The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS):

A Regional Component of the U.S.Integrated Ocean Observing System

Landry Bernard

National Data Buoy CenterUniversity of Southern Mississippi

GCOOS Stakeholders MeetingJanuary 24, 2005

Outline

• Background

• Existing Capabilities

• Actions to date in building the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System

• Next Steps

Background

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System will consist of three parts:

1. U.S. contribution to a global component of GOOS focused on climate and maritime services;

2. National backbone of observations and products from our coastal ocean supported by federal agencies; and

3. Contributions of Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems.

Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems

To be eligible for federal support, each Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System must have a Regional Association that:

1. Provides representative governance and the capability to receive and distribute funds with all approved accounting procedures;

2. Maintains a sound business plan indicating users, requirements, costs, and sources of support; and

3. Represents the regional system within a National Federation of Regional Associations.

Existing Capabilities

• There are many elements that can be used as the initial building blocks for a regional ocean observing system for the Gulf of Mexico.

• These include continuing observations, satellite products, models, and other data products.

• They are supported by local, state and federal government, private industry, NGOs, and academia.

• They provide information that will have broader uses when they are integrated and enhanced.

Building Blocks 1:Observations

In Situ

9of9_tabs_08262004b.gif

TCOON Network

http://tcoon.cbi.tamucc.edu/TCOON/HomePage

Houston/Galveston PORTSobservation locations

http://co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/images/hgports.gif

BAYWATCH - Louisiana State UniversityNan Walker

• Currently 5 stations

• Full suite meterological

• 3 Hydrographic Values

• Samples are taken every 10 seconds

• Minute, hourly, and daily summaries are recorded

• Data display is updated on the web every minute

• Archive Data available

• Currently 5 stations

• Full suite meterological

• 3 Hydrographic Values

• Samples are taken every 10 seconds

• Minute, hourly, and daily summaries are recorded

• Data display is updated on the web every minute

• Archive Data available

Long-Term Estuary Assessment Group (LEAG)

Sensors, Platforms, and Markers

Technical Working Group

Tier 1. Biosensors and PlatformsDevelopment, integration, test, and evaluation of biosensor in autonomous underwater vehicle (Rey, COTS; Blake, TU; Blake, XU)

Tier 2. Biomarkers in the Environment1. Trace Gases of Microbial Flora as a Biomarker of Pollution (Boopathy, Nicholls)2. Reproductive Status of Amphibians as a Biomarker of Pollution (Lafleur, Nicholls)3. Molting in Fiddler Crabs as a Biomarker of Pollution (Zou, Nicholls)

Education Technical Working Group

1. Integration of environmental sciences into high school curriculum2. Students participate in field research3. Students as Teachers(Wilson, CBR)

Modeling and Processes Technical Working Group

Tier 1. Processes 1. Acoustic Mapping (Allison, TU)2. Biogeochemical Material Fluxes (McKee, TU)3. Nitrate Monitoring (Dagg, LUMCON)4. Geochemical Sampling (Bianchi, TU)5. Strontium Geochemistry (Marcantonio, TU)6. Pharmaceutically Active Compounds (Wang, XU)7. Research Cruises (Dagg, LUMCON)

Tier Two: Modeling

1. Sediment Transport (Michaelides, TU)

2. Mixing and Transport (Eschenazi , XU) 3. Modeling Transport in Rivers, Estuaries and Coastal Environments (Jobst, NRL/NAVO)

Tier Three: Linkages1. Data Management and Linkages Among Models, Monitoring and Processes (Dagg, LUMCON)

Informatics Technical Working Group

Tasks• Spatial analysis of Mississippi bathymetry• GIS data development for other TWGs• Mapping/analysis of AUV pollutant data data• Online GIS• Support Education TWG in GIS training • Develop maps and cartographic products in support of all project efforts.(Meffert, CBR)

USGS:Nexus of Science in the

Lower Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico

NOAA:Science in Service of Policy in the Mississippi River / Gulf of Mexico Estuary

Project Period: 7/1/02-8/31/03

WAVCIS - Wave-Current Surge Information SystemFor Coastal Louisiana

http://csi.lsu.edu/

Tampa Bay PORTSobservation locations

http://co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/images/tbports.gif

http://comps.marine.usf.edu/index.html

University of South FloridaCOMPS

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are needed to see this picture.

