Alaska Ocean Observing SystemAlaska Ocean Observing System(AOOS)(AOOS)

A Regional Observing System A Regional Observing System within the Integrated Ocean Observing Systemwithin the Integrated Ocean Observing System

Molly McCammon, Executive DirectorMolly McCammon, Executive Director1007 W. Third Ave., Suite 1001007 W. Third Ave., Suite 100

Anchorage, AK 99501Anchorage, AK 99501907-644-6703907-644-6703

mccammon@aoos.orgmccammon@aoos.orgwww.aoos.orgwww.aoos.org

IOOS (National) GoalsIOOS (National) Goals

• Improve prediction of climate change impactsImprove prediction of climate change impacts• Improve safety & efficiency of marine Improve safety & efficiency of marine

operations operations • More effectively protect & restore healthy More effectively protect & restore healthy

coastal ecosystemscoastal ecosystems• Sustain marine resourcesSustain marine resources• Mitigate effects of natural hazardsMitigate effects of natural hazards• Reduce public health risksReduce public health risks• Improve national security Improve national security (adapted from: An Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observing System, (adapted from: An Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observing System,

Ocean.US 2002)Ocean.US 2002)

What will IOOS look like?What will IOOS look like?

• Global componentGlobal component(international collaboration and U.S. support)(international collaboration and U.S. support)

• U.S. coastal componentU.S. coastal component- National “backbone” system: existing - National “backbone” system: existing federal assets (federal support)federal assets (federal support)

- Set of nested Regional Observing Systems, - Set of nested Regional Observing Systems, tailored to local user needstailored to local user needs (federal, state, local, private support) (federal, state, local, private support)

Global Component of the IOOSGlobal Component of the IOOSIntegrate Remote & In Situ SensingIntegrate Remote & In Situ Sensing

An International CollaborationAn International Collaboration

Plan for the initial system ~ 50% implemented

Bottom up:Regional Associations forming across the U.S.

Alaska Ocean Observing Alaska Ocean Observing SystemSystem(AOOS)(AOOS)

Gulf of AlaskaBering Sea/Aleutians

Arctic

AOOS: Partnership of Industry, AOOS: Partnership of Industry, Government, Non-Profits and Government, Non-Profits and

AcademiaAcademia(not a complete listing)(not a complete listing)

• Industry/StakeholdersIndustry/StakeholdersFishing companiesFishing companies RecreationRecreationFishermenFishermen Aquaculture/maricultureAquaculture/maricultureShipping – marine navigationShipping – marine navigation TourismTourismOil servicesOil services Value-added researchValue-added researchSubsistence usersSubsistence users

• GovernmentGovernmentState: fisheries, water quality, seafood, coastal managers State: fisheries, water quality, seafood, coastal managers Federal: resource managers, researchers, search & rescue, oil spill responseFederal: resource managers, researchers, search & rescue, oil spill responseLocal: coastal cities, boroughs and portsLocal: coastal cities, boroughs and portsTribal: Alaska Native communitiesTribal: Alaska Native communities

• Research Institutes & Non-ProfitsResearch Institutes & Non-ProfitsArctic Research CommissionArctic Research CommissionNorth Pacific Research BoardNorth Pacific Research BoardPrince William Sound Science Center/OSRIPrince William Sound Science Center/OSRIBarrow Arctic Science ConsortiumBarrow Arctic Science ConsortiumAlaska SeaLife CenterAlaska SeaLife CenterAlaska Native Science CommissionAlaska Native Science Commission

• AcademiaAcademiaUniversity of AlaskaUniversity of AlaskaOthersOthers

PlanningPlanning

• Secure interim and long-term funding

– $2M in year 1, with similar amounts in years 2 and 3

– Move toward multiple regions to increase funding - $6m goal in 2006

• Identify stakeholders – coastal residents, managers, industry, researchers – and stakeholder needs

• Develop organizational structure, DMAC, education & outreach: partnership among federal and state agencies, private sector, users, academia

• Develop systems

– Pilot project in Prince William Sound

-- Expand observing capacity throughout Alaska

Alaska’s Special Challenges

Stakeholder needsStakeholder needs

Search and rescue, oil spill response, safe navigation• Currents and winds in real-time, accurate tide info• Trajectory modeling

Coastal erosion• Wave height & direction and storm surge modeling• Landfast and sea ice conditions

Seasonal and long-term forecasts• Ocean conditions• Sea ice• Heat indices• Improved weather forecasts• Harmful algal blooms

Observational data and models• Ocean circulation, currents, frontal locations• Winds, air temperature, precipitation• Fisheries; ecosystem approach to management

AOOS VISION: Statewide AOOS VISION: Statewide StrategyStrategy

• Identify gaps in Identify gaps in national backbone to national backbone to meet larger, more meet larger, more statewide and national statewide and national needsneeds

• Develop strategy to fill Develop strategy to fill in gaps – influence in gaps – influence federal agency budgetsfederal agency budgets

• Integrate obs that Integrate obs that cross agency missions cross agency missions & disciplines& disciplines

Statewide PrioritiesStatewide Priorities

• Remote sensing products w/high resolutionRemote sensing products w/high resolution• Data management & communications systems Data management & communications systems

w/real-time accessible data w/real-time accessible data • Information products such as ocean circulation Information products such as ocean circulation

models, nearshore forecasts for all regionsmodels, nearshore forecasts for all regions• Comprehensive mapping & chartingComprehensive mapping & charting• Infrastructure & equipment– buoy center; hf radar Infrastructure & equipment– buoy center; hf radar

group; ice thickness sensor; salinity mapper; ship group; ice thickness sensor; salinity mapper; ship time time

• Support for state & federal programs - facilitationSupport for state & federal programs - facilitation

