News Splash

February 2013

U.S. IOOS Begins Development of National Glider Network Data Assembly Center

U.S. IOOS is launching the next phase in the development of a National Glider Network by establishing a glider Data Assembly Center (DAC).  Our mid-atlantic regional partner, MARACOOS, will host the DAC, which is intended to use established standardized glider data formats to ingest glider data from partner operators, archive and publish the data to make it available to the public.  This is an important step in standardizing the glider data and making it available to forecasters and decision makers.

Additional Information:

• Gliders
• Glider Asset Map
• U.S. IOOS National Glider Strategy

IOOS Association Launches a New Website

The non-profit organization that represents the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) regional associations now has a new website.

The IOOS Association has released a new website, www.ioosassociation.org, designed with a fresh new look and user-friendly navigation.  This web site provides quick and easy access into the IOOS Regions and the IOOS Program Office sites, which are chock full of information. It also provides access to IOOS news and events.  We hope that you will enjoy browsing our new site and that it will serve as a valuable tool for increasing the visibility of the IOOS Enterprise.

IOOS Association is a new name for the former National Federation of Regional Associations (NFRA).

Quick Links:

• IOOS Association's website
• IOOS Regions and IOOS Association

January 2013

International Meetings Improve Marine Data Collection and Integration

During the week of January 14th, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program will attend meetings in Ireland and England to improve international collaboration on ocean observing efforts in those countries.  IOOS representatives will meet with representatives of SmartBay Ireland to discuss the IOOS network of high frequency radars (HFR) measuring surface current speed and direction to support search and rescue response, tsunami warnings, fisheries management, marine protected area monitoring, and vessel tracking.  SmartBay is responsible for the establishment and development of a National Research, Test and Demonstration facility to support the application and translation of research and provide platforms for the testing and demonstration of new technologies and solutions in the Marine and related sectors. IOOS representatives will then fly to Southampton, England, to speak at the Operational Oceanography conference, also discussing HFR there.  Working with other nations will accelerate research in emerging uses, including model ingest and ecosystem and climate research.  Furthermore, the 2012 World Radio Communication Conference established an HFR frequency range that will reduce service interruptions due to interference. 

Meetings like these in Ireland and England will improve international collaboration and data integration on HFR and other ocean observing technologies.

Details about:

• Participation at the Setting the Course for UK Operational Oceanography Conference.
• High Frequency Radars, (HFR)
• Group on Earth Observation, GEO
  Global High Frequency (HF) Radar Network Component

NOAA and IOOS Meet with Emergency Planners in New Jersey to Improve Tools and Products

On January 22, emergency planners in New Jersey will meet with the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS), and the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) to gather information regarding emergency preparedness and response, with specific reference to Hurricane Sandy.  The goal is to develop case studies of the benefits of IOOS data for informing decision makers during emergency events.  State representatives slated to attend the meeting include the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.

Results of this meeting will improve understanding of how IOOS tools and products are used during emergency response and allow the IOOS community to improve products to meet stakeholder needs.

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Launch of Test Mission Aimed at Sending First Glider Around the World

Scientists have launched a test mission aimed at sending the first series of unmanned, underwater robotic vehicles – known as ‘gliders’ – around the world!  Representatives of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) christened one of the gliders last month at Rutgers University, a critical partner of the IOOS Mid-Atlantic region.  Rutgers representatives launched this remote-controlled glider from South Africa and will fly it to Northern Brazil, a mission that could last up to a year.  Collecting data along the water column provides a more defined image of our world’s underwater environment at low cost and risk.  Data and information about our underwater world improve forecasts and models to aid decisions impacting safety, economy, and environment.

This is the second leg of a test mission to send gliders around the world.  The first leg of that test mission, carried out by another glider named Silbo, started in Iceland and continued on to the Canary Islands last year, where the glider got a fresh set of batteries. Silbo is now heading from the Canary Islands to Brazil.  This second glider’s flight is a joint mission between the U.S. IOOS and Rutgers University and is formally named Challenger.  These two test missions emerged in response to an official challenge to send gliders around the world.  That challenge, announced during the 2009 ceremonial recovery of the first glider to cross an ocean, stated that the gliders should follow the path of the HMS Challenger, the first global marine research expedition to circumnavigate the globe back in the 1870’s.

More information about:

• The mission and the progress of the Glider
• The different types of Gliders and where are they located today

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Quality Assurance and Control Standards for Real-Time Dissolved Oxygen Measurements Released

Improving ocean data quality assurance and control will improve the accuracy of tools, models, and forecasts that inform decisions impacting our nation's safety, economy, and environment.

The Nation's ocean observing community now has quality assurance and control standards for real-time dissolved oxygen measurements collected in coastal waters. The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) recently released a  manual on best practices for quality assurance and quality control tests of dissolved oxygen measurements taken by five commonly used sensors in all coastal regions, including the Great Lakes. The manual, developed in close collaboration with community experts,  represents a major step forward for IOOS and includes control steps for the sensors, in addition to those for collected data, which are critical to guaranteeing quality of the data. The manual provides a checklist that the IOOS regions and many others can now use to implement quality assurance and control procedures, factoring in their specific, regionally-unique needs.  The dissolved oxygen manual is the first in a series of similar quality control manuals, each focused on a different oceanographic variable. Dissolved oxygen was tackled first because scientists indicated this as a high priority for quality assurance and control standards. Manuals for waves and currents are scheduled for release in March.

Details:

• Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of Dissolved Oxygen Observations
• Quality Assurance of Real Time Ocean Data, QARTOD Project

December 2012

IOOS^® Regional Organization Changes Name

The non-profit organization that represents the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) regional associations now has a new name.  The former National Federation of Regional Associations (NFRA) is now known as the IOOS Association.  The organization’s Board of Directors voted for the name change last month.  The IOOS Association plans to roll out a new website and logo in the coming months.

 

U.S. IOOS Showcased at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Annual Meeting

Eric Lindstrom of the Integrated Ocean Observing Committee (IOOC) presented a talk on behalf of IOOS titled "A Vision for the Next Ten Years for Integrated Ocean Observing Data" at the 2012 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in San Francisco, CA last week.  The talk covered IOOS activities at the Regional and Federal level, and discussed recommendations from the IOOS Summit. The AGU Fall Meeting brings together over 20,000 earth, space, atmospheric, and oceanic scientists every year to present groundbreaking research and to connect with colleagues from around the world.  Several members of the IOOS community from the IOOS Program Office, Regional Associations, and Federal Agencies attended the meeting.  The conference also afforded an opportunity to educate others about IOOS with the goal of introducing new members into the IOOS community.  

"A Vision of the Next Ten Years for Integrated Ocean Observing Data" (ppt) presented by Eric Lindstrom, Integrated Ocean Observing Committee (IOOC)

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MOU to Advance Coastal and Ocean Resource Management Along West Coast

A new memorandum of agreement between the West Coast regions of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS^®) and the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health will advance effective management of coastal and ocean resources.  The two-year agreement focuses on using ocean observing systems to help address harmful algal blooms and ocean acidification, as well as advancing surface current mapping and a regional data framework.  Key steps the two organizations will take to achieve tangible results include: identifying regional and coastal and ocean management priorities; sharing information among the two entities and with others in the region; jointly supporting projects of shared interest; and documenting progress in achieving mutual goals.

Background: The agreement is between the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health, a state and federal partnership with the goal of protecting and managing ocean and coastal resources along the entire West Coast, and the West Coast Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (OOS), comprised of the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS), and the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS). 

