Summary of GCOOS Workshops Held

1
Summary of GCOOS Workshops Held

• Ann E. Jochens, JD, PhD
• GCOOS Regional Coordinator
• April 2006 GCOOS Meetings

2
Objective

• To summarize GCOOS workshops held to date with
  some results and to indicate upcoming workshops

3

• Since October 2000, eight Gulf-wide meetings
  have been held with the following foci
• Academia
• State and federal agencies
• Private sectors
• Predicting, detecting, and tracking Harmful Algal
  Blooms (HABs)
• Underpinning research
• Education and outreach
• Governance and Business Plan for Regional
  Association
• Requirements of offshore energy industry

4
Gulf of Mexico Regional NVODS WorkshopStennis
Space Center, MS, 31 Oct - 2 Nov 2000

• To introduce regional data providers to the
  Distributed Ocean Data System (DODS)
• To share information regarding regional data
  archived and that being collected
• To obtain commitments for data sharing
• To assess future needs for data sharing

5

• 41 participants representing 25 organizations.
• 16 formal presentations describing data holdings
• 12 verbal commitments by workshop participants to
  serve selections of their data holdings via
  DODS-enabled servers
• Agreement on post-workshop activities to promote
  data sharing
• As follow up, the Gulf of Mexico regional
  partners were contacted to inquire regarding
  resources that might be needed to serve their
  data sets and to encourage data sharing.

6
Meeting Attendees and Affiliations

• Tony Amos, University of Texas Marine Science
  Institute
• Landry Bernard, NAVOCEANO
• John Blaha, NAVOCEANO
• Jim Bonner, TAMU-CC/TEES
• Jim Braud, NAVOCEANO
• Richard Campanella, Tulane/Xavier Center for
  Bioenvironmental Research
• Jim Corbin, MSU ERC/CCS
• Steve Foster, MSU ERC/IDSL
• Jim Fritz, TPMC
• Mike Garcia, SAIC/NDBC
• Norman Guinasso, GERG/Texas AM University
• Martha Head, NAVOCEANO
• Dan Holloway, University of Rhode Island
• Matthew Howard, Texas AM University
• Stephan Howden, University of Southern
  Mississippi
• George Ioup, University of New Orleans/Stennis
• Peter Lessing, NDBC
• John Lever, NDBC
• Alexis Lugo-Fernandez, Minerals Management
  Service

• Robert Buzz Martin, Texas General Land Office
• Eugene Meier, Gulf of Mexico Program
• Patrick Michaud, TAMU-CC/CBI
• Bob Molinari, AOML/NOAA
• Steve Morey, COAPS/Florida State University
• Frank Muller-Karger, University of South Florida
• Doug Myhre, University of South Florida
• Worth Nowlin, TAMU/NAVOCEANO
• Jim OBrien, COAPS/Florida State University
• George Rey, LEAG/CBR
• Reyna Sabina, AOML/NOAA
• Mitch Shank, NAVOCEANO
• Ruben Solis, Tx Water Development Board
• Susan Starke, NCDDC/NOAA
• Vembu Subramanian, University of South Florida
• Molly Sullivan, Tulane University
• Jack Tamul, NAVOCEANO
• William Teague, NRL
• Nan Walker, Lousiana State University

7
Progress with Data Sharing
8
Sharing Data in Real Time

• National Data Buoy Center agreed to receive,
  quality control, and distribute appropriate real
  time data.
• Most major Gulf producers of such data now are
  providing through this path, including notably
  the major systems
• NDBC platforms
• Texas Automated Buoy System
• Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System
• Texas Coastal Ocean Observing Network
• CenGOOS
• LUMCON Observations

9
Regional Servers

• AOML Physical Oceanography Group (Molinari
  Sabina)
• Installed DODS server on existing AOML
  website
• Opened to public in August 2003 - but has
  server problems
• Serving 41,500 XBT profiles from years
  1966-2000
• Serving 138 drifter trajectories
• Plan to add XBT profiles as time permits
• DISL Dauphin Island Sea Lab (Keri Duvall
  Melissa Kincke)
• Received DODS configured server from TAMU
• Server is online
• Working on format conversion of sensor
  data
• LUMCON Marine Consortium (Brenda Babin)
• Received DODS configured server from TAMU
• Server is online
• Have developed suitable netCDF format
  conversion software
• In process of populating server

10
Regional Servers Continued

• USF Satellite Group (Muller-Karger Brock
  Murch)
• Servers purchased by NVODS and configured
• Currently serving proprietary SeaWiFS
  images
• Currently serving full-swath AVHRR data
  in hdf
• Plan to serve public domain SeaWifs
  images
• Plan to serve archived AVHRR data.
• USF Coastal Observations (COMPS Group Luther
  
• Subramanian)
• Servers purchased by NVODS and configured
• Scripts to automate serving of
  near-real-time data are
• under development
• Serving 8 coastal stations
• Serving test data for 4 offshore buoys
• Serving nowcast and forecast model data
• Plan to serve offshore buoy archived data
• Plan to install Live Access Server

