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2022
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Seeking precision for all things, measuring the ebb and flow of weather and climate.
Author:
More than 2,300 years ago, the standardized measuring vessel—the Shangyang Fangsheng—helped Qin state unify its system of weights and measures
More than 2,300 years ago, the standardized measuring vessel known as Shangyang Fangsheng played a pivotal role in unifying Qin's system of weights and measures, ultimately laying the foundation for the eventual unification of the six warring states. Since then, the pursuit of precision in measurement—embodying the principle of fairness in assessing all things and balancing heaven and earth—has endured to this day.
"Technology thrives only when metrology takes the lead." In fact, China began work on meteorological instrument metrology as early as the 1950s. Since the establishment of the Instrument Technology Division within the Central Meteorological Bureau in 1954, meteorological metrology has now entered its 64th year. Over the decades, China's meteorological metrology journey has seen remarkable progress—from starting from scratch to becoming a robust and influential field, evolving from basic measurement calibration to groundbreaking scientific innovation, and expanding from domestic operations to active participation in international metrological collaborations, ultimately making a tangible impact on the global meteorological metrology arena. To ensure the consistency and accuracy of observational data, countless generations of metrologists have dedicated their time, energy, and passion to this vital mission.
Forge ahead with determination, striving to reach the international forefront.
In 1954, the Central Meteorological Bureau established the Instrument Technology Section. In 1978, the Institute of Meteorological Instruments Calibration and Verification under the China Academy of Meteorological Sciences was founded. On May 5, 1995, to implement the National Metrology Law and strengthen supervision and management of meteorological measurements, the China Meteorological Administration, following assessment and approval by the State Administration of Technical Supervision, established the National Meteorological Metrology Station based on the Institute of Meteorological Instruments Calibration and Verification at the China Academy of Meteorological Sciences. The station is now responsible for metrological calibration and value transfer of meteorological instruments across the national meteorological industry, while also providing technical guidance to 31 provincial-level meteorological metrology institutions nationwide.
In 1997, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) designated China's National Meteorological Metrology Station as the RIC-Beijing, an Asia Regional Instrument Center in Zone II, providing international metrological calibration services to regional member countries. In 1998, the former Institute of Meteorological Instrument Metrology and Verification was dissolved and merged with the Institute of Atmospheric Sounding to form the Atmospheric Sounding Technology Research Center, though it continued to be externally known as the National Meteorological Metrology Station. By 2002, the National Meteorological Metrology Station was integrated into the China Meteorological Administration's Atmospheric Sounding Technology Center (now the China Meteorological Administration's Meteorological Observation Center).
Over the past 64 years, China’s meteorological metrology sector has steadily advanced from scratch to strength, overcoming numerous challenges along the way. Especially since the reform and opening-up policy, the field has experienced remarkable growth—spanning everything from instrument maintenance to independent technological innovation. From serving domestic meteorological agencies to providing international metrological services to other WMO members, China’s National Meteorological Metrology Station has steadily risen to become a global leader in the field.
The National Meteorological Metrology Station, affiliated with the Meteorological Observation Center of the China Meteorological Administration, has now grown into a nationally recognized institution with 19 laboratories spread across five provinces (and municipalities directly under the central government). These labs cover key meteorological parameters such as atmospheric pressure, air temperature, air humidity, wind speed, solar and terrestrial radiation, precipitation, atmospheric electricity, atmospheric chemistry, and visibility. As a state-authorized, legally accredited metrological testing organization with fixed assets exceeding 100 million yuan, it plays a critical role in conducting metrological verification, calibration, and value transfer tasks for China's meteorological sector, ensuring the accurate and consistent measurement standards essential to both operational and research activities related to weather and climate in our country.
The National Meteorological Metrology Station boasts a highly skilled and youthful talent pool, comprising 17 technical and management personnel, including 3 doctors, 8 masters, and 6 undergraduates. Among them are 3 senior engineers at the researcher level, 9 senior engineers, and 3 engineers; 7 first-class registered metrologists, 6 second-class registered metrologists, and 4 first-class metrology standard assessors.
In a sense, the National Meteorological Metrology Station is more like a group of young people on the move. It’s young not only because the average age of its staff is just 37, but more importantly, the station exudes vitality and hope, with new changes happening every single day.
In 2018, the National Meteorological Metrology Station obtained laboratory accreditation from the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) and qualification certification as an inspection and testing institution from the State Administration for Market Regulation's Certification and Accreditation Supervision Commission (CMA). That same year, the "Big Metrology" initiative and the strategy of military-civilian integration were launched, injecting fresh vitality into the metrology station. (Zhang Weiou at He Jungnan’s snowy landscape)
Meticulously refining every detail to forge a "sharp blade" capable of precision scale markings.