Gulf of Mexico Observing Sites

Remote Sensing

Satellite Products

http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgibrs/level3.pl/S20010322001059.L3m_MO_BIOS.jpg?DAY=11354&PER=m&TYP=bio&IMG=big

SeaWiFs Ocean ColorFebruary 2001

http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/avhrr/gm/averages/01mar/gm_01mar28_2211_mult.gif

Building Blocks 2:Models and Products

Model Products

http://www.dynalysis.com/Projects/gom/oms/images/region.htm

Gulf of Mexico Ocean Monitoring System

http://hyper20.twdb.state.tx.us/tide/porta2.html

Texas Water Development Board

Embayments of the NE Gulf of Mexico – ADCIRC

Pearl River Model

Bay St. Louis ModelBiloxi Bay Model

Mobile Bay Model

Mississippi Bight Model

Wave Prediction in Mississippi Sound

11 Nov 1800 GMT 2002SWAN versus Buoy 42040

Actions to date in building the Gulf of

Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System

• Six Gulf-wide meetings have been held:– First focused on academia

– Second focused on state and federal agencies

– Third focused on private sectors

– Fourth focused on predicting, detecting and tracking Harmful Algal Blooms

– Fifth focused on underpinning research

– Sixth focused on education and outreach

Actions 1

• A GCOOS Mission Statement has been adopted.

• A Resolution to develop GCOOS, beginning with sharing of non-proprietary, non-commercial data, has been signed by some 50 individuals representing themselves or institutions.

Actions 2

Mission Statement: Vision

We seek to establish a sustained observing system for the Gulf of Mexico to provide observations and products needed by users in this region for the purposes of

• Detecting and predicting climate variability and consequences,• Preserving and restoring healthy marine ecosystems,• Ensuring human health,• Managing resources,• Facilitating safe and efficient marine transportation,• Enhancing national security, and• Predicting and mitigating against coastal hazards.

Mission Statement(continued)

We envision sharing of non-commercial, non-proprietary data, models, and products via the internet for the common benefit of all participants, including industry, NGOs, academia, and federal, state, regional, and local government agencies. It is understood that this Gulf of Mexico observing system will be integrated with other regional coastal ocean observing systems, in particular to create an integrated and sustained U.S. component of the ocean observing system.

Mission Statement(continued)

We recognize that the system will require sustained financial support from a combination of government, private, and non-governmental organizations. That will be possible only if the system is built and remains responsive to the needs of these organizations and to the public. Thus, the system will be subject to continuing oversight by representatives of such organizations and of the public.

Collaboration with other nations bordering the Gulf of Mexico is to be actively sought in the design and implementation of this regional observing system.

ResolutionThe implementation sections reads:The Signatories hereby resolve to work together toward establishment of a Gulf of Mexico Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS); to work toward development of regional governance structures and coordination; to work towards common data management standards; and to openly share non-proprietary data and metadata, non-commercial data and products, model code, and related information. …….Signatories will actively seek collaborations with other nations bordering the Gulf of Mexico in the design and implementation of this regional observing system. The Signatories will work toward implementation of specific action items decided upon at the workshop held at Stennis Space Center, MS, January 14-15, 2003,

SignatoriesL.G. Adams, Weeks Bay NERRKim Adams, Essi CorporationVernon Asper, University of Southern MississippiPeter Betzer, University of South FloridaJohn Blaha, Naval Oceanographic OfficeJim Byous, Gulf Fiber CorporationLisa Campbell, Texas A&M UniversityJim Cato, Florida Sea GrantBilly D. Causey, Florida Keys National Marine SanctuaryRobert Cohen, Weathernews Americas Inc.H.D. Covert, Coastal Operations InstituteGeorge Crozier, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program and Dauphin Island

Sea LabSteven F. DiMarco, Texas A&M UniversityDean Dunn, National Coastal Data Development CenterWilford Gardner, Texas A&M UniversityBryon O. Griffith, EPA Gulf of Mexico Program OfficeNorman Guinasso, Texas A&M UniversityMatthew Howard, Texas A&M UniversityAnn Jochens, Texas A&M UniversityGregg Jacobs, Naval Research LaboratoryGary Jeffress, Texas A&M University Corpus ChristiMark Luther, University of South FloridaRobert (Buzz) Martin, Texas General Land OfficeGil McRae, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation CommissionDouglas Meffert, Long-term Estuary Assessment GroupAvichal Mehra, Mississippi State University

