Ocean Science www.ocean-sci.net 1812-0784 1812-0792 6 1 2010 10.5194/os-6-235-2010 http://www.ocean-sci.net/6/235/2010/ http://www.ocean-sci.net/6/235/2010/os-6-235-2010.html http://www.ocean-sci.net/6/235/2010/os-6-235-2010.pdf 235 245 2010-02-17 Assessment of sensor performance C. Waldmann cwaldmann@marum.de M. Tamburri R. D. Prien P. Fietzek Bremen University/MARUM, Bremen, Germany Alliance for Coastal Technologies, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, USA Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemuende, Germany IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany There is an international commitment to develop a comprehensive, coordinated and sustained ocean observation system. However, a foundation for any observing, monitoring or research effort is effective and reliable in situ sensor technologies that accurately measure key environmental parameters. Ultimately, the data used for modelling efforts, management decisions and rapid responses to ocean hazards are only as good as the instruments that collect them. There is also a compelling need to develop and incorporate new or novel technologies to improve all aspects of existing observing systems and meet various emerging challenges. <br><br> Assessment of Sensor Performance was a cross-cutting issues session at the international OceanSensors08 workshop in Warnemünde, Germany, which also has penetrated some of the papers published as a result of the workshop (Denuault, 2009; Kröger et al., 2009; Zielinski et al., 2009). The discussions were focused on how best to classify and validate the instruments required for effective and reliable ocean observations and research. 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