Regional Regional Ocean Observing Ocean Observing SystemsSystems

Essential components Essential components of the national IOOS systemof the national IOOS system

Washington, DCWashington, DCFebruary 28, 2008February 28, 2008

Molly McCammonMolly McCammonAlaska Ocean Observing SystemAlaska Ocean Observing System

Chair, National Federation of Regional Chair, National Federation of Regional AssociationsAssociations

Diverse needs require Diverse needs require a regional approacha regional approach

PacIOOS CaRAGCOOS

NERACOOS

The Multifaceted Benefits of The Multifaceted Benefits of IOOSIOOS

• More effectively protect and restore healthy ecosystemsMore effectively protect and restore healthy ecosystems

• Sustain and restore living marine resourcesSustain and restore living marine resources

• Improve the safety and efficiency of marine operationsImprove the safety and efficiency of marine operations

• Improve prediction of natural hazards (including tsunamis and storm Improve prediction of natural hazards (including tsunamis and storm surges) to reduce resulting damages and costssurges) to reduce resulting damages and costs

• Improve predictions of climate change and its socio-economic Improve predictions of climate change and its socio-economic consequencesconsequences

• Improve national security and Coast Guard operationsImprove national security and Coast Guard operations

• Reduce public health risksReduce public health risks

Benefits of regional Benefits of regional componentcomponent

• Stakeholder/user needs at regional levelStakeholder/user needs at regional level

• Facilitate federal/state/local synergiesFacilitate federal/state/local synergies

• Federal needs usually implemented at Federal needs usually implemented at regional levels – regions can help fulfill regional levels – regions can help fulfill agency missionsagency missions

• Agile, flexible, can be more immediately Agile, flexible, can be more immediately responsiveresponsive

• Regional data integration – leads to regional Regional data integration – leads to regional decision-making toolsdecision-making tools

Regional Associations Regional Associations build IOOS Partnershipsbuild IOOS Partnerships

(an informed constituency)(an informed constituency)

• Business and Industry Business and Industry

• Shipping Shipping

• Researchers and Universities Researchers and Universities

• State agencies State agencies

• NGOs NGOs

• International Organizations International Organizations

• Local and Tribal governmentsLocal and Tribal governments

• Federal Agencies Federal Agencies

National Federation National Federation of Regional Associationsof Regional Associations

• Trade organization for regionsTrade organization for regions

• Speak as 1 voiceSpeak as 1 voice

• Facilitate regional perspectiveFacilitate regional perspective

• Share information, lessons learned & Share information, lessons learned & information products among regionsinformation products among regions

• Articulate user-based needsArticulate user-based needs

RAs showing successesRAs showing successes

• 11 RAs formed11 RAs formed

• Represent all regions of US coastlineRepresent all regions of US coastline

• User needs identified or in processUser needs identified or in process

• Conceptual designs of optimal Conceptual designs of optimal observing systems in developmentobserving systems in development

• Pilot projects underwayPilot projects underway

• Several regional data integration Several regional data integration centerscenters

• Regional component in President’s Regional component in President’s budget FY08 and FY 09 budget FY08 and FY 09

• Now demonstrating proofs of conceptNow demonstrating proofs of concept

Southern California

CA Prop 40/50$21M for fundingCoastal current

Monitoring program

California

NANOOS

PacIOOS Region

Case Study: Tropical Storm Case Study: Tropical Storm Ernesto : Sept 1-3 2006Ernesto : Sept 1-3 2006

RU-WRF provided the most accurate real-time forecast of Tropical Storm Ernesto after

landfall.

Used by Researchers, by Regional, State & Local Managers, by Power

Companies, by Agriculture Extension.

The most significant difference with operational models was improved

physics.

This is a common storm track for the Mid-Atlantic States.

MACOORA

GCOOS Data Portal

• 1-yr NOAA funding, began work1-Jan-08, 1-yr NOAA funding, began work1-Jan-08, $500K$500K

• Design-build a centralized Data Portal to:Design-build a centralized Data Portal to:– aggregate and disseminate the region’s near aggregate and disseminate the region’s near

real-time oceanographic data.real-time oceanographic data.– Serve data and products to people and machines Serve data and products to people and machines

through standards-based interfaces.through standards-based interfaces.

