16 May 1996 (information submitted by France at I-GOOS
Planning Session II)
There is no formal GOOS Committee in France. However, a Committee of Heads of Oceanographic Institutions (CDO), which brings together the 7 main French institutions, examines the possible GOOS projects.
CDO has nominated a GOOS-France bureau, the role of which is to prepare proposals to be made to the French Government on the possible French activity in GOOS. For that purpose, and after consulting the scientific community, 6 topical working groups were installed, in order to make proposals for given modules. On the other hand, a GOOS-France Scientific Committee was established to assess the quality of the proposals.
At present, 4 proposals have been written and were examined by the Scientific Committee in April 1996:
(a) The first proposal is devoted to the preparation of a global fine mesh (1/6 degree) operational ocean modelling system. Dubbed "ARAGO", it is divided into three sub-components:
- a space segment relying mainly on altimetric data possibly from TOPEX/POSEIDON Follow-on,
- a global operational model and the associated data assimilation system dubbed "MERCATOR", and,
- the in situ component dubbed "CORIOLIS".
This proposal can clearly have an international character and links with entities like ECMWF are under definition.
(b) The second proposal is devoted to the Climate Module. This proposal is still at an early stage, but it will be devoted to a possible continuation of the actions in the Pacific Ocean (TAO Array) and to a new observational array in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean in collaboration with Brazil and USA dubbed PIRATA (Pilot Research mooring Array in the Tropical Atlantic).
(c) A third proposal is devoted to Integrated Networks in the Coastal Zone. It proposes an extension of the already existing networks along the French Coast, including tide-gauge measurements and sediment transport evaluation.
(d) The fourth proposal is devoted to Technology associated with the other proposals. At present, it is restricted to devices measuring the physical parameters of the oceans, but it will be extended to other parameters, including biological parameters.
The Scientific Committee reviewed these proposals and asked for some refinements before a formal presentation to CDO (to be made at the end of 1996).
The Scientific Committee requested to have a clear document on the already existing French GOOS-like operational activities and also to have a document on a possible proposal related to the Living Marine Resources module. Two Working Groups were constituted for that purpose.
When the proposals are complete, a second French scientific GOOS workshop will be convened (probably in early 1997).
Meanwhile, activities under the heading of existing programmes related to GOOS are going on. Amongst them, we may note:
(e) Contribution to the future Data Buoy Programme in the Indian Ocean (IBPIO), under the auspices of DBCP.
(f) Hosting of the first meeting of the IGOSS Ship-of-Opportunity Programme Management Committee;
(g) Participation to the Euro-GOOS Secretariat.
We may also note that European Meteorological Services, assembled under EUMETNET, have started defining their potential contribution to the observing system of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas.