The GOOS Principles
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The GOOS Principles |
Introduction
Design Principles
Principles of Involvement
Explanation of the GOOS Design Principles
Explanations of the GOOS Principles of Involvement
This principle states foremost that GOOS from its conception, is a planned system for the acquisition and value-added application of a specific subset of observations gathered according to a designed strategy. It is not an opportunistic assembly of whatever ocean observations are offered for contribution by participating countries. The plan will therefore state (or at least outline) the observations that are required for each particular objective, and should where possible define how they would be applied to the needs of users. Applications should include the 'public good' where there is a defined socio-economic basis. Observations that qualify for inclusion as contributions to GOOS will, by definition, be of a kind and quality applicable to the defined objectives and end-use.
GOOS is founded on the concept of an observing system that is ongoing or of an indefinite lifetime, in the same sense as the system of global meteorological observations. Although it will inevitably include observations gathered and sponsored for a limited duration and for differing purposes, the design will assume that such observations will be selected and contributed as part of a continuum that assembles to create a long-term, systematically structured and quality-controlled dataset.
GOOS will evolve as plans consolidate, alliances form, commitments are made, needs become better defined and prioritised and technology improves. In addition, an essential element of the observing system must be the continual evaluation of the system design through the analysis of its products. Thus, to ensure that implementation proceeds continuously and effectively, the system design will require frequent review and adaptation.
GOOS is aimed at the assembly of a data set of specific oceanic variables. Depending on the capability of the participating observing agencies and the advance of technology, the method of observation of these variables will differ. The design should not unnecessarily restrict the technique used for observation provided its standard is adequate for the purpose.
Among the range of needs for systematic observation of the marine environment on all scales, there is a subset of needs that can be most effectively addressed through cooperation within GOOS. Some depend on a scheme of related observations; such as are required for the changing climate of the large-scale ocean or for a pollutant stressing the capacity of large parts of the ocean. Others are generic, common or dependent and can be facilitated and in some cases only made possible by a globally coordinated or globally designed and facilitated system of observations. Even needs that are dependent only on local observations, as is the case for many coastal applications, may benefit greatly from data products that are generated as part of a globally coordinated system. The thrust of the GOOS design should be to service this subset of needs without prejudice to existing systems operating outside of the GOOS framework.
The end-to-end concept implies a known or definable pathway of connections between a basic observational element and the end use or purpose to which the observation (or information derived from it) is applied. Typically, each type of ocean observation has a range of potential applications, and most applications have the need for more than one observation type. In designing a system to serve a given range of end-uses, it is important to know how the observation would be used, processed and combined with other observations to deliver an observational 'product' of value to the end user. The GOOS design must therefore be concerned not only with how observations should be made but the steps and operational and scientific products (eg technology and models) required for their end use.
In concert with the policies of IODE, IGOSS and GCOS, and following the data management plan for the World Weather Watch of the WMO, commitment is required by GOOS participants to establishing, maintaining, validating, making accessible, and distributing high quality, long term data meeting internationally agreed standards. Preservation of GOOS data is required in suitable archives following appropriate procedures and criteria for data acquisition and retention, and should include information about data holdings. Data should be processed to a level which is generally suitable for the generation of operational products and for research, and described in internationally accessible on-line computerised directories that can also be made available by other means. GOOS contributors are responsible for full, open and timely sharing and exchange of GOOS-relevant data and products for non-commercial activities. Exchange implies that donation by individual nations gains access to data from others as well as to products derived using all available data, such that the benefit of cooperation exceeds the cost.
A cornerstone of GOOS development is that it will be built to the greatest extent upon existing systems of observation and data management, national, regional and global This requirement is vitally important for the most effective use of global resources. By the same token, these systems have their own defined purposes and goals outside GOOS and these goals cannot necessarily be deflected to the delivery of GOOS. GOOS must therefore be designed to 'co-exist' and interact cooperatively and to mutual benefit with the other systems. As a particular example, to the present time, most interior ocean physical observations have been made through individual research projects or in connection with global research programs like TOGA and WOCE. These provide valuable data sets to GOOS and could in turn benefit from GOOS observations, although in many respects they are inappropriate for incorporation into a GOOS implementation framework. Systems like IGOSS, GLOSS and IODE are presently structured as central points for the management of specific data types collected by national agencies for reasons that will often be outside the scope of GOOS. Their operations could be adapted and/or expanded to the management of a subset of data that contributes to GOOS.
