The SAMOS initiative seeks routine measurement of navigational, meteorological, and oceanographic parameters that are essential or desired to meet the scientific objectives of the SAMOS community (e.g., accurate flux estimation, climate quality observations for satellite and model validation). The list of primary parameters (below) can all be measured routinely by a well designed SAMOS. Secondary, or desired, parameters may or may not be available on every vessel, but these measurements would be very useful to achieve the goals of the SAMOS initiative. The nominal reporting interval should be one minute. The initiative is only interested in measurements collected by instruments permanently installed on the vessel (not single cruise science party sensors).

Primary and secondary parameters for routine data acquisition from Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic Systems (SAMOS) on research vessels. Underway parameters marked with an * are requested to support the Global Ocean Surface Underway Data Pilot Project.
Primary	Secondary (Desired if Available)
Observation time (UTC)	Vessel Pitch, Roll, and Heave
Latitude	Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)
Longitude	Ultraviolet Radiation
Ship Course Over Ground	Total Radiation
Ship Speed Over Ground	Visibility (From automated sensor)
Ship Heading	Ceiling (From automated sensor)
Ship Speed Over Water (Fore-aft and along beam components)	Fluorescence*
Ship-Relative Wind Direction (As measured by anemometer)	Dissolved Oxygen*
Ship-Relative Wind Speed (As measured by anemometer)	Radiometric Sea Surface Temperature
Earth-Relative (True) Wind Direction (Calculated)	Swell and Wind Wave Heights and Directions (If measured by automated system)
Earth-Relative (True) Wind Speed (Calculated)	Weather, Cloud Cover, and Cloud Height (Not anticipated as automation is unlikely)
Atmospheric Pressure
Air Temperature
Moisture (Dewpoint temperature, wet-bulb temperature, relative humidity, and/or specific humidity)
Precipitation
Shortwave Radiation
Longwave Radiation
Sea Temperature
Salinity*
Conductivity*