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IOOS^® - EYES ON THE OCEAN^™

From the IOOS Program Office:

• Welcome Aboard! - Jennifer Bosch: No stranger to IOOS, Jennifer began her marine science career as an undergraduate at Rutgers University under the tutelage of Scott Glenn and Oscar Schofield. While part of the Rutgers University Coastal Oceanography Lab (RUCOOL) she was introduced to satellite oceanography and participated in the initial set-up of the lab's HF Radar and Glider programs.  She returned to RUCOOL after earning her master’s degree in Oceanography at the University of Maine studying seasonal and interannual chlorophyll patterns and sea surface temperature off coastal Oregon using SeaWiFs and NOAA AVHRR imagery. In 2007, Jennifer left the ocean observing world to pursue a Ph.D. in Marine-Estuarine and Environmental Science at the University of Maryland Center of Environmental Science Horn Point Laboratory.  While still a graduate student, she was a 2013 Sea Grant Knauss Fellow in the OAR Office of Labs and Cooperative Institutes as well as the NOAA Science Advisory Board. Jennifer finished her Ph.D. in June 2014 and worked within NOAA’s Large Marine Ecosystem program within NMFS with IOOS alum Becky Shuford.
• Ice Cream Anyone? Happy 10^th Anniversary MARACOOS: MARACOOS is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a new UDairy Creamery ice cream flavor. Dubbed “MARACOOS Under the Sea.” The ice cream consists of a blue-colored, sugar cookie-flavored base, with graham cracker crumbs representing sand and chocolate-covered Goldfish crackers mixed in. The new flavor will be available at the creamery from mid-June through early October, including an appearance at Coast Day, the annual festival hosted by UD’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE) and Delaware Sea Grant that takes place this year on Oct. 4 in Lewes, Delaware.
• IOOS RA Certification Update: The clock restarted on 26 June when we received PacIOOS’ response to our request.
• The Ocean Enterprise: A Study of US Business Activity in Ocean Measurement, Observation and Forecasting: If you have not yet filled out the survey, please take a few moments to do so now. The survey will be closing soon. The study aims to identify and dissect the scale and scope of the United States private sector activity in support of ocean measurement, observation and forecasting, and the use of ocean information to deliver safety, economic and environmental benefits.
  • Any company who is a provider or intermediary is welcome to join the study.  Opt in by going to the survey: https://ioos.noaa.gov
  • Summary information is also available on the IOOS web page: http://www.ioos.noaa.gov/ioos_in_action/ocean_enterprise_study.html
  • This study is sponsored by NOAA’s National Ocean Service and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) and being conducted by the ERISS Corporation and The Maritime Alliance

