diff --git a/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml b/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml
index 1be4c45d3..03c4a130f 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml
@@ -39,3 +39,53 @@ observations:
       units: C
       min: -3.0
       max: 50.0
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: ??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G16-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: sst
+    name: ABI_G16
+    provider: GHRSST
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: ??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G17-ACSPO_V2.71-v02.0-fv01.0.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: sst
+    name: ABI_G17
+    provider: GHRSST
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: ??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G18-ACSPO_V2.71-v02.0-fv01.0.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: sst
+    name: ABI_G18
+    provider: GHRSST
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: ??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AHI_H09-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: sst
+    name: AHI_H09
+    provider: GHRSST
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: rads_adt_3b_???????.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: ADT
+    name: adt_3b_egm2008
+    provider: RADS
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: rads_adt_c2_???????.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: ADT
+    name: adt_c2_egm2008
+    provider: RADS
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: rads_adt_sa_???????.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: ADT
+    name: adt_sa_egm2008
+    provider: RADS
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: ??????????????-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AVHRRF_MA-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: sst
+    name: sst_metopa_l3u_so025
+    provider: GHRSST
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: ??????????????-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-VIIRS_N20-ACSPO_V2.61-v02.0-fv01.0.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: sst
+    name: sst_viirs_n20_l3u_so025
+    provider: GHRSST
+- obs space:
+    dmpdir regex: ??????????????-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-VIIRS_NPP-ACSPO_V2.61-v02.0-fv01.0.nc
+    dmpdir subdir: sst
+    name: sst_viirs_npp_l3u_so025
+    provider: GHRSST
diff --git a/ush/soca/prep_marine_obs.py b/ush/soca/prep_marine_obs.py
index 5f1ec429f..71d53aef5 100755
--- a/ush/soca/prep_marine_obs.py
+++ b/ush/soca/prep_marine_obs.py
@@ -13,56 +13,6 @@
 
 cycDir = os.path.join(DMPDIR, RUN + '.' + str(PDY), str(cyc))
 
-# TODO: this looks good for a yaml
-obs_dict = {
-    #                  '20210630210000-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G16-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'ABI_G16': ('sst', '??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G16-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc '),
-
-    #                  '20210630210000-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G17-ACSPO_V2.71-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'ABI_G17': ('sst', '??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G17-ACSPO_V2.71-v02.0-fv01.0.nc '),
-
-    #                  '20210630210000-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G18-ACSPO_V2.71-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'ABI_G18': ('sst', '??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-ABI_G18-ACSPO_V2.71-v02.0-fv01.0.nc '),
-
-    #                  '20210630210000-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AHI_H09-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'AHI_H09': ('sst', '??????????????-STAR-L3C_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AHI_H09-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc '),
-
-    #                   'rads_adt_3b_2021182.nc'
-    'adt_3b_egm2008': ('ADT', 'rads_adt_3b_???????.nc'),
-
-    #                   'rads_adt_c2_2021182.nc'
-    'adt_c2_egm2008': ('ADT', 'rads_adt_c2_???????.nc'),
-
-    #                   'rads_adt_sa_2021182.nc'
-    'adt_sa_egm2008': ('ADT', 'rads_adt_sa_???????.nc'),
-
-    #                            'AMSR2-SEAICE-NH_v2r2_GW1_s202107011426180_e202107011605170_c202107011642250.nc'
-    'icec_amsr2_north': ('icec', 'AMSR2-SEAICE-NH_v2r2_GW1_s???????????????_e???????????????_c???????????????.nc'),
-
-    #                            'AMSR2-SEAICE-SH_v2r2_GW1_s202107011426180_e202107011605170_c202107011642250.nc'
-    'icec_amsr2_south': ('icec', 'AMSR2-SEAICE-SH_v2r2_GW1_s???????????????_e???????????????_c???????????????.nc'),
-
-    #                   'SM_OPER_MIR_OSUDP2_20210701T093946_20210701T103256_700_001_1.nc'
-    'sss_smos': ('SSS', 'SM_OPER_MIR_OSUDP2_????????T??????_????????T??????_700_001_1.nc'),
-
-    #                   'SMAP_L2B_SSS_NRT_34268_A_20210701T153914.h5'
-    'sss_smap': ('SSS', 'SMAP_L2B_SSS_NRT_?????_[AD]_????????T??????.h5'),
-
-    #                               '20210701145000-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AVHRRF_MA-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'sst_metopa_l3u_so025': ('sst', '??????????????-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AVHRRF_MA-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'),
-
-    #                               '20210701145000-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AVHRRF_MB-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'sst_metopb_l3u_so025': ('sst', '??????????????-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-AVHRRF_MB-ACSPO_V2.70-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'),
-
-    #                     '20210701150000-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-VIIRS_N20-ACSPO_V2.61-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'sst_viirs_n20_l3u_so025': ('sst', '??????????????-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-VIIRS_N20-ACSPO_V2.61-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'),
-
-    #                     '20210701150000-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-VIIRS_NPP-ACSPO_V2.61-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'
-    'sst_viirs_npp_l3u_so025': ('sst', '??????????????-OSPO-L3U_GHRSST-SSTsubskin-VIIRS_NPP-ACSPO_V2.61-v02.0-fv01.0.nc'),
-
-}
-
-
 def obs_fetch(obsprepSpace):
 
     subDir = obsprepSpace['dmpdir subdir']