11
Regional Servers Continued

• NDBC National Data Buoy Center
• Server online
• Serving all Gulf of Mexico buoy CMAN
  stations
• Serving meteorological and wave data
  Sept-2001 to Mar 2003
• TAMU Dept. of Oceanography (Nowlin Howard)
• Server up - new interface with aids to
  data selection
• Serving historical data 9500
  CTD/STD/Bottle profiles, 29000 XBT, 8 Million
  hours current meter time series, and 33 river
  discharge data sets from northern Gulf of Mexico
• GERG Geochemical and Environmental Research
  Group
• (Guinasso Lee)
• Server online
• Serving archived Texas Automated Buoy
  System (TABS) data
• Working on scripts to append near real
  time data
• Thinking about using FreeForm server

12
Regional Servers Continued

• TWDB Texas Water Development Board (Dale
  Crockett)
• Currently developing netCDF format
  conversion routines
• for their Bay Model Circulation Data Sets
• UTMSI Coastal Observations Group (Tony Amos)
• NVODS supported for recovery of data in
  archives
• Server purchased and configured by TAMU
• FreeForm data format designed and tested
• Data population in progress
• Server hacked and taken offline in
  October 2003.

13
Other existing DODS servers in Gulf of Mexico
region

• Florida State University, Center for
  Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS).
  Serving NSCAT Winds, QuikSCAT Winds, FSU Winds,
  WOCE Ship Data
• Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO). Serving
  SWAFS circulation model output, wave model
  output, bathymetry, MCSST
• Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC).
  Serving MMS-DeSoto Canyon Moorings Eddy Intrusion
  Study

14
Gulf of Mexico Workshop for Managers of Observing
System ActivitiesStennis Space Center, 14-15
January 2003

• Describe aids to data sharing
• OPeNDAP data transfer protocol
• NDBC offer to QC and distribute real time data
• NCDDC offer of portal to distributed data sets
• Review ongoing observing system activities
• Agree on resolution to establish regional ocean
  observing system beginning with sharing of data
  and products
• Agree on Vision Statement for Gulf of Mexico
  regional ocean observing system
• Agree on provisional structure for regional
  system
• Agree on nominees to represent region at First
  National Ocean.US Summit

15

• 52 participants
• Representation of state agencies in AL, FL, LA,
  MS, and TX
• Representation of federal agencies in Gulf
  region, including Army Corps of Engineers, EPA,
  NASA, Navy, and NOAA
• Agreement on a Mission Statement for GCOOS
• Initial signatories to a Resolution to
  Participate in the Development of the GCOOS,
  beginning with sharing of non-priority,
  non-commercial data

16
A Workshop to Explore Private Sector Interests
and Roles in the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing
System Focus on the Southeastern U.S. and Gulf
of Mexico. 2-4 March 2004 Houston, TX

• The overall workshop goal was to define the
  interests and potential roles of the private
  sector in the regional/coastal ocean component of
  the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System
  (IOOS).
• The key objectives were
• - To introduce to industry the U.S. IOOS and
  specifically the
• plans for Southeast Atlantic-Coastal Ocean
  Observing System
• (SEA-COOS) and (GCOOS)
• To identify the basis for public/private/academ
  ic sector
• interactions in the context of U.S. IOOS and
• - To develop a plan-of-action, including public
  relations,
• demonstration project initiation, follow-on
  communications,
• and plans for advocacy.

17
Exploration of Private Sector Interests in IOOS
Focus on GoM and Southeast U.S.

• Five breakout groups met to consider
• The role of industry in implementation of IOOS
• Sharing of data and products
• Plans for demonstration projects
• Recommended levels of advocacy by the private
  sector
• Plans for future communications
• This highly successful workshop set the standard
  for follow-on IOOS-Industry interactions.

18
Harmful Algal Blooms The Role of GCOOS in
Detection, Monitoring, and Prediction 13-15
April 2004, St. Petersburg, FL

• To review HAB data and information needs of
  agencies, managers, and scientists
• To assess current capabilities
• To formulate an action plan to improve
  capabilities

19
HABS Workshop

• 45 participants representing 31 organizations.
• Formal presentations and breakout sessions
  focused on needs and priorities.
• Agreement on needs for observations, model
  development, common standards and protocols,
  research and development.
• As follow up, NOAA Coastal Services Center
  published a workshop report, Action plan for
  harmful algal blooms and the Gulf of Mexico
  Coastal Ocean Observing System Results from a
  regional workshop (NOAA/CSC/20516-PUB).
  http//www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/habf/HAB_GCOOS_report.
  pdf
• The EPA Gulf of Mexico Program prepared a
  document giving needed enhancements and budgets
  following the workshop.

20
Next Steps in the Gulf of Mexico Response to the
U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Recommendations
7-8 July 2004, College Station, TX

• About 130 representatives from marine industry,
  academia, and government met to plan the next
  research steps steps for the Gulf of Mexico in
  response to recommendations from the U.S.
  Commission on Ocean Policy. Included were two
  commissioners.