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

• RU29 (Challenger) Back in the Water! After roughly a six month hiatus during which RU29’s hulls were brought back to the US to be replaced, Scott and Chip traveled down to Ubatuba towards the end of May to put the glider back together and run some initial tests while the glider was on land. Then Marcelo and his crew prepared for a window of opportunity where they could safely get out to the deployment site and remain on location until a number test dives could be done to make sure Challenger was flying well before turning back to shore. Dave was then able to run the deployment while remotely contacting Marcelo and controlling the glider from New Jersey. Follow her progress.
• NANOOS Deploys Environmental Sample Process: Jan Newton, Executive Director of NANOOS was interviewed by the local TV station about abnormal ocean and Puget Sound conditions (video link below), including footage by a NANOOS member Department of Ecology. The HAB monitoring buoy that Jan is standing next to is part of IOOS’ Ocean Technology Transition project that is done in collaboration with John Mickett (UW-APL) and Steph Moore (NOAA NWFSC). The buoy will be located on the coast near La Push monitoring HABs as an early warning system for the tribes and a science tool as well. Since the buoy will be at the same location where NANOOS is collaborating with NOAA PMEL and NOAA’s OA Program measuring ocean acidification variables, they will also be able to study any linkages between algal toxicity and OA – INTEGRATION at work. http://www.king5.com/videos/news/local/2015/06/12/puget-sound-pictures-show-dramatic-changes/71159592/
• HF Radar/Radio (IOOS national coordinator – Jack Harlan; Jack.Harlan@noaa.gov):
  • New Systems in PACIOOS: Ocean surface currents now being measured in near real-time off Hilo. A new data set of the direction and speed of ocean surface currents in Hilo Bay is now available online. The hourly data updates are accessible to the public and free of charge on “Voyager,” the interactive mapping platform of the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. Said Jason Adolf, Associate Professor and Chair of the Marine Science Department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, “We are excited about the new ocean surface current data for Hilo. It complements the PacIOOS wave buoy and water quality buoy off Hilo Harbor. Providing data on ocean and water conditions, including waves and surface currents, in near real-time improves decision-making for ocean users, managers and responders.  With the new data set we can also develop educational activities for the marine science curriculum at UH Hilo and raise public awareness in partnership with Mokupāpapa Discovery Center.”
  • New Systems in CariCOOS: CariCOOS has added two long-range CODAR HF radars on the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico.  These will extend the existing coverage provided by two standard-range CODAR HF radars on the west coast of the island and include the ports of Ponce and Guayanilla, which are important economic drivers for Puerto Rico and for search and rescue. CariCOOS plans to assimilate the HFR data into their ROMS model as well.  Congratulations to the HF radar team at CariCOOS!
  • 2015 GEO Global HF Radar Task meeting: The 4^th meeting will take place in Heraklion, Crete (NOTE new LOCATION) 22-23 Sept. This meeting will be held in conjunction with the Seventh Session of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Regional Alliances.  As in the past, the focus of this GEO task is operational aspects of HF radar.  The theme will be "HF radar networks" which would seek to have presentations from individuals who would discuss their nation's network including their data management, deployment and operation as well as applications of the HF radar data to real-world problems.  Background Information: The US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) has been hosting a website for this GEO Task at http://www.ioos.noaa.gov/globalhfr/welcome.html. We will unveil a new web page for this community to share thoughts and information on the global HF radar effort. If you have any questions email Hugh Roarty: hroarty@marine.rutgers.edu

Data Management and Communications (DMAC) Subsystem and Tools Built on IOOS data:

(Contact Derrick or Rob to get on the list serve for changes - Derrick.Snowden@noaa.gov, Rob.Ragsdale@noaa.gov):

• QARTOD
  • Dissolved Nutrients manual – On June 12^th the draft manual was sent out to the RA’s, DMAC members, the QARTOD Board of Advisors, and other US IOOS colleagues for the second round of reviews. Comments are due by July 6^th.
  • Waves manual update – We continue to receive comments from the committee and work our way through them. Heads Up: Anticipate sending out an updated draft to the RA’s for a second review this week, with the comments due by July 10^th.
• IOOS Biological Data Services (BDS) training materials refreshed: New material is being posted in the Github BDS procedures section).
• MBON Data Management:  The MBON data team including Frank Muller-Karger (USF, MBON PI), Matt Howard (GCOOS), Philip Goldstein (OBIS-USA), Rob Bochenek (Axiom), David Anderson (CeNCOOS) and Abigail Benson (USGS) have agreed to use the IOOS BDS to enroll the MBON data. The first MBON data to be enrolled is the Florida Marine Sanctuaries Fish sampling time series. The group also agreed that a first step will be make MBON data accessible through AOOS/Axiom Research Workspace. Then when the data is formatted to BDS it will be exposed through GCOOS web services (ERDDAP) and made available to Axiom and MBON scientific team.

