A Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), Delivered Through Enhanced Collaboration Across Regions, Communities, and New Technologies

In this article, we present Bio-GO-SHIP, a new ocean observing program that will incorporate sustained and consistent global biological ocean observations into the Global Ocean Ship-based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP). The goal of Bio-GO-SHIP is to produce systematic and consistent biological observations during global ocean repeat hydrographic surveys, with a particular focus on the planktonic ecosystem. Ocean plankton are an essential component of the earth climate system, form the base of the oceanic food web and thereby play an important role in influencing food security and contributing to the Blue Economy. Despite its importance, ocean biology is largely under-sampled in time and space compared to physical and chemical properties. This lack of information hampers our ability to understand the role of plankton in regulating biogeochemical processes and fueling higher trophic levels, now and in future ocean conditions. Traditionally, many of the methods used to quantify biological and ecosystem essential ocean variables (EOVs), measures that provide valuable information on the ecosystem, have been expensive and labor- and time-intensive, limiting their large-scale deployment. In the last two decades, new technologies have been developed and matured, making it possible to greatly expand our biological ocean observing capacity. These technologies, including cell imaging, bio-optical sensors and 'omic tools, can be combined to provide overlapping measurements of key biological and ecosystem EOVs. New developments in data management and open sharing can facilitate meaningful synthesis and integration with concurrent physical and chemical data. Here we outline how Bio-GO-SHIP leverages these technological advances to greatly expand our knowledge and understanding of the constituents and function of the global ocean plankton ecosystem.

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Consistency of the current global ocean observing systems from an Argo perspective

Ocean Science ◽

10.5194/os-10-547-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 547-557 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

K. von Schuckmann ◽

J.-B. Sallée ◽

D. Chambers ◽

P.-Y. Le Traon ◽

C. Cabanes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sea Level ◽

Heat Content ◽

Deep Ocean ◽

Global Ocean ◽

Regional Variability ◽

Tropical Ocean ◽

Steric Sea Level ◽

Ocean Observing ◽

Ocean Observing Systems ◽

Observing Systems

Abstract. Variations in the world's ocean heat storage and its associated volume changes are a key factor to gauge global warming and to assess the earth's energy and sea level budget. Estimating global ocean heat content (GOHC) and global steric sea level (GSSL) with temperature/salinity data from the Argo network reveals a positive change of 0.5 ± 0.1 W m−2 (applied to the surface area of the ocean) and 0.5 ± 0.1 mm year−1 during the years 2005 to 2012, averaged between 60° S and 60° N and the 10–1500 m depth layer. In this study, we present an intercomparison of three global ocean observing systems: the Argo network, satellite gravimetry from GRACE and satellite altimetry. Their consistency is investigated from an Argo perspective at global and regional scales during the period 2005–2010. Although we can close the recent global ocean sea level budget within uncertainties, sampling inconsistencies need to be corrected for an accurate global budget due to systematic biases in GOHC and GSSL in the Tropical Ocean. Our findings show that the area around the Tropical Asian Archipelago (TAA) is important to closing the global sea level budget on interannual to decadal timescales, pointing out that the steric estimate from Argo is biased low, as the current mapping methods are insufficient to recover the steric signal in the TAA region. Both the large regional variability and the uncertainties in the current observing system prevent us from extracting indirect information regarding deep-ocean changes. This emphasizes the importance of continuing sustained effort in measuring the deep ocean from ship platforms and by beginning a much needed automated deep-Argo network.

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Dake Chen: unraveling the secrets of ocean–climate interaction

National Science Review ◽

10.1093/nsr/nww100 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 136-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ling Wang

Keyword(s):

Ocean Dynamics ◽

Global Ocean ◽

Practical Applications ◽

Ocean Climate ◽

Ocean Science ◽

National Strategic Plan ◽

Ocean Atmosphere Interaction ◽

Atmosphere Interaction ◽

Academy Of Sciences ◽

Ocean Observing

Abstract The ocean is a complex and mysterious system that attracts scientists around the world to unravel its secrets. Dake Chen, a distinguished physical oceanographer and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is one of them. Since the mid-1980s, he has been studying ocean dynamics and ocean–atmosphere interaction, and has made seminal contributions to the understanding and prediction of short-term climate variability, especially the El Niño phenomenon. In a recent interview with NSR, Professor Dake Chen says that China has made significant progress in recent years in ocean research, but, in order to make breakthroughs in the field of oceanography, China needs to further expand the scope of research programs from coastal seas to open oceans, to greatly increase the investment in global ocean-observing systems and to pay more attention to fundamental scientific problems in addition to practical applications. He also calls for a better-defined national strategic plan for ocean science and technology.

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Toward the widespread application of low-cost technologies in coastal ocean observing (Internet of Things for the Ocean)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.25060 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

MARCO MARCELLI ◽

VIVIANA PIERMATTEI ◽

RICCARDO GERIN ◽

FABIO BRUNETTI ◽

ERMANNO PIETROSEMOLI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Communication Systems ◽

Low Cost ◽

Large Data ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Coastal Ocean ◽

Global Ocean ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Widespread Application ◽

Development Framework ◽

Ocean Observing

The ability to access user-friendly, low-cost instrumentation remains a limiting factor in coastal ocean observing. The majority of currently available marine observation equipment is difficult to deploy, costly to operate, and requires specific technical skills. Moreover, a harmonized observation program for the world’s coastal waters has not yet been established despite the efforts of the global ocean organizations. Global observational systems are mainly focused on open ocean waters and do not include coastal and shelf areas, where models and satellites require large data sets for their calibration and validation. Fortunately, recent technological advances have created opportunities to improve sensors, platforms, and communications that will enable a step-change in coastal ocean observing, which will be driven by a decreasing cost of the components, the availability of cheap housing, low-cost controller/data loggers based on embedded systems, and low/no subscription costs for LPWAN communication systems. Considering the above necessities and opportunities, POGO’s OpenMODs project identified a series of general needs/requirements to be met in an Open science development framework. In order to satisfy monitoring and research necessities, the sensors to be implemented must be easily interfaced with the data acquisition and transmission system, as well as compliant with accuracy and stability requirements. Here we propose an approach to co-design a cost-effective observing modular instrument architecture based on available low-cost measurement and data transmission technologies, able to be mounted/operated on various platforms. This instrument can fit the needs of a large community that includes scientific research (including those in developing countries), non-scientific stakeholders, and educators.

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The In situ Global Ocean Observing System for Climate (and Other Needs)

Marine Technology Society Journal ◽

10.4031/mtsj.49.2.22 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 112-121

Author(s):

Stephen R. Piotrowicz ◽

David M. Legler

Keyword(s):

Weather Forecasting ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

The Arctic ◽

Global Ocean ◽

Observation System ◽

Ocean Management ◽

Accuracy And Precision ◽

Weather And Climate ◽

Ocean Observing

AbstractThe Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is the international observation system that ensures long-term sustained ocean observations. The ocean equivalent of the atmospheric observing system supporting weather forecasting, GOOS, was originally developed to provide data for weather and climate applications. Today, GOOS data are used for all aspects of ocean management as well as weather and climate research and forecasting. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through the Climate Observation Division of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research/Climate Program Office, is a major supporter of the climate component of GOOS. This paper describes the eight elements of GOOS, and the Arctic Observing Network, to which the Climate Observation Division is a major contributor. In addition, the paper addresses the evolution of the observing system as rapidly evolving new capabilities in sensors, platforms, and telecommunications allow observations at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales with the accuracy and precision required to address questions of climate variability and change.

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