Transcript An Academic`s Long-Range Vision for Ocean Observing and

An Academic’s Long-Range Vision for
Ocean Observing and Predicting
The Concept of a Distributed National Laboratory to
Support Science, Education and Practical Operations
L. Donelson Wright, SURA Fellow for Coastal Research,
Southeastern Universities Research Association
1201 New York Ave. NW, Suite 430
Washington, DC 20005
Capitol Hill Oceans Week
June 14, 2006
The Integrated Ocean Observing System
(IOOS) is
“A coordinated national and international network of
observations, data management and analyses that
systematically acquires and disseminates data and
information on past, present and future states of the
oceans and the nation’s EEZ”
The NSF Ocean Research Interactive
Observatory Networks (ORION) Program is
an emerging network of science-driven ocean observing
systems.
IOOS and ORION are synergistic and will share assets.
IOOS will integrate ocean observational and research data
and make it available to support societal goals.
Natural Hazards
Climate Change & Weather
Marine Operations
Sustainable Resources
Healthy Ecosystems
Public Health Risks
Homeland Security
IOOS and ORION are Highly Complementary
The NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) will
contribute assets that can be shared by both
•The system envisioned represents the ocean component of the
Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). GEOSS
plans include IOOS, ORION and the NSF Ocean Observatories
Initiative (OOI) which is a component of ORION.
•The IOOS is primarily driven by immediate societal needs and
emphasizes data streams to facilitate timely decision-making.
• ORION and the OOI are motivated by fundamental scientific
questions that will improve predictions of oceanic processes.
•Coordination between the IOOS and the ORION will involve
interoperable strategies for the collection, management and
dissemination of information and for education and outreach.
•Sensors and methods developed for ORION via the OOI will be
integrated into the IOOS, providing a clearer picture of the oceans.
Integration
will be a defining concept for ocean and coastal
observing programs at all geographic scales.
•We will integrate among disciplines, among agencies and
among the hierarchy of programs and sub programs.
•Academic research will be integrated with applications.
•Sensor networks will be integrated with models.
•Effective integration will allow one “system of systems”
to provide information for advancing fundamental
understanding, supporting routine operations, and
solving resource management problems.
Integration will be enabled by the “glue” of
information technology (IT). Effective
governance will provide the “catalyst”.
Integration will be enabled by information technology (IT).
Standardize encapsulation & transport over Internet/NLR
Data Providers
Prediction Systems
System Services
NASA
NOAA
Meteorological
Prediction Systems
Data & Archive
Services
USGS
NSF/ORION
Data Discovery
Tide, Surge and Wave
Prediction
Regional Associations
Applications
Planning
State Programs
Innovative Research
Programs
University Programs
Standardize module interfaces (servers & clients)
Decision Support
Tools
In return for having access to distributed ocean
and coastal data and information, the research
community is obliged to bridge the gap between
scientific research and coastal operations and to
do so in immediate time frames.
The Bridge from Research to Operations
Research……..
Research Areas
that IOOS will benefit
• Coastal and ocean circulation models
• Estuarine mixing and circulation
• Wave and storm surge modeling
• Climate change research
• Marine boundary layer studies
• Predicting harmful algal blooms
• Predicting chemical dispersal
• Water quality modeling
• Ecosystem dynamics
• Multi-species fisheries research
…..Applications &
Operations
IOOS Operational Goals
that research will benefit
• Improve safety & efficiency of marine operations
• Mitigate the effects of natural hazards
• Improve predictions of climate change
• Improve predictions of weather
• Improve national and homeland security
• Reduce public health risks
• Protect and restore healthy ecosystems
• Enable the sustained use of marine resources
Example of Interoperability:
OpenIOOS.org
The Southeast Region
OpenIOOS provided
accessible real-time stormsurge and wave predictions
before Katrina made
landfall.
Closing Points
• Our long-range vision of ocean and coastal
observing must not be constrained by today’s
technologies, bureaucracies or budgets.
• A single, integrated and multi-faceted system
must serve operational users, academia,
industry, agencies and resource managers.
• The IOOS that we urgently need requires a
highly functional partnership among multiple
federal and state agencies, industry, operational
stakeholders and academia. This is feasible.