Participant Project Summaries
Project Summaries
Central Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (CenGCOOS)
One of the 10 local data nodes in GCOOS...more info. needed
Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMPS)
COMPS consists of an array of instrumentation both along the coast and offshore, combined with numerical circulation models, and builds upon existing in-situ measurements and modeling programs funded by various state and federal agencies. In addition, COMPS links to the USF Remote Sensing Laboratory, which collects real-time satellite imagery via its HRPT and X-Band receivers. This observing system fulfills all of the requirements of the Coastal Module of the Global Ocean Observing System (CMGOOS). Data and model products are disseminated in real-time to federal, state, and local emergency management officials via the internet (URL http://comps.marine.usf.edu/). COMPS is designed to support a variety of operational and research efforts, including storm surge prediction, environmental protection, coastal erosion and sediment transport, red tide research (ECOHAB - Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms), and hyperspectral satellite remote sensing of coastal ocean dynamics (HYCODE). A precedent for this system already exists in the form of the Tampa Bay PORTS - itself a first for monitoring estuaries.
Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP)
The Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) is an extensive network for monitoring waves and beaches along the coastlines of the United States. Since its inception in 1975, the program has produced a vast database of publicly-accessible environmental data for use by coastal engineers and planners, scientists, mariners, and marine enthusiasts. The program has also remained at the forefront of coastal monitoring, developing numerous innovations in instrumentation, system control and management, computer hardware and software, field equipment, and installation techniques.
CDIP is operated by the Ocean Engineering Research Group (OERG), part of the Integrative Oceanography Division (IOD) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO).
Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) - specific project?
As a marine laboratory the DISL's mission encompasses marine science education, marine science research, coastal zone management policy and educating the general public through the Estuarium, DISL's public aquarium. Founded in 1971 by the State Legislature, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) is Alabama's marine science education and research laboratory. Located on the eastern tip of Dauphin Island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, the DISL is surrounded by Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound and the waters of the Gulf, making it perfectly situated for a wide range of marine science activity.
Defence Research and Development - Canada
Defence R&D Canada (DRDC) is an agency of the Canadian Department of National Defence responding to the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces. Its mission is to ensure that the CF remains scientifically and operationally relevant. The agency is made up of seven research centres located across Canada with a corporate office in Ottawa. DRDC has an annual budget of $300 million and employs 1500 people. With a broad scientific program, DRDC actively collaborates with industry, international allies, academia, other government departments and the national security community
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS)
The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) establishes a sustained observing system for the Gulf of Mexico and provides 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.
The sharing of data, models, and products via the Internet benefits all participants, including industry, non-governmental organizations, academia, and federal, state, regional, and local government agencies. The Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing System integrates with the other 10 regional coastal ocean observing systems in the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System.
Description of GCOOS Data Portal here.
Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GoMOOS)
GoMOOS was one of the first regional ocean observing system in the U.S. It is a member-based organization focused on similar categories of applications as GCOOS, but with a focus on Gulf of Maine issues.
Institute for Marine Remote Sensing (IMaRS) - specific project?
The Institute for Marine Remote Sensing (IMaRS) of the College of Marine Science is located in the Knight Oceanographic Research Center (KORC) building at the University of South Florida (USF) in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Our research activities focus on the analysis of digital data obtained by satellite and airborne sensors, and on the development of applications of these data at local, regional, and global scales. The main objective is to provide a better understanding of the world oceans on a large spatial and temporal scale. In situ optical and biological data are collected for ground truthing and to relate the apparent and inherent optical properties of water constituents with the remote sensors' signal. We specialize in coastal processes of highly variable regions like the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and Cuba using instruments such as AVHRR, CZCS, SeaWiFS, MODIS, and Landsat. We use other sensors such as altimeters and scatterometers to examine the physical environment in the adjacent deep ocean.
Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)
The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) was formed in 1979 to coordinate and stimulate Louisiana's activities in marine research and education. LUMCON provides coastal laboratory facilities to Louisiana universities, and conducts research and educational programs in the marine sciences.
Louisiana State University Earth Scan Laboratory- Specific project?
The ESL is a satellite data receiving station and image processing facility for environmental data from six unique earth observing sensor systems. We specialize in real-time access to satellite imagery and measurements of the atmosphere, oceans and coastal areas within the Gulf of Mexico / Caribbean Sea region, data which we obtain directly from satellite transmissions to three antennas on LSU rooftops. These data have many applications for research, education, and state emergency response. Our imagery is particularly valuable for monitoring and studying environmental processes which change relatively rapidly such as weather, coastal currents and surface fronts (rips), movements of the Loop Current and eddies, algal blooms, and vegetation changes.
Mote Marine Laboratory - specific project?
Mote Marine Laboratory is a scientific research and policy facility, with educational programs and an aquarium.
NOAA National Coastal Data Development Center - specific project?
