Enabling Ocean Research in the 21st Century Implementation of a Network of Ocean Observatories (2003) / Chapter Skim
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7 Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations
7 Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Pages 168-184
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From page 168... ...
This input was discussed in detail and the findings presented here are a distillation of the outcomes of those discussions. FINDINGS · By exploiting rapid advances in the development of computational, robotic, communications, and sensor capabilities, the NSF's OOI will provide the infrastructure to enable a new era of ocean research in the 21St century.
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From page 169... ...
The documents listed in Appendix C and referenced in Chapters 1 and 3 demonstrate that seafloor observatories represent a promising new approach for advancing basic research in nearly every area of marine science. · Scientific planning to define the location, experiments, and instrument requirements of specific observatories varies significantly among the three OOI components, and additional planning is needed before the design of these systems can be finalized.
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From page 170... ...
Thus although the OOI encompasses a diverse group of researchers from many different disciplines working in both the coastal and open ocean, management of ocean observatory construction, installation, and operation will have to be done through a single Program Office. This central Program Office will provide coordinated, program-wide scientific planning and oversight, fiscal and contract management of observatory installation, maintenance and operation, standard and protocol development for data management, and education and outreach activities.
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From page 171... ...
· Ocean observatories will require substantial amounts of ship and ROV time for installation, operation, and maintenance and will place significant demands on the scheduling of UNOLS vessels for regular servicing of observatory nodes in remote ocean locations. Installation of 15-20 global observatory sites, a regional cabled observatory (e.g., NEPTUNE)
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From page 172... ...
Without a commitment from NSF to augment ship and ROV capabilities to meet these needs, the scope and success of the ocean observatories program could be jeopardized and other types of ocean research requiring these assets could be negatively affected. All of the global-class UNOLS vessels are currently heavily subscribed for expeditionary research and these ships will not be able to meet the demands for ocean observatory maintenance and operation without unacceptable consequences for other ocean sciences research.
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From page 173... ...
However, additional funding for prototyping and testing of high-bandwidth and/or high-latitude buoy systems and cabled networks with multiple-node, multipleloop topologies will be required before these systems are installed (see Chapter 3~. · The availability of retired telecommunication cables may represent a significant opportunity for ocean observatory science.
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From page 174... ...
The various workshop reports and planning documents referenced in this report include long lists of sensors and instrumentation for ocean observatories that would enable a broad spectrum of both disciplinary and interdisciplinary ocean research. The approach that the NSF has adopted draws the majority of funding for these observatory sensors and instrumentation from the scientific programs or projects utilizing the infrastructure (whether supported by the NSF or other agencies)
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From page 175... ...
by utilizing real-time data through the interactivity of the Internet to help students, teachers, and the general public understand the relevance and excitement of ocean research to their everyday lives. Nearly all aspects of observatory research can be incorporated in educational or public outreach programs, but the opportunity for real-time display of video images and the potential to interact remotely with instrumentation at the observatory will excite and engage students and the general public alike to learn more about the oceans.
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From page 176... ...
OOI will be joined by other national efforts in what will eventually evolve into a truly international ocean observatory program. However, to fully realize the potential of this observatory program good coordination is essential among the partners in this effort, at both the national and international level.
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From page 177... ...
, while the role of the program management organization should be one of coordination, oversight, and fiscal and contract management. The OOI program management office needs to be established by the end of 2003, to oversee scientific planning and technical development in preparation for the construction and installation of the observatory infrastructure, some of which involves extensive advance planning.
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From page 178... ...
· A successful observatory program will require sufficient funding for both the operation and maintenance of the observatory infrastructure and for the science that this infrastructure will enable. The NSF needs to take appropriate steps to ensure that sufficient resources are available to meet these needs by the time the observatory infrastructure is in place.
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From page 179... ...
The present UNOLS Fleet Renewal Plan does not adequately address the ship requirements of the ocean research observatories acquired through the OOI. There is an immediate need for a study to identify the ship and ROV facilities required to support global, regional, and coastal observatories and to develop a plan to provide these assets within the context of the five year OOI construction and installation schedule.
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From page 180... ...
It is strongly recommended, however, that NSF, perhaps through DEOS, constitute a committee with the appropriate expertise to thoroughly evaluate the potential benefits of utilizing retired telecommunications cables to provide power and bandwidth to some of the proposed observatory sites. · A core suite of instruments should be installed on every observatory node and funded as part of the basic observatory infrastructure, not only to test system functionality, but also to provide the essential scientific context for the observatory's effective use in basic research.
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From page 181... ...
· A separate, well-funded observatory instrumentation program at NSF, and contributions from other agencies with an interest in ocean research, will be required to obtain the full suite of sensors and instruments needed to fully exploit the scientific potential of the ocean observatory infrastructure. A program within the NSF's Ocean Sciences Division in which peer-reviewed proposals to acquire new observatory sensors and instrumentation are eligible for funding will be essential to the long-term scientific success of the research-driven observatory network.
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From page 182... ...
Given the magnitude of this need for ocean observatory science, a special program in observatory sensor development may be needed both to develop new instruments and to transition them from a research tool to an observatory-capable sensor. · The NSF should work with other agencies engaged in long-term ocean observations to ensure that the national resources for instrumentation, maintenance and calibration facilities, and technical staff are in place and have the necessary funding stability to support the OOI.
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From page 183... ...
Implementation of an education and public outreach program through collaborative efforts with the National Sea Grant Program and COSEE is strongly encouraged. · The NSF or the OOI Program Office, once it is established, should solicit proposals for a workshop to address the EPO issues raised in this report and to develop a specific EPO implementation plan for ocean research observatories, including recommending a budget for EPO activities.
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From page 184... ...
184 ENABLING OCEAN RESEARCH IN THE 2 lST CENTURY will be more successful and more cost-effective if they are part of the initial observatory design and not an afterthought. The success of the EPO program will only be realized if there is a meaningful financial commitment to this effort at all program levels, and if individual investigators are provided the incentives and the support to incorporate innovative ways of presenting their data to K-12 students, pre-college teachers, and the general public.
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