Significance: This agreement allows both groups to leverage resources to benefit a shared ecosystem, as well as build on existing structures of governmental and scientific cooperation to ensure that ocean users, managers and researchers on the West Coast have access to the most timely and relevant ocean observation-based information. 

Related Information:

Memorandum of Understanding (pdf)

U.S. IOOS products and services addressing ocean acidification

October 2012

U.S. IOOS Summit to Plan Next Decade of the Nation’s Ocean Observing Work

The next ten years of the nation’s ocean observation activities are about to take shape. The 2012 U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS^®) Summit will take place in Herndon, Virginia, from November 13-16, and will welcome 200 participants from the U.S. IOOS community. Each participant represents a larger IOOS sector, interest group, or subject matter expertise – including federal entities; local, state, and tribal governments; academic institutions and researchers; non-governmental organizations; industries such as shipping, fishing, construction, insurance, offshore energy and more; and international interests. As lead federal agency for U.S. IOOS, NOAA is well-represented. Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction and NOAA Deputy Administrator will participate, as will David Kennedy, National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator, and representatives of all five Line Offices. Summit participants will help shape the direction of IOOS for the next decade. Following the Summit, contributors will finalize and socialize the final proceedings and recommendations to the U.S. IOOS community at-large.

Additional information: IOOS Summit 2012

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Ocean Observations Highlighted at Oceans ’12 MTS/IEEE Conference

During the week of October 15, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) will have a strong presence at the Marine Technology Society (MTS) Oceans 2012 Conference in Hampton Roads, VA. A U.S. IOOS booth, at the exhibit hall entrance, will highlight interagency and regional IOOS partnerships and invite visitors in to explore some of the latest in ocean observing equipment in a hands-on venue. Visitors can talk to IOOS partners representing academia, industry, and government while they see, touch, and learn about high frequency radar systems, ocean gliders, and buoys. On October 16, conference attendees can meet national leaders delivering lightning talks on how ocean and coastal observations benefit Americans every day. Amid an ocean of information, these are not your average talks. In this “Ignite” session, NOAA leaders like Margaret Davidson, Craig McLean, Louis Uccellini, Libby Jewett, and Kate Bosley will join high-profile speakers from around the nation as each delivers a 5-minute talk to automatically-advancing slides. Then, on October 17th, U.S. Congressman Robert “Bobby” Scott and former NOAA Administrator VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher will join a second cast of extraordinary leaders from across the nation in a Town Hall event highlighting today’s needs for tomorrow’s IOOS. The town hall will include a demonstration of real-time collaboration technology from StormCenter Communications, Inc.

Flyers with details:

• IGNITE Event (jpg)
• Town Hall (jpg)

Alliance for Coastal Technologies helps keep environmental sensors moving forward

The Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) is a U.S. IOOS partner that provides a testbed to demonstrate and evaluate the performance of existing and emerging coastal technologies.  Recently, this has included sensors that measure pH, and those that measure partial pressure of carbon dioxide.  Both parameters are critical to our understanding of the ocean carbon cycle and ocean acidification.

Details:

• Read the article - Alliance for Coastal Technologies helps keep environmental sensors moving forward

• About ACT (Click on "Funcional Associations" Tab)

Joint Liquid Robotics/ Sonardyne Demo Launches Second Phase with MARACOOS

Liquid Robotics and Sonardyne have begun the second half of their combined Waveglider and Fetch node demo with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (MARACOOS) and the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC).  Last month, the waveglider and fetches were redeployed in the MARACOOS region and near an NDBC Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) buoy.

Details:

• Information about the project and the data can be found at
  http://maracoos.org/content/fetchtsunami-node-wave-glider-ocean-observing-demonstration-project
  
  
• Mid-Atlantic Region (MARACOOS)

September 2012

New Mapping Portal Aids Ocean and Coastal User Planning in Pacific Islands

People in the Pacific Islands will soon have a free, new mapping portal to help plan beach and coastal trips. The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS), a regional member of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®), will release the interactive tool called ‘Voyager’ on October 2. Developers tailored Voyager to needs identified by researchers and members of the public. Users can combine, view, download, and query thousands of ocean and coastal data for free and access historic, recent, and forecast information. Users can save maps, share research and visualizations for future use and distribution.

Voyager combines many sets of ocean and coastal data into one easy-to-navigate map to help users know when conditions are safe and aids researchers working to unlock the mysteries of our ocean.

Further Details:

• View Voyager at http://pacioos.org/voyager
• Learn about the Pacific Islands Region, PacIOOS

Industry Collaboration Reaps Data Collection Benefits (IOOS, NDBC)

A new underwater robotic vehicle is collecting important data along the Gulf Coast today, thanks to a partnership among Shell Oil Company, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), and NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). Scientists recently launched an iRobot Seaglider approximately 15 miles east of Shell’s Auger platform. The glider collects temperature, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic matter, pressure, turbidity, chlorophyll, and backscatter down to 1,000 meters in various parts of the Northern Gulf of Mexico. NDBC pilots the Shell glider, collecting and disseminating more than 250 profiles of data so far. Although NDBC has piloted wave gliders in the past, this is the first profiling glider piloted by NDBC.

Further Details:

• New Seaglider Collects Data along Gulf Coast

• Data profiles collected by the Seaglider for the Shell Oil Company

• Glider Fleet

 

August 2012

IOOS Federal Advisory Committee To Hold First Meeting

On August 29-30, the newly established U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS^®) Federal Advisory Committee will meet for the first time. NOAA established the committee to advise federal government leaders in the effort to integrate the nation’s ocean observations. The committee’s purpose is to evaluate scientific and technical information related to design, operation, maintenance and use of IOOS including how to improve IOOS in the future. The committee will provide expert advice to Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator and to the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, a separate group, comprised of federal agency partners who collectively oversee IOOS development. Dr. Lubchenco appointed 13 inaugural members to the committee who were chosen to represent diverse areas of expertise across different sectors and geographic regions. NOAA established the committee in July as outlined by the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act. 

All U.S. citizens rely on ocean and coastal data and information, whether they realize it or not.  Data inform daily weather reports, ensure national and homeland security, tell us when seafood is safe, and guide cargo ships loaded with goods we will buy at the store. This committee will evaluate the way our nation’s IOOS currently operates and offer advice on how to improve.

Further information on the group and the upcoming meeting.

July 2012

New Web Interface Displays Information for Recreational Boaters in the Great Lakes

Good news for recreational boaters in the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River.  This week, the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), a regional member of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), launched a new interface developed with the boater in mind. The Boaters Forecast: St. Lawrence River provides access to NOAA models along with real-time data and other information target that users identified as useful. The web tool displays nowcasts and 12-hour forecasts of water currents and depths, including information for boat launching locations, to aid trip planning. There are visualizations and alerts to ease use.  Developers are now pursuing additional features that are expected to be ready in January. New York Sea Grant, NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute helped develop the tool.

Further details:

• Boaters Forecast: St. Lawrence River tool
• About Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS)

Developing a Glider Strategy for the Nation

We will soon be one step closer to a glider strategy for the nation. From August 1-3, about 30 participants will gather in La Jolla, California for a National Glider Strategy Development Workshop.  This meeting will frame a path forward for the unmanned, underwater robotic vehicles that are quickly becoming essential instruments for observing the nation’s coastal oceans and Great Lakes. Glider technology is unique in that it collects data throughout the water column at low cost and at no risk to human life.  Glider data are used for many applications, including helping to detect the presence of subsurface oil after a spill.

