The US Integrated Ocean Observing System

Mark E. LutherCollege of Marine ScienceUniversity of South Florida

US-GOOS Steering Committee

IOOS: The US Contribution to GOOS1 System, 7 Goals

Locally Relevant – Nationally CoordinatedBenefits Many User Groups

• Improve the safety & efficiency of marine operations

• Improve homeland security

• Mitigate effects of natural hazards more effectively

• Improve predictions of climate change & their effects

• Minimize public health risks

• Protect & restore healthy coastal marine ecosystems more effectively

• Sustain living marine resources

Architecture

NORLC 2

U.S. IOOSThree Scales of Observations

NationalBackbone

Global Ocean Climate Component

GOOS/GCOS Coastal Ocean

GLs NE

MAB

SEGoMex

HIsl

GoA

NW

SW

RegionalObservingSystems

Integrated, Multi-Scale Integrated, End-To End

NORLC 4

Analysis, Modeling

Data Communications & Management

MonitoringIn Situ & Remote Sensing

Groups that Use, Depend on, Manage or Study Oceans & Coasts

IOOS

EndToEnd

Data &Information

AssessImprove

Real-time Obs from GTS Feb 2005

Surface Obs – Drifters, Moorings

Subsurface Obs – XBTs, Argo, Moorings

Global Component of the Observing SubsystemIntegrate Remote & In Situ Sensing

An International Collaboration

Coastal Component – A System of Systems Approach

• Provides data & info required by regions• Reference & sentinel station-network• Data standards & exchange protocols• Operated by NOPP Agencies & RAs

• Designed & operated by Regional Associations

• Involve user groups in design & evaluation of the IOOS

• Resolution Variables Based on user needs for data & information

Regional COOS’s

National Backbone

Observing Systems in Florida are building blocks of both the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS) and the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS).

SEACOOS and GCOOS are actively partnered with SeaGrant Extension Network to engage private sector collaborators/partners in both regions – see www.seacoos.org and www.gcoos.org

SEACOOS

Tampa Bay PORTSPhysical Oceanographic Real-Time System

Operated in collaboration with NOAA/NOS/Center for Operational Ocean Products and Services (CO-OPS) and local maritime interestsFunding for operations from State and County trust funds and local users since 1992

Voice: 1-866-TB-PORTSwww.co-ops.nos.noaa.gov

orompl.marine.usf.edu/PORTS

Winds, Currents, Water Level Updated every 6 min

Pilot Carry-on Units Display Real-Time PORTS Data aboard ships as part of an operational Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS)

Since PORTS became operational in 1992, ship groundings have decreased by 60%

Real-time observations are combined with a model of currents and water level to provide a predictive capability for storm surge, search and rescue, environmental management, or hazardous material spills

Sewage Spill Trajectory

Desal Plant

+ Hindcast-Nowcast-Forecast model is used for storm surgeprediction and mitigation and for permitting of water supply and other projects

+ Piney Point Phosphate Plant

and to predict transport and fate of discharge from an abandoned phosphate processing facility for Fl. Dept. of Environmental Protection

Sewage Spill Trajectory

Phosphate Discharge Trajectory

Model is used by Pinellas County Department of Health to predict trajectories of accidental sewage spills

West Florida Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMPS)

Real-time data from offshore buoys, coastal towers, HF radars merged with models and satellite observations

COMPS observations are available thru NDBC

http://comps.marine.usf.edu or http://ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/Florida.shtml

Offshore COMPS buoys send information on currents, winds, temperature, and salinity by radio and satellite to shore-based computers and the Internet

Coastal sites send water levels and other oceanographic and meteorological data by satellite and radio

Shell Point

New Port RicheyCape Sable

Surface Current Mappers use radio waves to measure ocean currents over large areas off west FloridaIndian Rocks Beach

SCM antennas

Ultimate goal of IOOS is to provide useful products for anyone who makes

decisions in coastal regions of the US - see http://ocean.us

June 29, 2002

June 30, 2002

July 1, 2002

Census 2000

Seabreeze and Power Generation Utilities in Coastal Regions (Rutgers University)

Large increase in summer coastal population Greatest challenge for the NJ power grid Seabreeze modulates power demand Coastal upwelling modulates seabreeze Local generation required to meet demand

NJ Ocean Observing System allows better prediction of seabreeze and large savings for power generation utilitiesOperational monitoring began in 2004

Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT)

Coastal Services Center

Gulf of MaineOcean Observing System

Monterey Bay AquariumResearch Institute

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

University of MichiganCooperative Institute forLimnology & Ecosystems Research

Alaska SeaLife Center University of Alaska

(Joining Soon)

ACT Organization - Headquarters, Partners, Stakeholder Council, Alliance Members

www.act-us.info

US-ACT is collaborating with European colleagues in an effort to form a EuroACT

EuroAct will eventually include partners from each European eco-region

First workshop was held in Lisbon on 1-2 March 2004 and hosted by

EuroAct Partners currently seeking EU funding

EuroACT

ACT Organization - Headquarters, Partners, Stakeholder Council, Alliance Members

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Assure common/standardized technologies

Encourage joint opportunities in technology development

Exchange information

www.act-us.info