AOOS VISION: ArcticAOOS VISION: Arctic

• UsersUsers- offshore oil & gas- offshore oil & gas- shipping/navigation- shipping/navigation- subsistence hunting- subsistence hunting- resource managers- resource managers- Native communities/planners- Native communities/planners- climate change researchers- climate change researchers

• Information productsInformation products- sea ice & fog forecasts- sea ice & fog forecasts- real time sea ice movement- real time sea ice movement- ocean circulation patterns- ocean circulation patterns- climate change indicators- climate change indicators- improved weather forecasts- improved weather forecasts- coastal erosion prediction- coastal erosion prediction

Arctic PrioritiesArctic Priorities

• Sea ice monitoringSea ice monitoring

• Coastal erosionCoastal erosion

• Barrow cabled observatoryBarrow cabled observatory

• HF radar – nearshore monitoringHF radar – nearshore monitoring

• Marine mammalsMarine mammals

• Collaboration with other efforts - Collaboration with other efforts - circumpolarcircumpolar

AOOS VISION: Bering AOOS VISION: Bering Sea/AleutiansSea/Aleutians

• UsersUsers- commercial fishing- commercial fishing- subsistence; communities- subsistence; communities- climate change research- climate change research- safe navigation: search & - safe navigation: search & rescue & oil spill responserescue & oil spill response- resource managers- resource managers

• Information productsInformation products- sea ice & vessel icing - sea ice & vessel icing forecastsforecasts- coastal erosion predictions- coastal erosion predictions- fisheries/ecosystem - fisheries/ecosystem productivity – climate changeproductivity – climate change- wind and wave forecasts- wind and wave forecasts

Bering Sea/Aleutian Priorities:Bering Sea/Aleutian Priorities:

• Increase National Backbone assets: NDBC buoys, Increase National Backbone assets: NDBC buoys, C-Man stations, CRN sites, tide & river gauges.C-Man stations, CRN sites, tide & river gauges.

• Moorings to monitor water in, out & thruoutMoorings to monitor water in, out & thruout• Coastal erosion monitoring Coastal erosion monitoring • Expand fisheries surveys, increase oceanic Expand fisheries surveys, increase oceanic

parameters measuredparameters measured• Better bathymetry; chartsBetter bathymetry; charts• Long-range HF radar surface current mappers at Long-range HF radar surface current mappers at

pulse pts in circulations & major fishing groundspulse pts in circulations & major fishing grounds• Long-term: cable-linked observatories on Pribilofs Long-term: cable-linked observatories on Pribilofs

& Little Diomede Island& Little Diomede Island

AOOS VISION: Gulf of AOOS VISION: Gulf of AlaskaAlaska• UsersUsers

- navigation services- navigation services- commercial fishing- commercial fishing- recreational boaters- recreational boaters- oil & gas development - oil & gas development - search & rescue- search & rescue- tourism- tourism- managers- managers- aquaculture/mariculture- aquaculture/mariculture

• Information productsInformation products- - marine sea state & icing conditionsmarine sea state & icing conditions- ocean circulation patterns- ocean circulation patterns- coastal erosion predictions- coastal erosion predictions- nowcast/forecasts for- nowcast/forecasts for search & search & rescue & oil spill responserescue & oil spill response- fisheries/ecosystem productivity- fisheries/ecosystem productivity- HAB forecasts- HAB forecasts

Gulf of Alaska Priorities:Gulf of Alaska Priorities:

• National Backbone: Increase # of ocean moorings, tide & National Backbone: Increase # of ocean moorings, tide & stream gauges – enhance w/ other sensors: water quality, stream gauges – enhance w/ other sensors: water quality, sediment; better bathymetry maps & charts sediment; better bathymetry maps & charts

• Circulation obs: more buoys & long & short range HF radar Circulation obs: more buoys & long & short range HF radar surface current mappers; freshwater input into Alaska surface current mappers; freshwater input into Alaska Coastal CurrentCoastal Current

• Enhance existing estuarine & coastal monitoringEnhance existing estuarine & coastal monitoring• Add biological component to physical monitoring Add biological component to physical monitoring • Develop HAB forecast ability Develop HAB forecast ability • Enhance ship of opportunity programsEnhance ship of opportunity programs• PWS observing system: use as pilot project PWS observing system: use as pilot project • Develop new capacity in Kodiak & SEDevelop new capacity in Kodiak & SE• Integrate & enhance Cook Inlet observationsIntegrate & enhance Cook Inlet observations

PWS Demonstration of an“End to End” System

Field ValidationExperiments

AncillaryData

DataRetrieval &Processing

3D ModelAssimilation

ApplicationServer (GIS)

ResearchServer (POET)

ModelData

Real time dataRetrieval &Processing

3D ModelAssimilation

Feedback

ApplicationServer

ResearchServer

Sea Surface Conditions Meteorology Oceanography Water Quality Currents Precipitation

Education CommunitiesFishery managementEconomic models

PWS

Data AssimilationPWS Weather

PWS Waves

Next StepsNext Steps

• Work with national groups to get national Work with national groups to get national authorizing legislation & national fundingauthorizing legislation & national funding

• Strengthen newly formed national federation Strengthen newly formed national federation of regional associationsof regional associations

• Continue user outreach & needs assessment Continue user outreach & needs assessment – identify information products– identify information products

• Develop implementation plans for 3 regionsDevelop implementation plans for 3 regions• Develop education & outreach plan Develop education & outreach plan • COORDINATE, COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE, COLLABORATE AND

LEVERAGE!LEVERAGE!

Alaska Ocean Observing Alaska Ocean Observing SystemSystem

1007 W. 31007 W. 3rdrd Avenue, Suite 100 Avenue, Suite 100

Anchorage, AlaskaAnchorage, Alaska

www.aoos.orgwww.aoos.org