“Without standards, nothing can be properly measured or accomplished.” And meteorological metrology precisely involves etching scales onto these standards—it is the “standard of standards”—ensuring that weather measurement data across the nation and even globally are gauged using the very same ruler.
To precisely mark these scales, the National Meteorological Metrology Station has established metrological standards for atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, radiation, precipitation, atmospheric electricity, atmospheric chemistry, and visibility. It has also developed a comprehensive management system that operates effectively—essentially equipping itself with the sharp blade needed to etch precise markings on a ruler.
Therefore, all meteorological detection instruments across the country must be traced back to the corresponding measurement standards at the National Meteorological Metrology Station. The accuracy and reliability of the national meteorological measurement standards are the essential prerequisite and foundation for ensuring the precision and trustworthiness of meteorological data. Even a minuscule deviation—no larger than a sesame seed—in this "rule of rules"—the metrological standard—can lead to significant errors by the time the measurement values are passed through multiple levels, potentially turning into a "watermelon-sized" discrepancy by the final stage. As the saying goes, "A tiny error at the start can snowball into a colossal mistake down the line." That’s precisely why meteorological metrology demands meticulous attention to even the tiniest differences—every last ounce matters.
For many years, the National Meteorological Metrology Station has been providing stable and reliable metrological technical support for weather forecasting, climate prediction, and disaster prevention and mitigation in China. Currently, all basic meteorological observation elements at China's national-level automatic weather stations are fully under the effective oversight of meteorological metrology. Whether it’s high mountains or vast oceans, forests or deserts, every single piece of live observational data can be traced back to the National Meteorological Metrology Station—and the uncertainty associated with each measurement remains firmly within the control of our metrology operations. Meanwhile, meteorological metrology continues to deliver dependable and efficient technical support, benefiting China’s economic development, scientific research, national defense efforts, and people’s daily lives.
As global climate change and the energy crisis become increasingly evident, China’s research into and utilization of new energy sources have grown ever more urgent. Nationwide surveys, assessments, and planning efforts related to wind and solar energy resources are all carried out under the robust support of meteorological metrology. The National Meteorological Metrology Station boasts China’s highest-level standards for air velocity as well as solar and terrestrial radiation measurements. All measurement data used across the country for wind and solar energy surveys, evaluations, and planning must be traceable back to the station’s air velocity and solar/terrestrial radiation standards. The accuracy and reliability of these metrological standards, coupled with the effective operation of the national measurement-traceability system, ensure precise and consistent energy assessments nationwide—providing crucial technical backing for China’s energy industry development and the implementation of its energy strategies. After all, who could deny that the rotating blades in the wind-speed laboratory at the meteorological station are somehow connected to the oil tankers sailing through the Strait of Malacca?
Research on global climate change has only been possible thanks to the support of metrological services in meteorology. The National Meteorological Metrology Station is equipped with a temperature-measuring bridge capable of achieving an uncertainty as low as 0.02 ppm (0.02 parts per million), providing cutting-edge technical support for global temperature-change studies. According to available data, "over the past 50 years, global temperatures have risen by between 0.2°C and 0.3°C"—a remarkably subtle shift that can only be detected with precision through stable and unified meteorological measurements.
"The assertion that 'science and technology must advance, with metrology taking the lead' is fully reflected in meteorological metrology services." (Jian Jufang, Kong Shiyuan, Ding Hongying)
Promote innovative development and rise to become a global leader in meteorological metrology.
As a法定 metrological verification institution, the National Meteorological Metrology Station not only holds authorization from the former General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (now the State Administration for Market Regulation) to legally carry out metrological verification and measurement value transfer services, but has also obtained the CMA (China Inspection Body and Laboratory Mandatory Approval) accreditation—a certification issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation’s National Accreditation and Conformity Assessment Commission for inspection and testing organizations.
This demonstrates that the National Meteorological Metrology Station is qualified and capable of providing data and results with evidential value to judicial, administrative, and arbitration bodies, as well as for socio-economic activities and public welfare initiatives—data and results that will be legally recognized. Obtaining metrological verification authorization and CMA accreditation is not only crucial for ensuring the accuracy and uniformity of measurement values within the meteorological sector, but also serves as a powerful tool for safeguarding the legitimate interests of the meteorological authorities and maintaining a healthy market order in the meteorological industry.