 IOOS regions and partners are heavily engaged in glider operations and, in many instances, leading the way on their uses and applications.  As use and mission variety expand, there is increasing need for broader dialog on various topics. These include how scientists deploy and operate gliders, community standards for data access and organization, and what the candidate expansion paths might be towards a national capacity for gliders for observing and understanding our nation’s marine environments.

 This workshop will prioritize requirements for broader coordination and collaboration of glider operations and draft an outline for a national strategy. By the end of the meeting, participants will assign authors sections of the outline with a goal of assembling a full draft prior to the Fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

Further details

• Strategy Development Workshop, Aug.1-3, 2012, CA

• Glider Fleet
  

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Scientist Featured IOOS and Ocean Acidification at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Two NOAA scientists set up at different places within the Ocean Hall at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to answer visitor questions on separate topics – ocean acidification and the Chesapeake Bay.  Dr. Simone Alin of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory discussed her work studying and characterizing acidified water along the west coast, what it means for you, and what IOOS and NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program are doing to help.  At another station, Meteorologist Ron Gird, of the National Weather Service, and a colleague from the Whitaker Foundation showcased the Chesapeake Expedition, with a stewardship message involving the bay and Atlantic Ocean.

Further details

June 2012

Putting IOOS Data to Work: Predicting the Timing for Alaska Salmon Run

A key to the success of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is finding ways to turn data into information that is tailored to meet the needs of users.  The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), a regional member of IOOS, is partnering with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Auke Bay to apply available observing data towards decision making.  By leveraging the AOOS data management and information delivery system, fisheries managers are able quickly and easily to access daily ocean and atmospheric conditions that influence the timing of the Yukon River Chinook salmon run.  This information helps managers predict when the majority of the salmon run will occur, allowing them to improve management of this key resource.

Details:

• Entire Story
• Alaska Ocean Observing System, AOOS

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Navy and NOAA Partners Tout Success of IOOS Biological Data Partnership Effort

Data from tagged marine mammals is now more accessible to ocean modelers. The success is a result of collaboration among the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVO), the National Weather Service’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and the Tagging of Ocean Pelagic Predator’s (TOPP) Program at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, California. Project partners recently agreed on standard data formats for key measurements of ocean conditions routinely collected by tagged elephant seals as they transit vast regions of the open ocean, including regions not well understood by oceanographers. Last week, scientists from NAVO and NCEP contacted IOOS to express enthusiasm about results after they successfully processed more than 8,000 historical and current observations from TOPP they could not have accessed before. This project is part of an IOOS commitment to facilitate broader access to biological ocean observations for the nation’s ocean science community.

Details about:

• Biological Observation Project
• Animal Telemetry

May 2012

Northeastern IOOS Partners Explore New Opportunities to Collaborate with NOAA, EPA

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) system in New England is opening its doors to new opportunities for collaboration with NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  On May 9, the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS), a regional member of IOOS, will host the directors of all four northeast National Estuarine Research Reserve Systems (NERRS) and the EPA’s six regional National Estuary Programs (NEP) during a dedicated forum within the annual NERACOOS Board of Directors Meeting in Rye, Hew Hampshire.  The forum will begin with overviews of regional NEP, NERRS, and NERACOOS activities and priorities and include time to discuss complementary activities and partnership ideas.

Further details:

Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS)

Partnership Places New Ocean Observation Tool in the Water to Benefit Abalone Industry

By the end of May, shellfisheries in California will have a new ocean observation tool to monitor for oceanographic conditions that can harm abalone and help inform business operations. The Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS), a regional member of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), will partner with Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and the Monterey Abalone Company to install and maintain a water quality shore station at Monterey Abalone Company’s facility.  CeNCOOS paid for the instrumentation, while Monterey Abalone Company and Moss Landing Marina Laboratories agree to maintain the station and share the data collected using the CeNCOOS public website.

Harmful algal blooms are suspected as the culprit in recent abalone mortality events in central and northern California, resulting in significant impacts to the shellfish industry. This new station will help abalone growers monitor such events and support daily shellfish industry operations.

Additional details about the Central and Northern Coastal Ocean Observing System:

• Central and Northern California Region (CeNCOOS)
• CeNCOOS website

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Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association to Host Annual Meeting

From May 7-9, the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA), a regional member of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), will host its annual meeting in Miami, Florida. Attendees, representing government, academia, industry, non-governmental organizations and stakeholders, will discuss accomplishments from the previous year, define outcomes and future plans. The meeting provides an annual venue through which SECOORA can update stakeholders and partners on recent accomplishments and future work plans. It also allows the national IOOS office an opportunity to share national priorities, activities, and perspectives.

Further information:

• Southeast Atlantic Region, (SECOORA)
• SECOORA's website

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April 2012

NOAA Announces Approval of Certification Criteria for Non-Federal Ocean and Coastal Observing Assets

In late April, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System will publish approved certification criteria to establish the eligibility of non-federal assets for incorporation into U.S. IOOS.  NOAA, as the lead federal agency for U.S. IOOS, is responsible for promulgating program guidelines that describe how these criteria will be used to certify and integrate non-federal assets into the System. Non-federal assets that are certified and incorporated into the System are then considered to be part of NOAA when determining civil liability arising from IOOS data dissemination and use. IOOS’s federal interagency planning and coordination body, the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, approved and will publish the criteria in the Federal Register, as mandated by the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009.

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March 2012

National Partnership Eases Industry Test of Ocean Sensors

This week, a U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System facilitated demonstration project will begin testing new ocean data sensors along the East Coast. The project is a partnership effort among Liquid Robotics Inc., Sonardyne, the National Data Buoy Center, and two IOOS regions – the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) and the Northeast Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (NERACOOS). The project will kick off when NERACOOS scientists aboard the Delaware II drop Sonardyne-owned ocean bottom sensors, called fetch nodes, off the coast of Maine. At the bottom, the nodes will collect measurements such as temperature and depth. These sensors work acoustically and can transmit data to the ocean surface. Through the IOOS partnership, a second company, Liquid Robotics Inc., will deploy an underwater robotic vehicle, called a wave glider, to travel over the fetch nodes, collect, and transmit the bottom data via satellite. The fetch nodes and wave glider will spend 6-8 weeks in NERACOOS waters. This summer, scientists will redeploy the sensors to MARACOOS region for further testing. Additionally, the National Data Buoy Center will test a separate fetch node in the Mid-Atlantic region to see if it can help detect tsunamis.

Additional Information:

• Gliders
• Northeast Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (NERACOOS)
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS)

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New Online Portal and App Provide Information on Tsunami Zones in the Northwest

A new smartphone app is providing information on tsunami zones in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Northwest Tsunami Evacuation Zones online portal and free app provide an at-a-glance view of tsunami hazard zones along the coasts of Oregon and Washington. The Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), developed the tool and launched it in partnership with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries and Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Visit the online portal at http://nvs.nanoos.org/tsunami. The app, TsunamiEvac-NW, integrates the maps, allows users to see if they are in an evacuation zone, and plan evacuation routes. You can get the free app from the iTunes App Store and Android Market

Details:

• How to get the Apps:
  • iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tsunamievac-nw/id478984841?mt=8
  • Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.nanoos.tsunami&hl=en
• Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS)

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Two High Frequency Radar Systems Installed in the Carolinas

Scientists from the University of South Carolina, in collaboration with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, with assistance from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, are in the process of establishing two new High Frequency Radar (HF Radar) stations for monitoring the ocean surface currents and waves in Long Bay. One station is located on the Hobcaw Barony in Georgetown, SC while the other station is located at Caswell Beach, NC on properties managed by the Bell W. Baruch Foundation and the North Carolina Baptist Assembly at Fort Caswell, respectively. Each station remotely measures the surface ocean currents up to 120 miles offshore and when combined they create maps of temporal and spatial distribution of waves and currents over the entire area.

