The Southern Ocean

Observing System

Facilitating and Enhancing Global Southern Ocean Observations

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National Antarctic Data Centres and Other Multi-Disciplinary Data Repositories

This page lists the key multi-disciplinary data repositories, including National Antarctic Data Centres, that host data for the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. If you are looking for data from a specific discipline, please also check the relevant page for lists of repositories that chiefly host data on physical and chemical oceanography, sea ice and the cryosphere, biology and ecology, satellite imagery, meteorology, and bathymetry and geosciences.

Acronym Full Name Description
AADC Australia Antarctic Division Data Centre Provides data management and spatial data services to Australia's Antarctic programme
AARI Antarctic and Arctic Research Institute (Russia) Provides metadata and some data from Russian Antarctic meteorological and oceanographic observations
AWI Alfred Wegener Institute Provides polar data collected by AWI researchers
BAS British Antarctic Survey Provides data collected as part of BAS research expeditions
CNAADC Chinese National Arctic and Antarctic Data Center Provides data and samples collected as part of Chinese Antarctic Research Expeditions
GO-SHIP Global Ocean Ship-Based Hydrographic Investigations Program Links to several data repositories
GOSIC Global Observing Systems Information Center Data program of GCOS, GOOS and GTOS. Funded by NOAA and National Climatic Data Center
IMOS Integrated Marine Observing System (Australia) Oceanographic and biological data from Australia's coasts and oceans
IODE International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange A collection of data platforms for oceanographic datasets, hosted by the IOC
JCOMM Joint Technical Commission on Oceanography and Marine Meteorology Part of WMO, UNESCO and IOC, this site provides a range of data services, including access to real-time data feeds
KPDC Korean Polar Data Centre Hosts data collected by the Korean Polar Research Institute
MGDS Marine Geoscience Data System Antarctic and Southern Ocean Data Portal Hosts marine geoscience data collected by US-based survey ships
NCEI National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA) Hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this site holds environmental data, principally collected by US-based research projects
PANGEA An open-access data library for georeferenced earth system data
PDC Polar Data Catalog A Canadian-based catalogue of diverse polar datasets, including many from researchers in countries other than Canada.
POGO Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans Hosts cruise reports from ships in the European fleet. In the future, it is expected to also host cruise reports from US and Australian ships.
PSMSL Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level Provides tide gauge data
R2R Rolling Deck To Repository Hosts cruise reports from NSF-funded research vessels
SOCCOM Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling SOCCOM uses autonomous floats to collect oceanographic observations
USP-DC US Antarctic Program Data Center US NSF Office of Polar Programs data. Also part of Marine Geoscience Data System
USGS United States Geological Survey Provides data on earth, water, and biological sciences
Are we missing any key generalist data repositories or have you noticed errors in this list? Please contact the SOOS data officer.

Data Efforts

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Data sharing is at the heart of SOOS. Our aim is to support the development of systems that maximise the discoverability, access and impact of Southern Ocean observations, no matter who collected them, or when, or why.
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SOOSmap

Explore and download curated and standardised Southern Ocean observational data on an interactive map.
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Metadata

Search the SOOS portal at NASA's Common Metadata Directory (CMR) for worldwide Southern Ocean data.
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DueSouth

Find and share upcoming expeditions to the Southern Ocean with international colleagues.
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Regional Action

Explore Regional Working Groups that coordinate and implemente the observing system in each region.

Field Coordination

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SOOS brings together existing communities and observational efforts to enhance the coordinated collection of observations, through the development of coordination networks and tools. These facilitate collaborative logistics, sharing of resources, alignment of observational priorities, and supporting community effort towards achieving the SOOS mission.
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Enhancing Capabilities

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SOOS enhances our ability to observe the Southern Ocean integrated, multidisciplinary and sustained way, through support of community-driven working groups and task teaks. These efforts focus on development and implementation of technologies, building networks, improvement of observational design, and development of associated methods.
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Working Groups

Explore Capability Working Groups (CWGs), developing and enhancing important Southern Ocean observational capabilities.
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Task Teams

Find Task Teams producing specific products, organising events, or solving a particular observing problem.



Latest News & Events

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Enhancing observations of the Southern Ocean

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SOOS is an international initiative of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR).  SOOS' mission is facilitating the collection and delivery of essential physical, chemical and biological oceanographic observations from the Southern Ocean, to ensure all stakeolders have access to the data required to address key societal issues, such as sea-level rise, heat, freshwater and nutrient transport, and ecosystem responses to changes in the system.
More about SOOS
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5-Year Plan

The SOOS 5-year Implementation Plan defines the actions of the SOOS community for the period 2021-2025.
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Scientific Drivers

The Southern Ocean community has identified 5 scientific challenges that are used to focus our observational priorities.
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Governance

SOOS has a simple governance structure, with close connections to external scientific and coordination bodies.
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Contact Us

The International Project Office (IPO) is the central hub of the SOOS effort, click above for details on how to contact the IPO.

Sponsors

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