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The Ocean Theme has been approved by the partners
Background
In early 1999, the IGOS Partnership recognized the need and the opportunity
for converging existing efforts to develop a global observing strategy
for the oceans. Such a strategy would build on the major developments
in observing systems initiated within the major oceanographic research
programmes over the previous decades, notable: the Tropical Ocean Global
Atmosphere (TOGA) Projects and the World Ocean Circulation Experiment
(WOCE) of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Through these pioneering
efforts, the Oceanography community was already well advanced in their
studies of observation needs, and was therefore in the best position to
initiate the development of the Ocean Theme.
Objectives
The overall goal of the Ocean Theme is to develop a strategy for an observing
system for the oceans that serves the research and operational oceanographic
communities and a wide range of users of marine data and information,
such as scientists, policy-makers, port and coastal zone managers, the
tourism industry, the fisheries and aquaculture industry, shipping, offshore
mining, and the general public. Scientists need continuous and long-term
observations to create products and services for a variety of uses, such
as forecasts of ocean surface conditions and marine weather.
Approach
The Ocean Theme was the first of the IGOS Themes to be developed.
The Theme team analyzed:
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The variety of needs for global ocean observations and the scientific
and observational challenges for understanding and predicting the
behavior of the ocean and climate. |
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The existing and planned observing systems, including both in-situ
and space-based observation programmes. |
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The necessary co-ordination between the various observing system components
to meet the needs of the user community and to avoid both duplication
of efforts or gaps in the system. |
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The planning commitments requires to ensure long-term continuity of
the observations. |
Benefits and applications
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Operational marine coastal and ocean short-range forecasting and analysis:
ocean surface and sub-surface forecasts and warnings in the 0-10day
range. |
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Seasonal-to-international climate prediction: analyses of data fields
for monitoring and predicting El Nino and La Ninla phenomena. |
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Numerical weather prediction: marine weather forecasts in the 1-5 day
rang e(coastal) and global atmospheric forecasts in the 1-10 day
range. |
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High-quality products for climate study. |
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Biodiversity an habitats: monitoring habitat quality and the abundance
and diversity of living marine resources. |
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Natural and man-made hazards: forecasts and warning s of natural disasters
including coastal flooding, storm surges and tsunami. |
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Environmental indices: monitoring of sea-state or environmental conditions
affecting the coastal zone, port areas and offshore operations. |
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Fishery productivity: including measurement of catches and fishing
intensity. |
Observations of the global ocean will also help satisfy the information needs of international conventions and agreements, such as:
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The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. |
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The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). |
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The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). |
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The UN Convention on Biological Diversity. |
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Agenda 21, the Programme of Action for Sustainable Development. |
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The Implementation Plan of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. |
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The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of
Wastes and Other Matter. |
Status
The team’s analysis led to a Report, published in January 2001,
which outlines the need for satellite and in-situ observations and focuses
on some of the immediate decisions required by satellite agencies to process
to a fully operational ocean observing system. The Ocean Theme is now
in the process of being implemented. Within the Partnership, the GOOS
sponsoring agencies are taking the lead in overseeing implementation of
the Ocean Theme, with support from CEOS agencies for the space-based sector.
The GOOS sponsoring agencies will play an important role as coordinator
and critical liaison between governments, funding agencies, operational
agencies, and scientists so they can move forward together on a global
scale with Earth observations.
The Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology(JCOMM) is currently implementing the in-situ component of the Ocean Theme strategy. In addition, the Ocean Theme Team is working to define a data system strategy that will 1) assure the quality of observational data for assimilation into models and for the creation of data products and devices and 2) support improved interaction with the end users.
The Ocean Theme has already resulted in a demonstration of the value of IGOS collaboration and the transition from research and development cooperation into operational monitoring. In November 2001, the CEOS agencies CNES, EUMETSAT, NOAA and NASA committed to support the continuation of high precision ocean altimetry data in a follow-on satellite mission to Jason-1. Jason-1, a joint US-French mission, was successfully launched in December 2001 and is the first in a 20-year series of operational oceanographic satellites.
Status
Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES/CEOS)
European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
(EUMETSAT/CEOS)
European Space Agency (ESA/CEOS)
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) (Lead)
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO/CEOS)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA/CEOS)
Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center (NERSC)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA/CEOS) (LEAD)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA/CEOS)
Further information
Contact: Keith Alverson (k.alverson@unesco.org) and Paul M. DiGiacomo (Paul.M.Digiacomo@jpl.nasa.gov)
Report
- January 2001 - 1,546kb
Presentation
- April 2004 - 12,261kb
Website - not available