The data collected from this installation are critical in helping scientists to understand the development of phytoplankton blooms along the outer shelf that are seen in satellite imagery. During the summer, development of phytoplankton is related to eddies generated by the Gulf Stream and could cause low oxygen conditions. However, the mechanisms for bloom development during the winter is not well known yet. Phytoplankton blooms in the winter may prove to be beneficial, as it could provide a favorable feeding environment for larval fishes.

Further information:

• Southeast Atlantic Region, (SECOORA)
• SECOORA's website

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Great Lakes Observing System to Host Annual Meeting

 From March 21-22, the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), will host its annual meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. Attendees, representing government, academia, industry, non-governmental organizations and stakeholders will discuss accomplishments from the previous year and provide input on upcoming program and activity plans. U.S. IOOS Program Director, Zdenka Willis, will participate in a panel discussion on the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System (ICOOS) Act Reauthorization and certification. 

Further information:

• Read the entire story
• About Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS)
• Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) website

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Gulf of Mexico Hosts Annual Coastal Ocean Observing System Meeting

From March 14-15, the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), will convene at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Mississippi for the 7th Annual Meeting of the Parties and the 14th meeting of the GCOOS Regional Association Board of Directors. Attendees representing government, academia, industry, non-governmental organizations and stakeholders will meet the newly elected board members, review recent accomplishments, and discuss the next steps in development of the region’s observing system build-out plans. The build-out plan discussion will include steps to determine a financing strategy, prioritizing elements of coastal ocean observing system implementation, and expanding engagement with federal and state agencies.

Further information:

• About Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS)
• Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) website

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Caribbean Ocean Observing Association to Host Annual General Assembly

On March 21, the Caribbean Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing (CaRA), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), will host its annual general assembly meeting in La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Attendees, representing government, academia, industry, non-governmental organizations and stakeholders will discuss updates and achievements with members of the region’s coastal ocean observing system. Discussion will also include future work plans, including a nearshore forecast system for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in support of port and harbor operations, and beach hazard program products, as well as metrics to evaluate data usage through various websites. 

The general assembly provides an annual venue through which Caribbean members of IOOS can update both stakeholders and partners on recent accomplishments and future work plans.

Further information:

• Read the entire story
• Announcement of the General Assembly by CaRA

• About Caribbean Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing (CaRA)

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Workshop Identifies Improvements for National Tagging Capacity in the Context of Ocean Observations

On March 15-16, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program will convene a workshop in Washington, D.C., with about two dozen leading marine animal tagging scientists to plan the next steps of a national strategy for improving access to and use of data from animal tags. This follows the first ever gathering of this kind in 2011, where participants identified priorities for next steps and IOOS announced that it would begin serving biological data. Participants will evaluate progress on work launched at the first meeting and plan new efforts based on 2011 recommendations.

Tagging of marine animals – such as tuna, sharks, sea turtles, seals and salmon – opens a door to a new world of understanding coastal and marine animals and the ecosystems where they live. Tags tell scientists where animals travel and about their environment, such as water temperature, providing clues about their behavior. These series of unprecedented discussions are identifying and implementing advances for sharing and accessing data, as well as integrating these data with other ocean observations.

Further information:

• Animal Telemetry Network, ATN

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IOOS and Partners Host International Session on Ocean Observing at Oceanology International 2012 Conference

On March 15, the NOAA and NASA representatives of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) will join forces in hosting a session at the Oceanology International exhibition and conference in London, England. U.S. IOOS program director, Zdenka Willis, will chair the session, titled “Ocean Observation and Forecasting”, while NASA program scientist, Dr. Eric Lindstrom, will deliver the keynote address. BP International will also speak at the session. The session will discuss aspects of ocean observation and monitoring using both remote sensing tools and those in the water and will explore tools and techniques for ocean forecasting. 

The biennial Oceanology International exhibition and conference serves as a global forum for exchanging information about the world’s oceans. Presenting at this session allows the IOOS community to connect with the marine technology and ocean science community and share new approaches to improve strategies ocean measurement capabilities, convey strategies for efficient marine operations, and enhance ocean protection initiatives.

Further information:

• Read this feature story

• Agenda for March 13, 2012

• About Oceanology International 2012

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February 2012

IOOS Convenes Annual Regional Review and Planning Session

From February 28-29, representatives from the 11 regions of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, the National Federation of Regional Associations, NOAA, and academia met in Silver Spring, MD, for the Annual IOOS Regional Review and Planning Session. These gatherings serve as a periodic review of regional IOOS in the form of focused discussion on project progress, success stories, and challenges. The meeting afforded a venue for various topics, such as modeling issues across the system, with the ability to identify what works, what doesn’t work, areas for improvement, and solutions to common problems. Discussions allowed partners to gather information from the wider IOOS community, as well as lay a path forward for the coming year.

Read the entire story.

Panel to Discuss Societal Benefits of Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Observing Systems at Ocean Sciences Meeting

On February 20, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) will speak at a panel at the 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Representatives from IOOS, the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association, and the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee will join the Acting Deputy Director of the National Ocean Council Office and Assistant Director for Ocean Sciences within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as panelists in a discussion focused on designing ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing systems to address societal issues.

The 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting is an international gathering of more than 4,000 attendees and is an important venue for scientific exchange across broad marine science disciplines, including physical, biological, chemical and geological oceanography, as well as multidisciplinary topics. Serving on a panel here allows IOOS and its partners to discuss the value of its efforts to lives and livelihoods to interested parties in this audience.

Further information about the panel:
http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2012/viewabstract2.asp?AbstractID=11925

IOOS Glider Breaks Records in Alaska

A glider funded by the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), broke records in the Chukchi Sea. IOOS partners recently learned that last summer’s nine week continuous sampling of ocean properties is the longest such glider mission carried out in Arctic waters. Scientists equipped the glider with high-capacity lithium batteries, enabling it to stay in the water for more than two months while continuously collecting and transmitting real-time data. The mission collected more than 11,000 vertical profiles of pressure, temperature, and salinity covering 1,000 kilometers of ocean.  The mission completed a second year of studies on the hydrographic properties of Arctic waters, led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and funded by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Conoco Phillips, and Shell Oil.

The glider data provides detailed biochemical and physical ocean data previously unavailable. Combining this glider’s data with high frequency radar and data collected by autonomous underwater vehicles creates a unique view of the ocean, featuring complexities that are improving scientific knowledge of how this area is functioning.

Learn more about the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS):

• About Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS)
• AOOS website

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Apple Application Provides San Francisco Bay Currents Data

Need San Francisco Bay currents data? There is now an ap for that! A new iPhone and iPad application is easing access to real-time and predicted surface current information in San Francisco Bay. The Bay Currents app, designed by researchers at San Francisco State University, relies on high frequency data from the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and information from the Coastal Ocean Currents Monitoring Program in Northern California. The app uses Google Maps and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to give mariners a real-time look at currents in the bay, the previous 24 hours of currents, and a projection for the next two hours. Users can find their current location on the water or place pins at other locations in the bay to gain an understanding of the currents at that location. The easily accessible information will help crews competing in yacht races, such as America's Cup on Sep7-22, 2013, on the bay, as well as other recreational users. The app is available for free through the Apple App Store.

