The Southern Ocean

Observing System

Facilitating and Enhancing Global Southern Ocean Observations

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First Meeting of the Observing System Design Working Group

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The Observing System Design (OSD) Working Group held their first meeting on the 20th August, via a teleconference. The OSD Working Group aims to facilitated the design of a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary observing system for the Southern Ocean (SOOS Objective 1) by advising methods for assessing observing system design for given quantities of interest. The working group’s objectives are:
 
  1. Compile list of possibly useful methodologies
  2. Determine scope of requirements
  3. Recommend methods for estimating correlation scales
  4. Recommend methods for estimating covariance scales, significance, and multivariate system design
  5. Recommend methods for observing system design experiments (OSSEs)
  6. Build user-friendly OSSE tools
 
This meeting was widely attended by both OSD working group members and interested community as well as representatives from other SOOS working groups. A highlight of the meeting was a presentation by Yanzhou Wei on his recent publication on developing a framework for designing mooring array configurations. This was a joint project between the OSD and Southern Ocean Fluxes (SOFLUX) working groups. The full publication is available here.
 
Discussions during meeting focused on how the working group can achieve these objectives, and increase collaboration, engagement and membership in the working group. Specifically, attendees were asked what they would like to see from the OSD working group, and if there were specific projects or work packages that could be proposed to the OSD working group to assist other SOOS working groups and the Southern Ocean observing community in observing system design. One potential future project for the working group is compiling a list of process studies that have occurred and increase the exposure of these studies to ensure they are utilized by observing system implementers.
 
Do you have an idea on a project or work package that could be undertaken by the Observing System Design Working Group? Please contact the working group leader, Matt Mazloff (mmazloff[at]ucsd.edu).

To learn more about the Observing System Design Working Group and subscribe here.

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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