Interagency Ocean Observation Committee

• The Integrated Coastal & Ocean Observing System Act of 2009

Interagency Ocean Observing Committee Lead Federal Agency (NOAA) and IOOS Regional Integrated Coordination Entities

• IOOC Members and Staff Three Co-chairs (NOAA, NASA, NSF) 17 Federal Agencies Staff at Ocean Leadership

IOOC Responsibilities (there are many!)

• Identify required observation variables

• Identify coverage gaps.

• Prepare long-term and annual plans

• Obtain an independent cost estimate.

• Develop an annual coordinated budget.

• Establish DMAC standards.

• Develop certification standards for non-

federal assets

Dec 7, 2011 SST Anomaly (satellite + in-situ)

Central role of IOOS Office

Recent Committee Activities

• Blueprint Assessment (completed)• US IOOS: Independent Cost Estimate (underway)• Certification Criteria (call for comments)• Stakeholder Engagement

• IOOS/IOOC Town Hall meetings

Contact us:iooc@oceanleadership.org

Mean flux of carbon

Global Ocean Observing System

• ~8000 Platforms , NOAA contributes about half of the in-situ system• 13+ systems (Argo, tide gauges, moored buoys, drifting buoys…)• ~100 countries coordinating observing efforts• Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

Trend & Variability of Global Upper Ocean Heat Content

• Why it matters• Necessary to close the planetary energy

balance• Determine what fraction of heat trapped by

greenhouse forcing is sequestered in the ocean

• Warming of the ocean is a major contributor to global sea level rise

Johnson et al, Ocean Heat Content, Global Oceans Chapter, BAMS State of the Climate, 2010

•New Challenges• Observing deeper in the oceans (current Argo design is

limited to 2000m)• Knitting together changes of the global and coastal oceans

Right These Dynamic Sea level changes are associated with changes in the mean current structure

Top Average dynamic sea level anomaly averaged over 12 IPCC models

•Ongoing Challenge• Improve observing global

ocean circulation (e.g. AMOC) and its impacts

Last Thoughts

• Numerous ocean observing assets and systems – many addressing specific needs and challenges

• Importance of integrating ocean observing systems– required to address many societal needs (e.g. sea

level rise, oceans role in climate, marine ecosystems, etc)

• Partnerships are critical– Global ocean observing system would not be possible

without support of many nations