The new app eases access to surface currents data in San Francisco Bay. This helps mariners make safe decisions about when to head out on the water and improves the ability to plot optimal routes to intended destinations.

Learn more about the Alaska Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS):

• iTunes Preview of this app
• About Central and Northern California Region (CeNCOOS)
• CeNCOOS website

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Workshop Educates Industry on Ocean and Coastal Observation and Decision Making Tools

On February 2nd, panelists and speakers, including Microsoft representatives and the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Weather Services, will educate attendees on tools available to enhance public and private decision-making. Understanding the tools available enables better predictions of coastal hazards, management of coastal waters, and improved weather and climate forecasts.  A sustained IOOS, represented by NANOOS in the Pacific Northwest, connects information at a global, national, regional, state and local scale is an essential means of delivering benefits to safety, economy, and environment

The Deputy Assistant Administrator for the National Weather Service will join Microsoft Research, Sonardyne, Reed Exhibitions, and other representatives from a broad cross-section of industries, non-governmental organizations, local, state, and federal agencies for a workshop on marine information, monitoring and forecasting in Redmond, Washington. The workshop, titled Pacific Northwest Waters: Gateway to Our Future, will feature a keynote address from state Senator Kevin Rankin of Washington. The event will bring together roughly 150 users and providers of marine information to explore how monitoring and forecasting the ocean, coast and estuaries can best deliver safety, economic and environmental benefits to industries, government and citizens of the Pacific Northwest. The Interagency Ocean Observing Committee is hosting this workshop to share benefits of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), as delivered through the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems.

Additional Information:

• Pacific Northwest Waters: Gateway to Our Future press release
• Flyer
• Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS)

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January 2012

Alaska Region Launches Upgraded Real-Time Sensor Map

The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, recently released a new version of the AOOS real-time sensor map. New capabilities include the ability to see the latest observations from multiple sensors housed on a single platform at the same time, bookmark a specific view to return to or send to a friend, and view wind vectors on the main map, showing wind direction and magnitude.  AOOS will soon add wave vectors as well.  Users can also view a visual representation of relative differences in temperature, precipitation, or other parameters of their choosing across stations.

Learn more about the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS):

• About Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS)
• AOOS website

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New Website Improves Access to Great Lakes Data, Products, Tools and Projects

The Data Catalog of the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), provides a centralized location for exploring and acquiring real-time and historic data.  Accessing meteorological and hydrodynamic data needed to operate daily beach water-quality nowcast models is now more efficient.  These nowcasts can improve public safety and reduce the number of unnecessary regional advisories and beach closures.

The site: http://www.glos.us/ features a new design and user interface, product launch pages, relevant news and events, and access to the new Great Lakes Data Catalog.

The site makes it easier for users to find real-time and historic Great Lakes data and access tools that process data in a meaningful way for decision makers.

Learn more about the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS):

• About Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS)
• GLOS website

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IOOS^® Participates in the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting

The annual American Meteorological Society (AMS) Meeting is the largest weather-related conference in the U.S., bringing together more than 3,600 attendees. Contributing to a panel and presentations provides IOOS with the opportunity to deliver its message to key players in the meteorological field.

 On January 24th and 25th, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) will participate in a special session panel on the BP oil spill during the AMS annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. The panel will address how meteorological and ocean data and instruments will support the ongoing spill clean-up effort. The session will also address public health concerns.

The Coastal Ocean Modeling Testbed, a two-year, nearly $5 million project to evaluate and improve computer models that forecast recurring environmental issues in the waters of the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, will be featured in the 10th Symposium on the Coastal Environment at the AMS Annual Meeting on Jan. 24nd. A total of 22 talks will be presented, as well as posters. Abstracts for the talks are available below. In addition to the talks held during the conference, the Testbed leadership team will be having a half day meeting to further coordination for its permanent framework.

Links to further information:

• AMS Annual Meeting 
• U.S. IOOS Coastal Ocean Modeling Testbed
• Agenda and links to abstracts (pdf) of the 10th Symposium on the Coastal Environment at the AMS Annual Meeting on Jan. 24, 2012

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Annual Review of Central and Northern California Ocean and Coastal Data System (CeNCOOS)

On January 9-10, CeNCOOS, a regional entity of IOOS, will host its annual meeting in Monterey, California, to conduct a review of ongoing and future activities. Approximately 50 participants representing a broad spectrum of partners, including government, academia, the private sector, and stakeholders, will attend. The group will discuss future strategies, governance, and operations for the region’s ocean and coastal observing, data management, and modeling and analysis efforts.

Further details:

Central and Northern California Ocean and Coastal Data System (CeNCOOS)

First Glider Attempt at Circumnavigating the Globe to Continue by End of Month

The first attempt at circumnavigating the world with an unmanned, underwater robotic vehicle – known as a ‘glider’ – is on hold, after a successful recovery off the Northern shore of Sao Miguel in the Azores. The mission is an effort of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). The robot did fly an astonishing 3,940 kilometers in 164 days at sea. This made Silbo the first glider to fly from Arctic waters near Iceland to the warmer waters of the Sargasso sea, adjacent to the Azores. Diagnostic tests show the glider needs a new battery pack to continue. The team plans to install new batteries, redeploy Silbo, and have it continue the legendary Challenger Mission within the next few weeks.

Learn more about:

• Gliders, their applications and deployements
• Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Region, MARACOOS

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December 2011

IOOS Partners Work Together to Recover Runaway Buoy

A buoy that drifted from its station in the Gulf of Maine will soon be back at its post, thanks to collaboration between NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the Northerastern Regional Association of Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. IOOS.

Further information:

• Press Release from NOAA Fisheries Service: Ocean Data Buoy Recovered
• About the Northerastern Regional Association of Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS)

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U.S. IOOS Annual Report is provided to IOOC

As required by the ICOOS Act, NOAA as the Lead Federal Agency for U.S. IOOS provided the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, IOOC with a "State of U.S. IOOS". 

State of U.S. IOOS Briefing (pptx)

A New Datawell Mark II Waverider Buoy Deployed by the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System

The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS), a regional component of the Integrated Ocean Observing System, deployed a new Datawell Mark II Waverider Buoy north of Kahului off the Island of Maui, Hawaii.  PacIOOS says this buoy will help to inform safe transit entering and exiting Kahului Harbor, provide real-time data to recreational ocean users (e.g., surfers, sailors, paddlers), and provide critical information for coastal hazard and low-lying inundation forecasts for north-facing shores. Streaming data on wave height, direction, period, and water temperature from this buoy and six others in the PacIOOS Region can be found at the PacIOOS website (www.pacioos.org), the Coastal Data Information Program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (http://cdip.ucsd.edu), and via Twitter @buoy51205.

Additional information about PacIOOS is available at this location:
http://www.ioos.gov/regions/pacioos.html

The 5th Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) Industry Workshop

The 5th Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) Industry Workshop, also called The Pacific Northwest Waters: Gateway to Our Future workshop,will take place on February 2, 2012. Microsoft Research will host this event at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond, Washington.

