).

14
Processing (cont.)
  • Only select sites that meet the following
    criteria
  • Check Is data gt90 complete.
  • Check Low instances of accumulated values.
  • Check Has been quality controlled and doesn't
    have, wrong or low quality values, eg. High/Low
    values, spikes or missing data.
  • Check If site is an AWS, check the calibration
    history from Sitedb.

15
Processing (cont.)
  • Extract Data from EVE, TCZ or AIFS
  • Consider the following special circumstances
  • "Derived" data or "Forecasts/warnings" should be
    presented as "Attachments".
  • Consider providing a short period each side of
    requested period e.g. an hour each side of reques
    ted period of time, or an issue of forecast each s
    ide of what is requested.
  • Format Data
  • Check Clearly understood labelling of weather
    variables.  Station Number of data supplied is
    indicated.
  • CheckUse local times and include days of the
    week.

16
Processing (cont.)
  • Forecasts
  • Locate required forecast from web archive.
  • Copy text of required forecast from webpage,
    which becomes an Attachment.
  • Producing the CE documents
  • CE computer files are saved.
  • Select next available file number from
    certifieds directory and save . Name the file
    with that file number and include the client's
    name for ease of reference etc.

17
Processing (cont.)
  • Covering Letter should include synopsis of
  • Stations supplied, e.g. Melbourne Airport 86282
  • Why the site(s) were chosen. i.e. Distance of 4km
    from requested location, etc. (keep all distances
    to rounded km, we cannot be more precise with our
    search facility)
  • Reason a site was not used.  e.g. Site 86071 was
    not chosen because it did not meet quality
    checks, calibration checks, or wind is not
    representative of the area, etc.

18
Processing (cont.)
  • Date supplied
  • Check Include in covering letter descriptions of
    included data and how observed or obtained, 
  • And explanations of Meteorological terminology.
  • Add in extra paragraphs for any additional data
    sources supplied (ie. forecasts, maps, etc).
     Label them as Attachments.

19
Processing (cont.)
  • Actual Certified Letter
  • Copy paragraph from covering Letter, explaining
    data supplied, into 1st paragraph of certificate
    and also paste into Appendix 1 on the following
    page.
  • Copy the data from the prepared Excel file and
    paste below the paragraph for Appendix 1.  (A
    table of data will appear on the page)
  • Highlight the table.

20
Processing (cont.)
  • For long tables, you may need to re-format the
    table of data in Excel to include headings at the
    appropriate intervals.
  • Change dates of preparation below signature area.
  • Record Keeping
  • Original sent to client.
  • CCS CE folder  
  • Copy of full document and include the 
  • original request and any other 
  • data or  info used in preparation, for our
    records.
  • Cost Standard Certified 110, but higher for
    complex requests and urgent requests.

21
Processing (cont.)
  • Check Certified Extract (CE)
  • Someone other than the person who prepared the
    document should sign "Checked by".
  • Check Continuity of observations, correct
    conflicting data, inappropriate data supplied for
    requested purposes, typographical
    errors, dates, etc.
  • Sign CE
  • Certified extracts are usually signed by the
    Senior Meteorologist (Climate and Consultancy)
    "for Regional Director, Victoria".
  • Send CE
  • By Normal Post, if not urgent (may be faxed
    prior).
  • By email as pdf, if urgent (post original) note
    urgency fee.
  • By courier if necessary.

22
Illustrative Examples
  • Observations (manual or automated)
  • Sea State, Swell (water police)
  • Special clothing
  • Children / pets in cars on hot days (or) left in
    exposed situation in cold weather
  • RSPCA
  • Fires (sparks from a train?)
  • Fire ban days (arson/carelessness)
  • Trees falling on campers (wind speed)

23
Illustrative Examples (cont.)
  • Strategy to put off the other party, when they
    hear Bureau will attend
  • Dew (observations)
  • Slipping (3rd party Insurance Claims)
  • Pong Su
  • Expert witness statements
  • Fixing time of death
  • Witness vs weather conditions (credibility)

24
Illustrative Examples (cont.)
  • Car accidents
  • Cloud types
  • Weather phenomena e.g fog, frost, (black) frost
  • Completeness of record
  • Data sparse regions
  • Forecasts
  • Validating witness/suspect statements

25
Illustrative Examples (cont.)
  • Linton fires
  • Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
  • Sydney hailstorm
  • Observations via electronic measure
  • Snowboarders (lost in snow) rain vs snow (AWS)
  • Thredbo landslide (prepared data and then
    outside consultants were involved)

26
METADATA Application
27
METADATA Application (cont.)
Site Surroundings Metadata may explain
inconsistencies in the data
Ulladulla in 2001
28
METADATA Application (cont.)
Where did those bushes go?
Ulladulla in 2002
29
METADATA Application (cont.)
30
METADATA Application (cont.)
Instrument Metadata may explain inhomogeneties in
data
31
METADATA Application (cont.)
32
METADATA Application (cont.)
Basic Level Metadata for rainfall instrument
33
METADATA Application (cont.)
Medium Level Metadata for rainfall instrument
34
METADATA Application (cont.)
35
Concluding Remarks
  • We undertake many checks and balances and,
  • We are thorough with our data-quality assessment.
  • Contact by email climate.vic_at_bom.gov.au
  • Contact by phone 96694956

36
THANK YOU Any Questions?
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com