21
Next Steps in the Gulf of Mexico

• The individual topical presentations were
  followed by breakout sessions to focus
  recommendations for needed research in the areas
  of
• Biodiversity
• Oceans and human health
• Texas watersheds and sediment management
• Policy, economics, and social sciences
• Human impacts

22
GCOOS Education and Outreach Formation Meeting
29-30 November 2004, Biloxi, MS

• 21 attendees representing education and
  outreach activities of Sea Grant Programs,
  COSEEs, NERRs, state agencies, and universities
  on the Gulf coast.
• Included were representatives from the
  Ocean.US Office and Digital Library for
  Environmental Science Education

23
GCOOS Education and Outreach Formation Meeting
Results

• Suggested terms of Reference for the GCOOS
  Education and Outreach Council
• Suggested programmatic questions for
  consideration by the GCOOS Education and Outreach
  Council in the following areas
• - Stakeholder/user identification and engagement
• - Education community identification and
  engagement
• - Public awareness
• - Inreach with GCOOS community
• - Project and product development
• - Evaluation and assessment

24
Initial GCOOS Stakeholder Meeting24-25 January
2005, New Orleans, LA

• The objectives of this meeting were to
• Ratify an initial governance mechanism, in the
  form of a Memorandum of Agreement, for the
  Regional Association that will govern GCOOS
• Request nominees for the Board of Directors,
  Councils, and Committees of the Regional
  Association
• Consider recommendations for a longer-term
  governance structure
• Reach consensus on parts of a draft GCOOS
  Business Plan and a path to its further
  development

25
Initial GCOOS Stakeholder Meeting

• In preparation, working groups prepared draft
  Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and Business Plan
  for the GCOOS-Regional Association.
  http//ocean.tamu.edu/GCOOS/RA/documents/01-12-06_
  MOA.pdf
• 88 participants represented a very broad range of
  stakeholders.
• The MoA was accepted with revisions as the
  governance document establishing the GCOOS-RA and
  was signed by enough Parties to the MoA to bring
  the RA into force.The draft Business Plan was
  discussed at lengthmany suggestions for
  improvements were obtained.
• Written nominations for the Board of Directors
  and Councils and Committees of the new RA were
  solicited.
• Activities to inform and entrain potential
  providers and users into the system were
  considered.

26
GCOOS and the Private Sector Oil and Gas and
Related Industry2-4 November 2005, Houston, TX

• Objectives
• Obtain agreement on a short list of recommended
  products of highest priority to these industry
  sectors.
• Identify users for these priority products.
• Obtain guidance regarding what observations are
  needed to produce these products.
• Discuss which products are for common use, and so
  likely produced at government expense, and which
  are niche products, best produced by the private
  sector.
• Participation
• 47 attendees representing oil and gas
  companies, state and federal government, offshore
  service companies, environmental forecasting
  firms, data management companies, and academia.
• Result
• Identified priority needs for data and products.

27
Identified High Priority Needs

• Product Needs
• Hurricane Severity Forecasts
• Surface current forecast maps
• Measurement Product archive
• Operation maps of SSTs
• Forecast maps of 3-D deepwater currents
• Forecast maps of winds and waves
• 3-D current forecasts on shelf
• Probability maps of bottom hazards

• Measurement Needs
• Hurricane severity model improvement
• Operational satellite altimeters (near real-time)
• Operational satellite radiometers (near
  real-time)
• Operational satellite wind (QuikSat)
• 2Hz wave data (not real-time)
• Improve hurricane severity forecasts (real-time)
• Offshore meteorology measurements (real-time)
• Upper column current and temp/salinity profiles
• Marine mammals and sea turtle sightings
• High resolution coastal bathymetry, topography,
  and subsidence rates

28

• Future Focused Stakeholder Workshops
• Fisheries WorkshopsPlanning presentations to the
  Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council, Gulf
  States Marine Fisheries Commission, and Marine
  Fisheries Advisory Committee to obtain guidance
  on how best to bring in all fisheries sectors
  regulatory, commercial, recreational, and
  academic. Followed by in-depth workshops to
  develop requirements of the sectors separately. A
  steering committee for this effort, including a
  representative of SECOORA, met on 3 March 2005.
• Emergency responders to storm surge and
  floodingenergy management Joint
  CSC/NOAA-SECOORA-GCOOS sponsorship.
• Maritime transportation elementsincluding tanker
  traffic, container ships, cruise ships, shipping
  agents, port authorities, pilots, LNG carriers,
  intercoastal waterway traffic, and commercial
  transportation of people.
• Recreational boatingincluding marina operators,
  power squadrons, yacht clubs, marina operators,
  and retailers.
• Urban planners/developers
• Water qualityKey on Gulf of Mexico Alliance
  Plans and on results of U.S. IOOS Public Health
  Workshop held 23-25 January 2006.