Click here for further information, agenda details, registraion and more.

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IOOS Participates in Largest Worldwide Conference in Geophysical Sciences

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System will speak at a plenary session at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, California, Dec 5-9, 2011. The presentation focuses on the benefits of IOOS to the nation’s safety, economy, and environment. Speaking at this venue provides IOOS with the opportunity to reach thousands of scientists to broaden understanding of the U.S. IOOS, strengthen existing collaborations, and potentially forge new partnerships.

The American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting is the largest worldwide conference in the geophysical sciences, attracting nearly 20,000 Earth and space scientists, educators, students, and policy makers. This meeting showcases current scientific theory focused on discoveries that will benefit humanity and aid a sustainable future for our planet.

Resources for further details are available, as follows:

• American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting website
• Question about AGU: service@agu.org
• Questions about AGU Fall Meeting:  fm-help@agu.org

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IOOS Mid-Atlantic Region Highlights Vital Partnerships and Leverages Existing Efforts at Annual Meeting

On December 15-16, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), will host its annual meeting to highlight vital partnerships and leverage existing efforts. Federal, state, local, academic, and private sector partners and stakeholders from around the region will gather in Washington, D.C. to review successful partnerships and lay groundwork for new ones in the future. Meeting agenda highlights include a morning address from Mary Glackin, NOAA Deputy Undersecretary, discussion of ten-year build-out plans for IOOS, and focused talks on improving the economic, environmental, and general well-being of residents and visitors in the Mid-Atlantic.

The meeting will highlight partnerships vital to safeguard lives, enhance water quality and public health, improve flood warnings, protect fish stocks from overfishing while enhancing the fishing experience, save shipping time and fuel costs, and spawn new business. The meeting also focuses on leveraging existing efforts to maximize value for stakeholders throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Additional information:

• Click to read the full version of this story
• About the Mid-Atlantic Region
• Prentation MARACOOS Annual Meeting Overview of U.S. IOOS (pptx), delivered by Zdenka Willis, Director, US IOOS Program Office

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IOOS^® Provides Majority of Ocean and Coastal Observations in the Northeast

New numbers show that the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), provides more than 50% of surface and 90% of underwater observations in the northeastern part of the United States. Additionally, in a user survey, more than 75% of people surveyed said services NERACOOS provides are critical to their daily lives.
NERACOOS has established itself as an important presence and resource in the Northeast region. It is fostering partnerships that are coalescing with U.S. IOOS-NERACOOS efforts to provide ocean and coastal observing data.

Read full story here.

Learn more about the Northeastern Coastal Ocean Observing System, NERACOOS

• About Northeast Atlantic Region NERACOOS
• NERACOOS website

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November 2011

Alaska Region Launches Upgraded Real-Time Sensor Map

On Nov 21st, the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), released a new version of the AOOS real-time sensor map. New capabilities include the ability to see the latest observations from multiple sensors housed on a single station at the same time, bookmark a specific view to return to or send to a friend, and view wind vectors on the main map, showing wind direction and magnitude. AOOS will soon add wave vectors as well.  Users can also view a visual representation of relative differences in temperature, precipitation, or other parameters of their choosing across stations.

Learn more about the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS):

• About Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS)
• AOOS website

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U.S. IOOS® Delivers Report to Congress

The first biennial U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Report to Congress (2011) is now available online. The Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observing System (ICOOS) Act of 2009 requires the report, transmitted by the National Ocean Council to Congress last month. This report provides the current implementation status of the U.S. IOOS. To date, the U.S. IOOS program mainly focused on identifying diverse needs of the federal government and users in the regions, and developing the hardware and software foundation, as well as the governance and programmatic structure for the U.S. IOOS.

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New Website Eases Information Access for Stakeholders in the Gulf of Mexico

A new website provides the one-stop shop information requested by boaters and fishermen in U.S. Gulf of Mexico waters:
http://gcoos.tamu.edu/products/maps/boaters/

The Gulf Coast Ocean Observing System (GCOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), repackaged real-time data into a website that includes seven-day oceanographic and meteorological conditions and forecasts. The product concept emerged during stakeholder workshops targeting recreational boating and fishing communities. Incorporating information from GCOOS data providers and several NOAA Offices, the suite of information offered includes near real-time weather radar, satellite cloud coverage, sea surface and air temperature, wind speed and direction, surface current speed and direction, and water depth.  Users can select map layers to show nautical charts, marine hazard warnings, and habitat maps such as Essential Fish Habitat and Marine Protected Areas.

Learn more about the Gulf of Mexico Region, GCOOS

• About Gulf of Mexico Region, GCOOS
• GCOOS website

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IOOS Represented at Annual Meeting of Decision Making Body on Earth Observations

During the week of November 12-18, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS^®) director, Zdenka Willis, traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) lead representative for the Eighth Plenary Session of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO).  GEO is a voluntary partnership of governments and international organizations coordinating efforts to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The goal of GEOSS is to provide decision makers with scientific information that can advance societal benefit areas such as human health, ecosystems, climate change and air and water quality. The plenary session fostered a better understanding of global earth observing needs and collaboration among the various components of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Regional Alliances, to which IOOS contributes. 

Click here for further details.

 

NOAA Grant to Advance Harmful Algal Bloom Warnings to Protect Public and Animal Health in Coastal California

A new NOAA grant to total more than $4M will investigate methods that could provide early warning of toxic algae outbreaks off southern and central California. The research will investigate harmful algal bloom “hot spots” as part of a partnership between researchers funded by NOAA's Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) program, and two U.S. IOOS partners - the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System and the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System. The teams will combine the detection and monitoring of the toxic blooms with ocean models that can forecast ocean conditions, potentially leading to bloom predictions, thus protecting public and animal health in the area.

• Press release: NOAA awards grant to advance harmful algal bloom warnings to protect public and animal health in coastal California
• Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System
• Southern California Ocean Observing System
• Additional information about Harmful Algal Blooms, early detection methods

NOAA and Partners Establish Community Standards for Biological Observing Data Integration

U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS^®) facilitated development of community standards for biological observing data. Biological data include information on species’ presence or absence and abundance. These standards are designed to ease access to integrated biological observations, thus maximizing the value of these data. This accomplishment, which supports conservation efforts, such as biodiversity and ecosystem-based fishery conservation and management, is the result of an 18-month pilot project among IOOS and one of its regional entities, the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System. Other partners include NOAA Fisheries and the National Ocean Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and academic sources in the Pacific region.

Further information about the Biologigal Observations:

• MTS reference paper - Moustahfid et al. 2011
  Making United States Integrated Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS) Inclusive of Marine Biological Resources Ecosystems Observation, Oceans 11 MTS/IEEE Kona- September 2011 in Data Visualization and Access (110408-005
• Biological data services at the Pacific Islands Region website
  
• FGDC and ISO Metadata
• The U.S. IOOS Biological Observations Data Project, BDP

IOOC Development of Certification Standards for Non-Federal Assets

In accordance with the ICOOS Act, the IOOC has developed a draft set of certification criteria to be used to certify Regional Information Coordination Entities (RICEs), which includes IOOS Regional Associations (RAs) by definition. Certified RICEs who meet both governance and management criteria and data partner criteria will received civil liability protection for incidents or accidents arising from the use or dissemination of regional IOOS data.

The IOOC is seeking public comments on the draft certification criteria through January 6, 2012.

