Dynamic Height:

Dynamic heights are computed from TAO temperature profiles 
by vertically integrating the specific volume anomaly
from the surface to 500 m depth. This produces a dynamic
height at the sea surface referenced to 500 decibars (0/500db).

Details of Dynamic Height Calculation

The specific volume anomaly (steric anomaly) is based on a
1980 equation of state for seawater and 1978 practical 
salinity scale (Millero, et al (1980) Deep-Sea Res., 27a, 255-264
Millero and Poisson 1981, Deep-Sea Res., 28a, pp 625-629).
The salinity data input into the specific volume anomaly calculation
are a set of long-term mean temperature-salinity relations, 
one for each array location, derived from the World Ocean Atlas 1994, 
Levitus et al, NOAA Atlas NESDIS 3 and 4.

TAO Temperature availability at 500 meters

Occasionally, temperatures at 500 meters depth are unavailable when
temperatures at 300 meters depth are available. To fill any missing
values in the 0/500db dynamic height series at a given site, we compute 
an orthogonal regression between all of the available 0/300db and 0/500db 
data. The regression coefficients are used to replace missing 0/500db 
values when 0/300db dynamic heights are available. The same method is 
used at all sites, using an independent regression at each site.

For detailed information about sampling and sensors, 
see these two web pages:

  http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/proj_over/sensors.shtml

  http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/proj_over/sampling.html

For general information about the TAO Array, see

McPhaden, M.J., A.J. Busalacchi, R. Cheney, J.R. Donguy,
K.S. Gage, D. Halpern, M. Ji, P. Julian, G. Meyers,
G.T. Mitchum, P.P. Niiler, J. Picaut, R.W. Reynolds,
N. Smith, K. Takeuchi, 1998: The Tropical Ocean-Global
Atmosphere (TOGA) observing system:  A decade of
progress. J. Geophys. Res., 103, 14,169-14,240.

  http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/pubs/outstand/mcph1720/abstract.shtml

For general information about PIRATA, see

Servain, J., A.J. Busalacchi, M.J. McPhaden, A.D. Moura,
G. Reverdin, M. Vianna, and S.E. Zebiak, 1998: A Pilot
Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA).
Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 79, 2019-2031.

In ascii format files, to the right of the data, you will 
find data quality codes which use the definitions below. 
In NetCDF format files, you will find a quality variable 
with the same shape as the data. Using these codes you can 
tune your analysis to trade-off between quality and 
temporal/spatial coverage. 

Quality Code Definitions:

0 = datum missing

1 = highest quality; Pre/post-deployment calibrations agree to within
sensor specifications.  In most cases only pre-deployment calibrations have
been applied

2 = default quality; Pre-deployment calibrations applied.  Default
value for sensors presently deployed and for sensors which were either not
recovered or not calibratable when recovered.

3 = adjusted data; Pre/post calibrations differ, or original data do
not agree with other data sources (e.g., other in situ data or climatology),
or original data are noisy.  Data have been adjusted to correct for error.

4 = lower quality; Pre/post calibrations differ, or data do not agree
with other data sources (e.g., other in situ data or climatology), or data
are noisy.  Data could not be confidently adjusted to correct for error.

5 = sensor or tube failed