• Participate in the NOAA IOOS Data Participate in the NOAA IOOS Data Integration Framework (DIF) Program by:Integration Framework (DIF) Program by:– participating in refinement of interim standards participating in refinement of interim standards

and practices.and practices.– Serve regional data to DIF models.Serve regional data to DIF models.

Standardization of Local Data Nodes

• 3-yr NOAA funding, Began work 1-Jan-08, ~$300k/yr3-yr NOAA funding, Began work 1-Jan-08, ~$300k/yr• Supports programmers in residence at 10 nodes. Supports programmers in residence at 10 nodes.

(TCOON,TABS,WAVCIS,LSU/ESL,LUMCON,CenGCOOS,DISL,COMPS,IMaRS,Mote)(TCOON,TABS,WAVCIS,LSU/ESL,LUMCON,CenGCOOS,DISL,COMPS,IMaRS,Mote)

• GoalsGoals– Participate in IOOS Regional Observation RegistryParticipate in IOOS Regional Observation Registry– Adopt common vocabulary for region, to enable machine Adopt common vocabulary for region, to enable machine

accessible catalogs and interoperabilityaccessible catalogs and interoperability– Serve near real-time and archived data via Open Serve near real-time and archived data via Open

Geospatial Consortium Service interfaces (OGS WFS-WCS).Geospatial Consortium Service interfaces (OGS WFS-WCS).

This support model establishes a de facto ocean data partnership for the region and funds and trains local IT staff to make changes to their data systems leading to interoperability.

AOOS Issues and Users

• UsersUsers- State economic interests: - State economic interests: fisheries, oil & gas, fisheries, oil & gas, military, shippingmilitary, shipping- Govt - Govt regulators/managersregulators/managers- Coastal communities- Coastal communities

• IssuesIssues- Importance of resource - Importance of resource extraction and military to extraction and military to state economy state economy - Transportation needs in - Transportation needs in remote, harsh environmentremote, harsh environment- Increased climate change - Increased climate change & coastal erosion impacts & coastal erosion impacts & changing ecosystems& changing ecosystems

180°180° 170°W170°W 160°W160°W 150°W150°W 140°W140°W 130°W130°W 120°W120°W130°E130°E 140°E140°E 150°E150°E 160°E160°E 170°E170°E

180°180° 170°W170°W 160°W160°W 150°W150°W 140°W140°W 130°W130°W 120°W120°W130°E130°E 140°E140°E 150°E150°E 160°E160°E 170°E170°E

70°N70°N

40°N40°N

30°N30°N

20°N20°N

70°N70°N

60°N60°N

50°N50°N

40°N40°N

30°N30°N

20°N20°N

San Francisco

San FranciscoLA/Long Beach

LA/Long BeachPusanPusan

TokyoTokyo

Portland

Portland

SeattleSeattle

AleutiansAleutians

Great Circle Route

Reduced sea ice likely to increase marine transport

PWS ocean observing system

PWS ROMS

Field ValidationExperiments

AncillaryData

DataRetrieval &Processing

3D ModelAssimilation

ApplicationServer (GIS)

ResearchServer (POET)

ModelData

Real time dataRetrieval &Processing

3D ModelAssimilation

Public Feedback

ApplicationServer

ResearchServer

Sea Surface Conditions Meteorology Oceanography Water Quality Currents Precipitation

Education CommunitiesFishery managementEconomic models

Data AssimilationPWS Weather

PWS Waves

Dat

a A

ssim

ilati

on

Challenges aheadChallenges ahead• Concept is proven throughout the country; now Concept is proven throughout the country; now

need to transition to a sustained programneed to transition to a sustained program

• Have created expectations, and now need Have created expectations, and now need funding to fulfillfunding to fulfill

• NOAA is stepping up to plate w/ IOOS Program NOAA is stepping up to plate w/ IOOS Program Office – now need to work with other federal Office – now need to work with other federal agencies & devise ways to bridge the funding agencies & devise ways to bridge the funding dividedivide

• Potential synergies w/other ocean programs: Potential synergies w/other ocean programs: ocean health, CZM, climate, exploration, ocean health, CZM, climate, exploration, sanctuaries & NERRS, OOI, hydrographic services sanctuaries & NERRS, OOI, hydrographic services & mapping, energy, etc.& mapping, energy, etc.