• Copy of the Federal Register Notice requesting input (pdf)
• Details on how to submit comments and on planning and executing U.S. IOOS, please visit IOOS Governance and management

West Coast IOOS® Regions Sign Memorandum of Understanding

The three West Coast regional components of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) are expanding and strengthening ocean observing collaboration under a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU represents a formal commitment to work together with governmental and non-governmental entities to serve requirements for ocean observations, data, and information at the scale of the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME). The Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS), the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS), and the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) agreed jointly to plan CCLME observations and share information  that will mutually benefit each sub-region and the West Coast as a whole.

Click here for further details and to read the MOU

U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) and Partners Establish Community Standards for Biological Observing Data Integration

The week of November 7, IOOS will make community standards for biological observing data available to the nation. Biological data includes information on species’ presence, absence, or abundance. The standards are designed to increase access to and availability of such data, and reduce the time that researchers must spend locating and integrating data from various providers. This activity, which supports conservation efforts such as biodiversity and ecosystem-based fishery conservation and management, is the result of a two-year pilot project between IOOS and one of its regional entities, the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System. Other partners include NOAA, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and academic sources in the Pacific region.
Further Details: Ecosystem Observations

October 2011

IOOS Participates in Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Regional Alliance (RA) and EUROGOOS Meetings

Representatives of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) participated in the fifth Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Regional Alliance (RA) Forum and the sixth European Global Ocean Observing System (EuroGOOS) meetings October 3-6, 2011, in Sopot, Poland. 
The U.S. team included Eric Lindstrom, NASA, as co-chair of the Integrated Framework for Sustained Ocean Observations Task Team and the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) Co-Chair; Zdenka Willis, NOAA Director of the U.S. IOOS Program Office as the chair U.S. GOOS Regional Alliance; Paul Diagacomo, NOAA, as co-chair of the Panel for Integrated Coastal Observations (PICO); Doug Wilson, NOAA, as co-chair of a component of the GOOS Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's Regional Sub-commission for the Caribbean (IOCARIBE-GOOS); Scott Glenn, Josh Kohut, and Hugh Roarty of Rutgers University and U.S. IOOS Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS); Laura Pederson, Coastal Ocean Dynamics Application Radar (CODAR) Ocean Sensors.

On October 3, 2011, Eric, Paul, Doug and Zdenka were part of the GOOS RA meeting. Eric briefed the new Ocean Observations Framework; Paul discussed the PICO generated draft GOOS Coastal Module Implementation Plan; Doug and Zdenka represented two of the GOOS RAs. The United States will host the next meeting in 2013, and Ms. Willis will take over as Chairman of the GOOS RA council. During the GOOS RA meeting, the Rutgers/MARACOOS/CODAR team met separately with the Polish Institute of Meteorology for a training session on High Frequency (HF) Radar and the development of an HF Radar network in the Baltic Sea.

From October 4-6, these representatives also attended the EuroGOOS meeting. Eric and Zdenka spoke during the plenary session.

Eric presented the Framework for Ocean Observations. Zdenka presented U.S. IOOS – Delivering the Benefits, posted here.

All participated in the session devoted to the GOOS RA presentations. Scott Glenn was featured in one of the sessions looking at Oil Spill Response across EuroGOOS, and spoke on the U.S. IOOS role during Deep Water Horizon. His presentations can be found at:  http://rucool.marine.rutgers.edu/index.php/Presentations/

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New Whale Observations in Alaska Ocean Observing System

The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, is now collecting public observations of belugas in Cook Inlet with the help of an online form. The information will help improve the understanding of beluga seasonal patterns. AOOS is sharing the data with NOAA, as well as other federal and state agencies. The online form collects basic information such as the date of the observation, the location, the number of whales, and notes about behavior.
Further Details: Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS)

September 2011

New Coral Reef Monitoring Tool in the U.S. Pacific Islands

Coral reef managers in the U.S. Pacific Islands will now receive early warning of dangerous environmental conditions that can weaken and kill high value coral reefs. Further details are available at the Pacific Islands Region section.

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IOOS^® to Reach Out to Marine Technology Companies

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program reached out to representatives from marine technology companies by hosting two sessions and an exhibit at the OCEANS ’11 Conference in Kona, Hawaii. One town hall communicated how ocean observing programs identify and respond to customer needs. The second event, a forum, encouraged active dialogue about the state of emerging ocean observing technologies and offered a chance for ocean industries and other stakeholders to discuss how the technology development chain works and to identify areas for improvement.

OCEANS '11, jointly sponsored by the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and the Oceanic Engineering Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE/OES), is a major international forum for scientists, engineers, and other ocean users to present the latest research results, ideas, developments and applications in Oceanic Engineering and Marine Technology. Hosting these sessions allowed the IOOS community to interact and exchange ideas with representatives from some of the hundreds of marine technology companies that attended the event.

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New Ocean Observing Tools Provide Additional Data and Information in Alaska

The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), is now serving information collected at a new long-range high frequency radar system recently installed in Alaska. This new site at Point Lay adds to two previous sites located at Barrow and Wainwright and operated by the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and can collect data up to 200km offshore to increase coverage into the Chukchi Sea. The sites are funded by the Bureau of Ocean Energy, Management, Regulation and Enforcement, Shell Oil, and Chevron-Phillips.High frequency radar systems bounce signals off the water to create a map of the surface currents.

Scientists can track oil spills, make conclusions about water quality, assess our ecosystems and make fisheries management decisions based on these surface current maps. The maps improve accuracy of predictions of how victims lost at sea or other objects will travel in the water.

• Alaska Coastal Ocean Observing System

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In spite of the damage, RU23 glider was able to show the changing wind driven currents combined with the rotating inertial currents associated with the tail of hurricane Irene

An unmanned, underwater robotic vehicle – known as a "glider" – damaged by Hurricane Irene continued to collect critical data on ocean currents within the storm as it drifted. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (MARACOOS), a regional entity of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), deployed the glider as a joint mission with the U.S. Navy to map the regional structure of warm surface water and cold bottom water between Massachusetts and New Jersey. Despite springing a leak and losing a wing during the hurricane, the glider continued collecting data on changing wind driven currents combined with rotating inertial currents associated with the tail of the hurricane.

• Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System
• Damaged Underwater Glider Rescued by local fisherman off the coast of Long Island after Hurricane Irene
• Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System responds to Hurricane Irene
  
• About Gliders

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NOAA Partners Monitor and Report Hurricane Irene’s Progress, Aftermath

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) provided data and information to support preparation and response efforts, and to inform forecasts and predictions, ahead of Hurricane Irene last week. The Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Caribbean regions delivered around-the-clock information on their websites to include models, data from inside the hurricane, tracking information, and classroom lesson plans about hurricanes. The Mid-Atlantic and Southeast sites generated two to four times as much online traffic as usual. Nearly all high frequency radar sites remained running to collect data on surface currents. The Mid-Atlantic region also used an unmanned, underwater glider to collect data inside the hurricane. The Delaware River Basin Commission, Connecticut governor’s office, U.S. Coast Guard, New York Times, National Hurricane Center, and NOAA all used IOOS data about the storm for various purposes.