NOAA's National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC) provides a coordinated data management system and data discovery mechanism for atmospheric, oceanographic, and terrestrial physical sciences to facilitate sustained economic growth, scientifically sound environmental management, and public safety to the Nation and the international community. NCDDC is a leader in Regional Ecosystem Data Management (REDM) and the establishment of Regional Ecosystem Data Assembly Portals that provide access to data and information through the cataloging, formatting, archiving, and dissemination of the data streams in collaboration with federal and state agencies, regional observing system associations, academic researchers, and non-governmental organizations. NCDDC ensures that core data variables for an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) are available to scientists in common usage formats via a web-based portal providing timely access to integrated observations data, information, products, and model analyses.
NOAA/IOOS Data Management and Communications - specific project?
Central to the success of Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and other regional, national, and international ocean and coastal observing systems, is the presence of a Data Management and Communications (DMAC) Subsystem capable of delivering: real-time and delayed-mode observations to a wide variety of users: data streams to modeling centers; model-generated forecasts to users; distributed biological measurements to scientists, educators, and planners; and all forms of data to and from secure archive facilities. The needs of end users must be a part of the implementation and operation of the subsystem, both as sources of specifications for subsystem design, and as agents of change to keep the delivery of products from IOOS-relevant to national interests.
NOAA National Data Buoy Center - specific project?
NDBC designs, develops, operates, and maintains a network of data collecting buoys and coastal stations.
National Ocean Service - specific project?
As one of five NOAA Line Offices, NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) works to observe, understand, and manage our nation's coastal and marine resources. NOS measures and predicts coastal and ocean phenomena, protects large areas of the oceans, works to ensure safe navigation, and provides tools and information to protect and restore coastal and marine resources.
In providing these services, NOS works closely with its NOAA partners: the National Weather Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, and NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations. Such partnerships are important to achieving a "one NOAA" vision. Partnerships can also bring a broader range of experience, knowledge, and skill to the table—to develop tools and services that benefit a greater number of people and solve complex resource management problems.
Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Cyberinfrastructure - specific project?
Responding to an ORION Project Office request, the ORION Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Committee appointed a subcommittee, headed by Matthew Arrott of UC San Diego, to create a draft conceptual architecture and budget framework for the cyberinfrastructure. The ORION Project Office and the CI Committee felt that this represented the best way to capture the design concepts needed for a forward-looking ocean observing system. The resulting product is to be delivered to the ORION Project Office in June. The ORION Project Office will use the materials as they see fit in community liaison, ORION budget analysis, and preparation of OOI Requests for Proposal.
That subcommittee, the CI Conceptual Architecture Design Team, has been working since March on this design. Early versions have been discussed with the community, and material from the ORION Design and Implementation Workshop was posted on the Marine Metadata Interoperability web site for public review. Additional materials and revisions are now available.
OceanSITES
OceanSITES is a worldwide system of long-term, deepwater reference
stations measuring dozens of variables and monitoring the full depth of
the ocean from air-sea interactions down to 5,000 meters.
QARTOD to OGC (Q2O)
Semantic Web for Earth and Environmental Terminology (SWEET)
The SWEET project provides a common semantic framework for various Earth science initiatives. The semantic web is a transformation of the existing web that will enable software programs, applications, and agents to find meaning and understanding on web pages. SWEET developed these capabilities in the context of finding and using Earth science data and information.
Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS)
SEACOOS is one of the 11 regional ocean observing systems within the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System.
Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction Program (SCOOP)
The SURA Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction (SCOOP) program is integrating diverse efforts and empowering a virtual community of scientists with the tools, resources, and ideas that lead to discovery. The purpose is to promote the effective and rapid fusion of observed oceanographic data with numerical models and to facilitate the rapid dissemination of information to operational, scientific, and public or private users.
In OOSTethys, a SCOOP-project, members of the ocean-science community are using Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards to implement an earth-observing "system of systems." OOSTethys partners develop, test and implement easy-to-use, open-source, OGC-compliant software, and have created a working prototype of networked, semantically interoperable, real-time data systems. The goal is to develop capabilities that will advance and support initiatives such as the IOOS, OOI, GEOSS and others.
Data Providers: Use OOSTethys software downloads & cookbooks to implement OGC web services.
Data Users: Explore HOWTOs for data clients & web-based visualizations from the OOSTethys reference implementation.
Developers: Help create new software components and get involved in the OGC Interoperability Experiment.
Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS)
TABS is a system of buoys in the Gulf of Mexico, providing real-time observations, with a focus on oil spill response applications.
Texas Coastal Ocean Observation Network (TCOON)
In 1989 the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi commenced the installation of a modern state-of-the-art water-level measurement system along the Texas coast. The first measurement systems installed by CBI were intended to provide real-time water-level and meteorological information to the City of Corpus Christi to assist local officials with preparations for incoming hurricanes and tropical storms. From this initial work, other state agencies such as the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Water Development Board began contracting CBI to provide similar information for other areas along the Texas coast. Following a Texas Legislative mandate in 1991, this network of water level gauges became the Texas Coastal Ocean Observation Network (TCOON). As a result, TCOON expanded from an initial three stations in Corpus Christi in 1989 to over forty stations by 1992.
Wave Current Surge Information System (WaVCIS)
WAVCIS is a monitoring program, providing wave information (sea state) including wave height, period, direction of propagation, water level, surge, near surface current speed and direction and meteorological conditions on a real-time basis around the entire Louisiana coast.