The incorporation of quality assurance (qa) procedures as an integral part of the GOOS plan represents a departure from the practice of existing observing systems, which in some cases apply qa processes but not as part of the observation design and acceptance strategy. Without quality assurance procedures, the great promise of global data sets to address specified problems will certainly not be met. Several of the principles stated above, for example D2, D3 and D4, address the need for strong oversight of the observing system and its continued review with an eye to assessing and improving its effectiveness. Quality assurance is a fundamental part of that effort.
In order to assist nations and national agencies to decide whether they are willing and able to participate in the implementation of GOOS, there needs to be a set of principles that define the nature of participation, in terms of the 'requirements' of GOOS as conceived and consistent with the foregoing Design Principles.
Consistent with Principle D1, GOOS is designed and implemented according to a plan or series of plans. There will be a great deal of latitude in the way nations participate in GOOS. However, it is very important for the coherence and orderly development of GOOS as well as the optimisation of cooperation between countries and the delivery of benefits, that all contributions are made with the clear intent to comply as closely as possible with these plans.
Principle D7 indicates that data policies will be defined for GOOS. The success of GOOS depends critically upon the implementation of these policies. It is therefore necessary that compliance with these policies is a prerequisite to effective participation, recognising that the benefits of GOOS will flow primarily from the reciprocal exchange of data and products between countries.
Nations contributing to GOOS will be understandably reluctant to make an open-ended commitment to GOOS. However, it needs to be recognised that the benefits of GOOS, and indeed the whole concept, depend upon the collation of data sets that are continuous and sustained. Thus, this principle requires affirmation of an intention that, subject to changing circumstances, observations submitted as part of GOOS will be sustained.
Participants should be aware that GOOS will not be a repository of any data that might be contributed to it. GOOS data will be subject to quality testing to ensure its capacity to meet GOOS requirements. Contributors will be encouraged to apply the agreed quality assurance procedures.
There are a number of international organizations and agencies responsible for the coordination of ocean data collection and its storage. It has been accepted from the start of GOOS that for reasons of efficiency, such bodies, which include IGOSS, DBCP, GLOSS and the IODE, will be used whenever possible to implement GOOS. At the same time it is recognised that these bodies exist to serve purposes outside of GOOS. Therefore GOOS will not substitute for them or subsume their function. The principle implies the effective use of existing systems, and that the proliferation of new systems and organisations to serve GOOS alone will not be encouraged. At national level observation systems exist primarily to serve defined national objectives. In many cases these systems could be expanded or adapted to meet GOOS requirements. The principle therefore encourages nations and agencies to facilitate their participation in GOOS through these systems, rather than requiring the creation of new systems.
The implementation of GOOS will occur gradually as nations and agencies decide to submit part of their existing ocean observing effort and put in place new systems as contributions to GOOS networks. It will take time for regional alliances to take shape and new resources to be committed for GOOS as the benefits become apparent. Also, GOOS will evolve as techniques and technologies change and its scope extends, and it is realistic to expect that full implementation will take many years. This principle makes it clear that participation should not be inhibited by the lack of implementation of the complete observing system, and that incremental contributions are effective additions to the whole.
Consistent with the global nature of GOOS and its purpose to serve all humankind there is an obligation to enable all nations to participate in and benefit from GOOS. Without external assistance and cooperation, few countries are well-equipped to establish observing systems to meet the requirements of GOOS or to derive full benefit from the enhanced knowledge and the management tools that GOOS will create. Therefore the undertaking to assist these countries where possible to become capable and effective partners in GOOS is incorporated as a core principle of GOOS participation.
GOOS will be implemented by nations and their agencies. While GOOS is planned and coordinated internationally, it is recognised that the way in which observations are gathered, resourced and managed differs widely between nations and agencies. This principle is an assurance that GOOS has no role in these internal processes, and its influence will be confined to the encouragement of adherence to the quality assurances protocols, data exchange policy, etc according to the other GOOS Principles.
As a corollary to Principles P6 and P8, this principle affirms that, although the success of GOOS will depend on long-term and indefinitely sustained observations, nations must always retain full control of the resources and contributions they make to GOOS.
The GOOS acronym is already in widespread use and, in the absence of overarching GOOS plans and principles, has become associated with a variety of national and international activities. Some of these lack any effective association with the intended global system. This principle indicates the intention to ensure the quality and dependability of GOOS programs and the consistency and coherence of GOOS development by requiring all activities using the GOOS 'label' to comply with the fore-stated GOOS Principles.
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| Updated: 16 Jan, 1999 |