The Future of NOAA Coastal and The Future of NOAA Coastal and Ocean Services in the GOES-R EraOcean Services in the GOES-R Era

Mary CulverNOAA Coastal Services Center

NOAA VisionNOAA Vision

• Customer serviceCustomer service• Continuous operational observing Continuous operational observing

capabilities capabilities • Reliable assessments and predictionReliable assessments and prediction• Integrated approaches to Integrated approaches to

environmental managementenvironmental management• PartnershipsPartnerships• New technology developmentNew technology development

19961996

Tools and Technology - 1996Tools and Technology - 1996

• Installing NEXRAD DopplersInstalling NEXRAD Dopplers

• Moving to GPS-based reference stations Moving to GPS-based reference stations

• Analog camerasAnalog cameras

• Awaiting SeaWiFS launchAwaiting SeaWiFS launch

• International GOOS in its 5International GOOS in its 5thth year year

• Limited Internet and e-mailLimited Internet and e-mail

• GOES-9 recently launchedGOES-9 recently launched

NOS Priority ThemesNOS Priority Themes

• People

• Observations

• Modeling

• Watersheds

• Partnerships

• Technology

• Customer serviceCustomer service• Continuous operational Continuous operational

observing capabilities observing capabilities • Reliable assessments Reliable assessments

and predictionand prediction• Integrated approaches Integrated approaches

to environmental to environmental managementmanagement

• PartnershipsPartnerships• New technology New technology

developmentdevelopment

NOS Customer ContinuumNOS Customer Continuum

• Super-users– Fewer numbers, heavy data users, often

redistribute data in value-added products– Interested in data quality and accessibility– More likely to have specific

recommendations for enhanced system coverage

• End-users– Recipients of value added products, casual

interest but limited exposure to data– Desire information products rather than

data– Request opportunities to learn about data

applications– Require simple interfaces and single portal

access

NOS CustomersNOS Customers

State and Local Resource State and Local Resource ManagersManagers– Protected areas Protected areas – Regulatory agenciesRegulatory agencies– Wildlife agenciesWildlife agencies– Planning councilsPlanning councils– Research organizationsResearch organizations– State Sea GrantsState Sea Grants– Emergency preparedness officesEmergency preparedness offices

NOS CustomersNOS Customers

Actions:– make day-to-day

decisions– implement proven

methods– conduct limited

research and analyses

Responsibility: To Effectively Manage the Coastal Zone

Hurricane Floyd September 1999

Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms

Manage major fish kills and closure of shellfish harvesting areas Sample coastal waters strategically

End users want:

• Regional data for local interpretation

• All information in one place

• Validation of information

• Expert analysis

Remote Sensing CapabilityRemote Sensing Capability

2002 Coastal Services Center Management Survey

Remote Sensing CapabilityRemote Sensing Capability

Preferences for Remote Sensing Data

Forms of Data Use (%) Prefer (%)

Hardcopy 92 30Derived Products 82 55Geo-rectified Digital imagery 78 59Explanatory Documents 68 27Raw Digital Data 45 8

2002 Coastal Services Center Management Survey

Tools and Technology - 2004Tools and Technology - 2004

• Hand-held GPS units Hand-held GPS units

• Digital camerasDigital cameras

• On-line access to On-line access to – Data Data – ImageryImagery– TrainingTraining

• SeaWiFS, MODIS sensorsSeaWiFS, MODIS sensors

• E-mail and cell phonesE-mail and cell phones

IKONOS - 4 m multispectral

Landsat 7 ETM+ 30-m multispectral

Image processing: NCCOS/CCMA/Remote Sensing

2007 – Full US shallow-water coral mapping

Mapping Coral Reefs at Higher Mapping Coral Reefs at Higher ResolutionResolution

PrioritiesPriorities

2004 Coastal States Organization

ChallengesChallenges

Timeliness vs. Accuracy• End-usersEnd-users

– Fast! - Need to make decisions Fast! - Need to make decisions today or tomorrowtoday or tomorrow

– Absolute accuracy may be Absolute accuracy may be sacrificed for speed of deliverysacrificed for speed of delivery

