Worth Nowlin

Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System:
the Gulf component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System

Worth D. Nowlin, Jr.
Texas A&M University and National Data Buoy Center

     The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is being coordinated by U.N. agencies with the participation of some 100 ocean nations. It is an end-to-end system of observations, data management, and production and distribution of products/services. At the request of the U.S. Congress, the federal agencies of the NOPP (National Oceanographic Partnership Program) are planning and developing an Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) for the U.S. The Office responsible for this development is Ocean.US.
     The IOOS consists of (1) a U.S. contribution to the global component of GOOS focused on climate and maritime services and (2) a coastal observing system for the U.S. EEZ, estuaries, and Great Lakes. IOOS is intended to provide information to help:
     Detect and forecast oceanic components of climate variability,
     Facilitate safe and efficient marine operations,
     Ensure national security,
     Manage marine resources,
     Preserve and restore healthy marine ecosystems,
     Mitigate natural hazards, and
     Ensure public health.
 The coastal component will consist of:
•  A National Backbone of observations and products from our coastal ocean supported by federal agencies; and
•  Contributions of Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems.
To be eligible for federal support, each Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System must have a Regional Association that:
•  Provides representative governance and the capability to receive and distribute funds with all approved accounting procedures;
•  Maintains a sound business plan indicating users, requirements, costs, and sources of support; and
•  Represents the regional system within a National Federation of Regional Associations.
     Beginning in November 2002, three regional meetings have been held to develop a Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS). A GCOOS mission statement has been adopted. A resolution to develop GCOOS and to begin that development by sharing of non-commercial, non-proprietary data and products has been signed by some forty individuals representing themselves or institutions.
     Many activities can comprise initial building blocks for a regional ocean observing system for the Gulf of Mexico. These include continuing observations, satellite products, models, and other information supported by federal and state government, private industry, and academia. We have compiled an inventory of such activities, together with descriptions, costs, sources of support, and possible out-year budgets.
     These activities provide information that could have broader use if integrated and enhanced. We have begun that process by several approaches. First, we have established a web site (www.gcoos.org) which is a portal to such activities and contains pertinent information regarding the GCOOS. Second, we began two years ago sharing data and information. As a prime example, most real-time physical data now collected in the region are transferred to the National Data Buoy Center of NOAA where they are quality controlled and further distributed nationally and internationally so that they may be used by anyone preparing analyses or forecasts. Non-physical data collected in real time will be added to this system. We have installed OPeNDAP data servers at numerous institutions with data archives to facilitate ease of access and standard transfer of data.
     The NOAA Coastal Services Center has provided us a grant to assist in the development of a Regional Association as a formal structure to manage the GCOOS. A Gulf-wide meeting to consider and adopt an initial organizational structure for that association is planned for September 2004.