Modeling and Analysis Subsystem:

(IOOS PO and IOOS Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed (COMT) POC – Becky Baltes (Becky.Baltes@noaa.gov):

• Join Us – COMT annual meeting: The COMT all hands meeting will be held July 30-31 at SURA in downtown DC.  If you are interested in hearing the latest updates for the COMT, please consider attending.  The agenda can be found here.
• IOOS attended MEOPAR modeling workshop: Becky Baltes participated in the MEOPAR/GOV Workshop for the Marine Ecosystem Analysis and Prediction Task Team (MEAP-TT) Jun 23-24 at Dalhousie University.  There was good NOAA representation to offer the mostly scientist and PI group perspective and suggestions on how to work on operationalizing the ecosystem forecasts.  Becky presented on NOAA’s Ecological Forecasting Roadmap and the Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed. Her presentation can be found here.

Interagency and International Collaboration/News:

• Video, Story Map Showcase Connections between the Economy and Ocean Resources: The National Ocean Service – Office for Coastal Management (OCM) has produced 2 multimedia products for coastal managers to better communicate this message to both coastal and inland stakeholders. Ocean Economy, an addition to the animated video series “Econ120: Two-Minute Economic Lessons,” explains how goods and services from the ocean and coasts enrich the lives of all Americans. The Oceans and Coasts — A Driver for Inland Economic Activity is a story map that focuses on the marine transportation sector in California and illustrates how the powerful network of the ocean economy connects inland areas with global markets.
• Data management importance explained: Well done to our European Union colleagues on their EMODnet Video. The video shows why the Blue Economy needs better information on seas and oceans and how the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) is contributing to the EU’s Marine Knowledge 2020 initiative. http://www.emodnet.eu/video

Delivering Benefits:

• No update.

Congressional

• Congressional Briefing and Lunch – 9 July: Join us for the Senate Oceans Caucus congressional briefing, “Making A Difference: Why Ocean Observing Matters,” 385 Russell Senate Office Building on Thursday, July 9 12-1:15pm – LUNCH Provided.  Senator Wicker (R-MS) will open the event and VADM (Ret) Manson Brown (NOAA) will speak on the importance of observations and U.S. IOOS. He will be followed by Dr. Monty Graham, University of Southern Mississippi, Captain Kip Louttit, Executive Director, Marine Exchange of Southern California, and Dr. Michael Macrander, Shell Arctic Program (invited). RSPV by 3 July to Abbey Wakely at abbey@secora.org.

Communications / Outreach / Education:

• Ranger Rick Magazine to Highlight Citizen Science in the Gulf: Ranger Rick photographer Joanna Pinneo spent several days capturing the work of students engaged in the GCOOS Citizen Science project. She first visited St. Petersburg, FL, where she photographed participants in Nature's Academy field classroom at Ft. DeSoto Park. While there, the middle school-aged kids conducted biodiversity studies, dissected sharks, assessed water quality, and had fun learning how to kayak and snorkel. From St. Petersburg, Pinneo headed to Galveston Bay, TX, where she continued capturing the field activities of students participating in programs of the Galveston Bay Foundation, including salt marsh grass planting in support of restoration activities. Both Nature's Academy, led by Executive Director and co-founder Dana Pounds, and the Galveston Bay Foundation, led by Water Quality Program Manager and GCOOS board member Charlene Bohanon, are partners contributing data to the new GCOOS Citizen Science Data Portal, to be launched this summer. The Ranger Rick Citizen Science issue is being developed as a collaboration of GCOOS Outreach and Education Manager, Dr. Chris Simoniello, and the National Wildlife Federation. http://gcoos.org
• OceanNews and Technology: Picked up GCOOS story - Just in Time for Hurricane Season: New Gulf Monitoring Stations Enhance Resilience and Improve Navigation Safety. https://www.oceannews.com/news/2015/06/15/new-tools-aiding-storm-prediction-increasing-ship-navigational-safety-in-the-gulf-of-mexico. Story highlights NOAA’s PORTS and CORS program and collaboration with GCOOS and local, state and Federal partnerships.

Upcoming Meetings with IOOS Participation:

• No update.

View the IOOS calendar: https://ioosassociation.org/