• Super-usersSuper-users– Slower may be okSlower may be ok– Accuracy is a primary concernAccuracy is a primary concern

ChallengesChallenges

High ResolutionHigh Resolution• High-resolution High-resolution

satellite imagerysatellite imagery– IKONOSIKONOS– Digital GlobeDigital Globe

• Seen on landSeen on land

• Wanted in waterWanted in water

• Needed for Needed for applicationsapplications

Baker Island, Pacific Ocean

ChallengesChallenges

ParametersParameters• Coastal ocean colorCoastal ocean color

– TurbidityTurbidity– ChlorophyllChlorophyll– Phytoplankton Phytoplankton

SpeciesSpecies– Dissolved OrganicsDissolved Organics

• Shallow-water Shallow-water bathymetrybathymetry

• SalinitySalinity

NOS Operational RequirementsNOS Operational Requirements

ObservatioObservationn

Horizontal Horizontal ResolutionResolution

MeasuremenMeasurement Accuracyt Accuracy

Refresh Refresh RateRate

CurrentsCurrents 1 – 10 km1 – 10 km 1 – 2 m/s1 – 2 m/s 60 – 180 60 – 180 minmin

Ocean colorOcean color 30 – 300 m30 – 300 m < 30% error< 30% error 60 – 180 60 – 180 minmin

Sea Surface Sea Surface TemperatureTemperature

30 – 300 m30 – 300 m 0.5 – 1 °K0.5 – 1 °K 60 – 180 60 – 180 minmin

Sea Surface Sea Surface WindsWinds

300 m – 1 km300 m – 1 km 0.3 – 1 m/s0.3 – 1 m/s 6 – 60 min6 – 60 min

GOES-R

Future Data SourcesFuture Data Sources

• Observing systems Observing systems and satellitesand satellites– Federation of Federation of

regional systemsregional systems– NPOESSNPOESS– GOES-RGOES-R

• Commercial sectorCommercial sector– High-resolution High-resolution

satellitessatellites– Airborne sensorsAirborne sensors

ChallengesChallenges

Data FlowData Flow• Daily – DecadalDaily – Decadal repeated and timelyrepeated and timely

measurementsmeasurements for assessments of the for assessments of the status of coastal marine ecosystems and status of coastal marine ecosystems and resources on regional-national scalesresources on regional-national scales

• Real-time – Delayed modeReal-time – Delayed mode – – repeated repeated and timely measurementsand timely measurements for predictions for predictions of changes in the physical environment of changes in the physical environment and ecology of coastal ecosystemsand ecology of coastal ecosystems

Integration is the KeyIntegration is the Key

MBARI, MUSE MBARI, MUSE 20002000

• Integrate offshore, Integrate offshore, coastal, and coastal, and watershed systemswatershed systems

• Integrate local, state, Integrate local, state, regional, national, regional, national, and international and international data data

• Integrate data users Integrate data users and data providers and data providers into process through into process through RAs and backboneRAs and backbone

Major Forces of ChangeMajor Forces of Change

• Natural HazardsNatural Hazards

• Basin Scale Processes Basin Scale Processes in the Oceansin the Oceans

• Global Climate ChangeGlobal Climate Change

• Population Growth & Population Growth & Land-Use Practices in Land-Use Practices in Coastal Drainage Coastal Drainage BasinsBasins

• Integrated, Ecosystem-Integrated, Ecosystem-Based Approach to Based Approach to – Environmental Protection Environmental Protection – Resource ManagementResource Management

• Capacity to tuneCapacity to tune– Rate of data acquisition, Rate of data acquisition,

management & analysis to time management & analysis to time scale of decision makingscale of decision making

• Close the gap between Close the gap between – Development of new scientific Development of new scientific

understanding & technologiesunderstanding & technologies– the formulation & implementation the formulation & implementation

of scientifically sound of scientifically sound environmental policiesenvironmental policies

Now and in the FutureNow and in the Future

“Coasts are never fully saved. They are always being saved through perpetual stewardship. “

Peter DouglasCalifornia Coastal Commission