Texas Coastal Ocean Observation Network

Dr. Patrick R. MichaudDecember 12, 2001

TCOON Overview Started 1988 Over 50 stations Primary Sponsors

General Land Office

Water Devel. Board US Corps of Eng Nat'l Ocean Service

Gulf ofMexico

TCOON Overview Measurements

Precise Water Levels Wind Temperature Barometric Pressure

Follows NOAA/NOS standards

Real-time, online database

Typical TCOON Station

Wind anemometer Radio Antenna Satellite Transmitter Solar Panels Data Collector Water Level Sensor Water Quality Sensor Current Meter

Uses of TCOON Data Tidal Datums Littoral Boundaries Oil-Spill Response Navigation Storm Preparation/

Response Research

Data Management Automated

Acquisition, Archive, Processing, Retrieval

10-year Historical Database

Most processing takes place via Internet

Infrastructure for other observation systems

Data ManagementDesign Principles Preserve source data

Annotate instead of modify Automate as much as possible Maintain a standard interchange

format Avoid complex or proprietary

components Emphasize long-term reliability over

short-term costs

Other Real-Time Systems Real-time Navigation

Port of Corpus Christi Port Freeport NOAA PORTS

Water-Quality Nueces Bay Salinity Oso Creek Dissolved

Oxygen Offshore Weather

Research Real-time Automated Data Processing Tidal Datum Processing Web-based Visualization and

Manipulation of Coastal Data Neural-Network-based forecasts from

real-time observations Specialized sensor and data acquisition

system development Support for other research efforts

Neural Network Forecasting

Reliable short-term predictions of effects of storm events

Conclusions Long-term, data-rich observation

network Web-based infrastructure for

automated collection and processing of marine data

Research in datum computation and coastal forecasting