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August 2011

New Tools Ease Access to Ocean and Coastal Data

Ocean observations are now easier to access on the go in several parts of the country. Members of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) in the Central and Northern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) recently launched a mobile data portal for Apple brand products. The CeNCOOS Data Portal app works for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, providing real-time ocean and coastal weather information in the region. A similar app is available for Apple and android phones in the Northwest region of IOOS. This newest tool comes at the same time as several regions are updating their websites to provide easier ocean and coastal data access. This includes new satellite data overlays within the Pacific Islands that allow both daily and multi-day composite images and historical archives. Details

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May 2011

NOAA and Partners to Fill Ocean Data Gap in Alaska

New ocean and coastal data will be available to address a stakeholder-identified gap in coverage in Alaska. This weekend, the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, will launch a wave buoy from Anchor Point on Kenai Peninsula and deploy it to lower Cook Inlet. The buoy will stream near real-time data on waves and sea surface temperature to support a wide variety of marine operations. AOOS purchased the buoy and will fund its maintenance. AOOS is working with several other partners critical to the deployment operation, including the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Coastal Data Information Program, the National Data Buoy Center, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Park Service. Buoy data and information will be available on several websites, including the AOOS site.

 

April 2011

NOAA, Partners to Prioritize Technical Focus for Regional Data Management

From April 26-28, roughly 24 regional and Federal representatives from around the Nation convened for an annual meeting in Silver Spring, MD, to move U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) data integration efforts to the next phase. The group defined existing capabilities to standardize data across the nation, set priorities of technical focus for each region over the next two to three years, and discussed how best to begin archiving ocean observing data for extended future value. This meeting came just weeks after the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) sanctioned a U.S. Data Management and Communications (DMAC) Steering Committee, which will gather for the first time as a group in May.

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New Tool Increases Ocean Data Accessibility in the Southeast

A new tool is increasing accessibility to ocean data in the Southeast. Regional members of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) recently updated a website that allows users to interact with model predictions in a Google Map framework. The updated site is more user-friendly, allowing easy access to critical ocean and coastal data such as temperature and salinity measurements, and particle trajectory models. It is anticipated that these updates will help scientists determine where to deploy observational assets, facilitate monitoring of the ocean environment by coastal managers, and help the U.S. Coast Guard in their search and rescue work.
More about U.S. IOOS, Search and Rescue and other benefits to society.

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New Ocean Observation Tool to Improve Port Safety in Caribbean

By the end of this week, a new tool will begin delivering critical information to improve port safety in the Caribbean. Regional partners of the Integrated Ocean Observing System will launch a buoy southeast of St. Thomas on the U.S. Virgin Islands insular shelf that delivers data such as wave height and direction, current velocity, temperature, and salinity. Stakeholders specifically requested this buoy to better plan scheduled approaches to the Charlotte Amalie port and ease inter-island ferry operations.

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March 2011

IOOS^® Brings Marine Animal Tagging Community Together

The NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program recently announced it would soon begin serving biological data. The announcement came during a media tour of a world-renowned marine animal tagging facility at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University in Monterey, California. The media event followed a workshop organized by IOOS to bring together some of the country's leading scientists in the field of marine animal tagging for unprecedented discussions on priorities for a stronger national tagging capacity in the context of ocean observations. IOOS has committed to begin serving this data by Fall.

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IOOS^® Delivers New Data Products and Outreach Tools in Alaska

A series of new atmospheric and oceanographic models, as well as other observational data products, are now available from a single location to stakeholders in Alaska and others who might wish to view them. Regional partners of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System serve the new tools on the Alaska Ocean Observing System website's model explorer application. The resources include the National Digital Forecast Database atmospheric model, the Regional Ocean Modeling System's Gulf of Alaska and North Pacific Circulation forecast, and the newly released Multisensor Analyzed Sea Ice Extent data product developed by the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

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NOAA, Partners Serve Data to Revive Troubled West Coast Shellfish Industry

New data shows oyster hatcheries on the verge of collapse just a few years ago are again major contributors to the $111 million West Coast shellfish industry, thanks in part to a $500,000 Federal investment in the monitoring of coastal seawater. This effort is strengthened by data and observational information from U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS^®) partners and the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program. Real-time data from offshore U.S. IOOS buoys act as an early warning system for shellfish hatcheries, signaling the approach of cold, acidified seawater one to two days before it arrives in the sensitive coastal waters where larvae are cultivated. The data enable hatchery managers to schedule production when water quality is good.
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Features

IOOS Meeting with Smartbay Ireland and the Marine Institute (Jan, 2013)

IOOS Contributes to Setting the Course for UK Operational Oceanography (Jan 2013)

The Economic Value of Ocean Observing, NERACOOS Annual Meeting 2012 (Dec, 2012)

Christening the Challenger Glider and Student Engagement (Dec, 2012)

Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Tasks are Highlighted at the Oceans and Society: Blue Planet Symposium, 2012 (Nov, 2012)

U.S. IOOS and Eye on Earth Collaboration: U.S. IOOS, SECOORA, NANOOS Advancing International Partnerships (Nov, 2012)

U.S. IOOS featured on the Ocean Observations and Coastal Zone Management panel at the Maritime Alliance – 4th Annual Blue Tech & Blue Economy Summit (Nov, 2012)

Southern California Region (SCCOOS) Focuses on Climate and Ecosystems at the Annual Board of Governors Meeting (Nov, 2012)

MARACOOS focuses on stakeholders' needs at the 2012 Annual Meeting (Nov, 2012)

Oceans ’12 MTS/IEEE Conference (Oct, 2012)

GCOOS and Partners discuss Observing in the Gulf of Mexico (Oct, 2012)

Thai Delegation Investigates U.S. IOOS HFR Model for Potential Adoption (August, 2012)

Water Utility Publicly Attributes Business Improvements to IOOS, NOAA Efforts (July, 2012)

Scientist Features IOOS and Ocean Acidification at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (July, 2012)

Ocean Radar Conference for Asia (May, 2012)

Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association Hosts Annual Meeting, 2012 (May, 2012)

The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) and the Aloha Spirit (Apr, 2012)

Great Lakes Observing System Hosts Annual Meeting (Mar, 2012)

IOOS and Partners Host International Session on Ocean Observing at Oceanology International 2012 Conference (Mar, 2012)

Ocean Observing Partners Launch Process for Quality Assurance of Marine Data (Mar, 2012)

New Map Tracks Underwater Robotic Vehicles and Delivers Historical Marine Data (Mar, 2012)

Unmanned Vehicles to Support IOOS Mission (Feb, 2012)

Pacific Northwest Waters: Gateway to Our Future - The 5th Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) Industry Workshop (Feb, 2012)

Alaska Region Sponsors the Alaska Marine Science Symposium (Jan, 2012)

The value of strong collaboration among U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing Systems is demonstrated at the Central and Northern California Region's Annual Meeting (Jan, 2012)

U.S. IOOS Mid-Atlantic Region Highlights Vital Partnerships and Leverages Existing Efforts at Annual Meeting (Dec, 2011)

IOOS Provides Majority of Ocean and Coastal Observations in the Northeast (Nov, 2011)

IOOS Represented at Annual Meeting of Decision Making Body on Earth Observations (Nov, 2011)

West Coast IOOS Regions Sign Memorandum of Understanding (Nov, 2011)

IOOS Regional Member Site Visit: Rutgers University (Aug, 2011)

 

U.S. IOOS Improves Lives and Livelihoods

Predicting severe weather, to forecasting hazards, monitoring water qaulity, imroving search and resue times, and more.
Read about how U.S. IOOS enhances the lives of American Citizens.

 

Socio-Economic Benefits of U.S. IOOS

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Z-Gram Program Updates

Bi-weekly U.S. IOOS program updates.