The Global Telecommunication System (GTS) is a secured communication network enabling real-time exchange of
meteorological data from
weather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for measuring atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include tempera ...
s,
satellite
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioi ...
s and
numerical weather prediction
Numerical weather prediction (NWP) uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions. Though first attempted in the 1920s, it was not until the advent of computer simulation in th ...
centres, providing critical meteorological forecasting, warnings, and alerts. It was established by the
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics.
The WMO originated from the Intern ...
in 1951 under the
World Weather Watch programme for the free and open exchange of meteorological information.
The GTS consists of an integrated network of point-to-point circuits, and multi-point circuits which interconnect meteorological
telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...
centres. The circuits of the GTS are composed of a combination of terrestrial and satellite telecommunication links. They comprise point-to-point circuits, point-to-multi-point circuits for data distribution, multi-point-to-point circuits for data collection, as well as two-way multi-point circuits. Meteorological Telecommunication Centres are responsible for receiving data and relaying it selectively on GTS circuits. The GTS is organized on a three level basis:
* The Main Telecommunication Network (MTN)
* The Regional Meteorological Telecommunication Networks (RMTNs)
* The National Meteorological Telecommunication Networks (NMTNs)
Satellite-based data collection and/or data distribution systems are integrated in the GTS as an essential element of the global, regional and national levels of the GTS. Data collection systems operated via
geostationary or near-polar orbiting meteorological/environmental satellites, including the
Argos System
Argos is a global satellite-based system that collects, processes, and disseminates environmental data from fixed and mobile platforms around the world. The worldwide tracking and environmental monitoring system results from Franco-America ...
, are widely used for the collection of observational data from data collection platforms. Marine data are also collected through the International Maritime Mobile Service and
Inmarsat satellites.
References
Further reading
WMO (2013) ''Manual on the Global Telecommunications System'
WMO publication 386
External links
WMO's Global Telecommunication SystemWMO's GTS Community Site
1951 establishments
Telecommunications-related introductions in the 1950s
Meteorological data and networks
Data collection satellites
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