Patrick Michaud, Texas A&M University Corpus ChristiPaul Moersdorf, National Data Buoy CenterChristopher N. K. Mooers, University of MiamiFrank Muller-Karger, University of South FloridaWorth D. Nowlin, Jr., Texas A&M UniversityJames J. O’Brien, Florida State UniversityJohn C. Ogden, Florida Institute of OceanographyAlex Orsi, Texas A&M UniversityShirley Pomponi, Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstitutionDavid Prior, Texas A&M UniversityNancy Rabalais, Louisiana Universities Marine ConsortiumMary Jo Richardson, Texas A&M UniversityMitchell Roffer, Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc.Kerry St. Pe, Louisiana Universities Marine ConsortiumWilliam Seitz, Texas A&M University GalvestonThomas M. Soniat, Nicholls State UniversityRobert Stewart, Texas A&M UniversityRobert Stickney, Texas Sea Grant ProgramGregory Stone, Louisiana State UniversityLaDon Swann, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant ConsortiumJohn W. (Wes) Tunnell, Jr., Texas A&M University Corpus ChristiJan van Smirren, Fugro GEOS Inc.Nan Walker, Louisiana State UniversityRobert H. Weisberg, University of South FloridaJames Robert Woolsey, University of Mississippi

• An inventory of existing operational and product-producing components for the Gulf of Mexico, together with descriptions, costs, out-year budgets, and users is being maintained.

• A web portal to ongoing Gulf of Mexico activities has been created:http://www.gcoos.org

Actions 3

Actions 4• We are working to establish a data and

information management system that is – Part of a national system; integrated with

other regional coastal observing systems– Coordinated with observing system

elements in Mexico and Cuba– Integrated with the global observing

system module

Well along in dealing with real-time physical data

NDBC MODEM Kit(Meteorological and Oceanographic Data Exchange Module)

PublicPublic

NCEPNCEPNODCNODC NCDCNCDC

GlobalTelecommunications

Service

GlobalTelecommunications

Service

NWSGATEWAY

NWSGATEWAY Wx. Channel

Local MediaWx. ChannelLocal Media

NWSForecastOffices

NWSForecastOffices

Observers Web-PageObservers Web-Page

Regional Observatories

ftpftp

NDBC

QA/QC

NDBCWeb-Page

Dial-A-Buoy

OPeNDAP

Sensor / Observation

Sensor / Observation

Present Partners of NDBC in IOOS Data Sharing

• Skidaway Institute of Technology• Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GoMOOS)• Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System

(COMPS)• Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS)• Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)• Texas Coastal Ocean Observing Network (TCOON)• University of Connecticut’s MYSOUND• Stephens Institute of Technology (New Jersey)

Future Partners of NDBCin IOOS Data Sharing

• SUNY Stony Brook (Long Island Ferry)

• NAVSEA Warfare Center (Dania, FL)

• Chesapeake Bay Observing System (CBOS)

• Mississippi Dept. of Marine Resources

• NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserve Program

• CORIE (Columbia River)

• MBARI (Monterey Bay)

• Oil and gas industry

Planned capabilities for transferof real time data

• Present:– Wind Direction, Speed, Gust– Significant Wave Height, Dominant Period– Sea Level Pressure– Air, Dew Point, and Sea Surface Temperature– Visibility– Water Level (Coastal Stations, w/ respect to MLLW)– Temperature Profile– Salinity Profile– Current Profile

• Future:– Swell Direction, Period– Wave Spectrum

• We have a small multi-year grant from NOAA to help establish a Regional Association to manage GCOOS. We have a pending proposal for a more ambitious effort.

• We have representatives from GCOOS to the National Federation of Regional Associations: Robert (Buzz) Martin, TGLO Landry Bernard, NDBC/NWS

Actions 5

Next Steps

Next Steps 1

• We must agree on a governance structure for the GCOOS Regional Association

Next Steps 2

• We must elect a Board of Directors for the Regional Association and appoint members to other structures:- Stakeholders Council- Education and Outreach Council- Committees

Next Steps 3

• We must prepare an initial Business Plan for the GCOOS-RA.

http://www.gcoos.org

If you wish to become a signatory to the resolution, please send an email request to wnowlin@tamu.edu stating if you are signing as an individual or for an institution.

Thank You

Please visit our web site for further information.