About Decoding QC Test Codes Sorted by the Stage Numbers

The GTSPP Quality Control (QC) test codes and results are stored in a eight-byte hexadecimal number, which can represent up-to 32 different tests and the test results. Each byte of the hexadecimal number has four (4) bits. A bit represents either 1 (one: test performed or failed) or 0 (zero: test not performed or passed) only.

The steps of interpretion of GTSPP QC test codes and results are as follows:

1. Convert the QC test codes ( or results) from hexadecimal to decimal number.
2. Convert the decimal number to binary number.
3. Reverse the binary number in accordance with the order of the GTSPP QC test numbers.
4. Map the reversed bit numbers to the cooresponding numbers of the QC tests in the ascending order and identify the test names and results, accordingly.

For example, the following table is a sample list of data quality control tests code (QCP$=41E1FFD) and results (QCF$=0000004) performed by the Integrated Scientific Data Management in Canada. The table indicates:

1. The first test, 'Platform Identification Test", was performed (1=Y) and the test result showed "Passed" (0=P)
2. The second test, "Impossible Date/Time", was not performed (0=N).
3. The third test, "Impossible Location", was performed (1=Y) and passed (0=P).
4. and so on...

Stage Number	Test Number	Index Number	Test Name	QCP$ =41E1FFD (0=OFF/1=ON)	QCF$=0000004 (0=P/1=F)
Stage 1: Location and Identification Tests
1.1	1	1	Platform Identification	1	0
1.2	2	2	Impossible Date/Time	0	0
1.3	3	4	Impossible Location	1	0
1.4	4	8	Position on Land	1	0
1.5	5	16	Impossible Speed	1	0
1.6	6	32	Impossible Sounding	0	0
Stage 2: Profile Tests
2.1	7	64	Global Impossible Parameter Values	1	1
2.2	8	128	Regional Impossible Parameter Values	0	0
2.3	9	256	Increasing Depth	1	0
2.4	10	512	Profile Envelop	1	1
2.5	11	1024	Constant Profil	0	0
2.6	12	2048	Freezing Point	0	0
2.7	13	4096	Spike	1	1
2.8	14	8192	Top and Bottom Spike	1	0
2.9	15	16384	Gradien	1	1
2.10	16	32768	Density Inversion	0	0
2.11	24	8388608	Bottom	0	0
2.12	25	16777216	Temperature Inversion	0	0
Stage 3: Climatology Tests
3.1	17	65536	Levitus Seasonal Statistics	1	1
3.2	18	131072	Emery and Dewar Climatology	0	0
3.3	19	262144	Asheville Climatology	0	0
3.4	20	524288	Levitus Monthly Climatology	0	0
3.5	26	33554432	Levitus Annual Climatology	0	0
Stage 4: Profile Consistency Tests
4.1	21	1048576	Waterfall	0	0
Stage 5: Visual Inspection
5.1	22	2097152	Cruise Track	1	0
5.2	23	4194304	Profiles	0	0

The list of data quality control test codes and results sorted by the test numbers is available here.