SCCOOS

The Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS), appears to have a well-managed observing system network, and is worth looking at as we move towards building our own. They certainly have a nicely organized project, which is also reflected in their well-organized Web page.

NASA's Earth Science Program

Dr. Tomothy Killeen, Director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research and President-Elect of the American Geophysical Union, has given a nice presentation before the House Science Committee, April 28, 2005, especially outlining the role of NASA's Earth Science Program (ESP) in the Earth Observing System and in gathering environmental data. How well the ESP operates might indirectly affect how we gather satellite data for coral reef mapping and monitoring.

Jim

Strategic Plan for IEOS

The final Stratetic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observing System has just been released.

Other links of use along these lines include,

United States Group on Earth Observations

NOAA's Earth Observing System Page

You may also be interested to read the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's announcement of the plan, see .

The Global Observing Systems Information Center

The Global Observing Systems Information Center has a nice interface for determining what observing systems are where, and what they're measuring. Hopefully all of ours systems will soon be listed.

Jim

Indian Ocean Integration

Keith Alverson, of the Global Ocean Observing System of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, in his recent article in Nature, says the world should create an integrated, global system to warn of and prepare for a range of ocean-disasters, including cyclones and giant waves created by hurricanes.

In our efforts to create a coral data integration system for the Indian Ocean, we should make sure we collaborate with those who are constructing the tsunami warning system. As he says, "The best way to ensure that a tsunami warning system remains fully operational for decades to come is to embed it in broader efforts to observe the ocean."

NOAA's Tim Keeney Testifies

Resources Fisheries and Conservation Subcommittee (Chair Wayne Gilchrest, R-MD) held a March 1, 2005, hearing on the reauthorization of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA). Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Tim Keeney, in his presentation, mentioned NOAA's efforts at integrating coral reef data:

"Partnering with other federal agencies, as well as state and territorial governments, NOAA has helped build a national integrated coral reef monitoring system. Integrated monitoring programs measure and evaluate the condition of the ecosystem over time, help assess the efficacy of management actions, and provide comparable data sets and products that can be used to adapt these measures."

NOAA Observing Systems Architecture

There's a nice little overview of NOAA's Observing Systems Architecture, including lots of links, in case you're interested.