History and current plans for U.S. scientific cabled observatories for time series

• Main Authors: Glenn, S.M., Dickey, T.D., Schofield, O.M.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Availability; Collaboration; Geology; History; Marine technology; Observatories; Oceans; Real time systems; Sampling methods; Sea measurements
• DOI: 10.1109/SSC.2003.1224145

Summary form only given. Sustained ocean observing systems hold the promise of revolutionizing ocean related science within this decade. Enable by technological advances and further fueled by societal need, a wide range of ocean and earth observing systems are being planned, proposed, deployed and operated. Both envisioned and existing observation systems emphasize real-time datasets for event response and adaptive sampling, well-sampled spatial and temporal contexts for limited-duration or process-study experiments, and sustained operation to observe long-term trends and capture rare episodic events. Collaborative science is similarly emphasized, with the widespread availability of increasingly multi-disciplinary datasets stimulating previously unfeasible cross-correlation analyses in the search associations or causal relationships. Extensive observations are increasingly being used in combination with interdisciplinary models through growing model development, coupling, validation and assimilation activities. The rapidly expanding observation and modeling capabilities are enabling scientists to consider an entirely new set of interdisciplinary science questions. In turn, the new questions can be used to guide and prioritize implementation strategies for upgrading existing, and deploying new, observatories. The scientific cabled observatories for time series (SCOTS) report is a significant part of the implementation process for one specific type of ocean observatory. It documents community input on the scientific questions best served by regional networks of the cabled observatories in three targeted domains - the open ocean, geologic plates, and coastal. The report is directed primarily toward those charged with the development of observatory implementation plans that address the priority science. This talk will report on both of these efforts, first by summarizing the experience of existing U.S. cabled observatories, and second by outlining the prioritized science plans.