Each year, the meteorological sector establishes, maintains, and upgrades a substantial amount of weather-monitoring equipment. Moreover, the Belt and Road Initiative and the concept of military-civilian integration have further spurred innovation and development within the meteorological industry. As a result, the market size of the meteorological sector has already reached several billion yuan, while import-export trade and service trade continue to grow steadily year by year. Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Metrology Station provides scientific, objective, and impartial data—serving as the foundational backbone for every operational process and step across the meteorological sector, thereby safeguarding the interests of governments, businesses, and end-users alike.
As the WMO Region II Asian Instrumentation Center and the National Meteorological Metrology Station, we bear the critical responsibility of providing international metrological calibration services to regional members. In recent years, our country has repeatedly delivered high-quality, routine calibration and training services to nations including Vietnam, Mongolia, Indonesia, North Korea, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, South Africa, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Yemen. Meanwhile, experts from the National Meteorological Metrology Station have engaged in technical exchanges and collaborations with counterparts from countries such as Japan and Australia, further enhancing China's international standing in meteorological metrology.
In June 2018, the National Meteorological Metrology Station officially received CNAS accreditation, demonstrating that its management system meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 and equipping it with the capability to produce valid data and reliable results. This milestone marks another solid step forward for the station on its journey toward standardization, regularization, and internationalization.
This time, a total of 9 calibration projects and 8 testing projects have been accredited by CNAS, covering areas such as atmospheric pressure, air temperature and humidity, solar and terrestrial radiation, air velocity, and environmental testing.
CNAS is a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). The ILAC-MRA aims to reduce technical barriers, eliminate redundant testing, and achieve the goal of "one test, global recognition." Obtaining CNAS accreditation means that the data and results produced by the National Meteorological Metrology Station will be recognized by more than 60 countries and regions across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region. This not only affirms the station's calibration and testing capabilities but also opens up vast opportunities for the National Meteorological Metrology Station to engage more extensively and effectively in bilateral and multilateral international collaborations and exchanges.
The enhanced international influence of China's meteorological metrology has significantly bolstered the credibility of our country's meteorological observation data, providing another strong guarantee for Chinese meteorological products to participate in global data exchanges. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers of meteorological equipment have seen their competitiveness in the international market strengthened as well. (Zhang Weio, Ding Lei, Liu Xin)
With grand-scale strategies, crafting a new "square and circle."
For many years, meteorological metrology services have revolved around the needs of weather observation, focusing on meteorological parameters such as atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, rainfall, and radiation. Nationwide, nearly 300 measurement standards have been established, with more than 60,000 sensors undergoing annual verification and calibration—playing a critical role in ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and comparability of China's ground-based meteorological data.
In 2017, the concept of "Big Metrology" was introduced for the first time in the overall plan for meteorological metrology services during the 13th Five-Year Period. This initiative integrated all activities aimed at standardizing meteorological observation units and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of measurement values into the scope of metrology services. These activities encompassed the verification, calibration, testing, comparison, verification, adjustment, alignment, and validation of relevant measurement instruments and equipment used in ground-based meteorology (including marine and agricultural meteorology), upper-air meteorology, atmospheric composition monitoring, greenhouse gas measurements, space weather studies, as well as meteorological radar and satellite systems. Additionally, it included establishing and maintaining meteorological metrology standards, facilitating metrological traceability and value transfer, advancing research and development in meteorological metrology technologies and methodologies, and conducting metrological oversight and supervision.
Comprehensively expanding the coverage of meteorological metrology work, enhancing the operational capabilities of meteorological metrology institutions, and fully ensuring the quality of meteorological measurement data are all essential requirements imposed by the nation on meteorological metrology efforts—tasks critical for disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change adaptation, and ecological civilization building. The introduction of the "Grand Metrology" concept has significantly broadened both the scope and depth of meteorological metrology services. Indeed, systematically planning and thoroughly considering every activity aimed at achieving accurate and reliable meteorological observation data is, in itself, a fundamental act of "metrological control" and "traceability" within the field of meteorological metrology.
Through more than a decade of dedicated efforts and development, we will gradually establish a comprehensive meteorological metrology system that fully covers existing weather detection instruments and equipment. This system will feature a complete set of technical regulations, an integrated value-transfer framework, reliable data quality, rational operational planning, and an adequate supply of human resources. Moreover, it will seamlessly integrate meteorological metrology with the quality assessment of weather detection instruments—marking a new milestone in the evolution of China’s National Meteorological Metrology Station.
On the journey toward fully building a modernized meteorological system, metrology may not be at the forefront, but it will always uphold the "rules" that keep the pioneers moving forward. (Jian Jufang Chongwei)
This article is reprinted from the China Meteorological Administration.
Standard,Measurement
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