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NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)

Zdenka S. Willis

Director, NOAA IOOS Program Office

19 September

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Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

• 70 Member Countries & the European Commission

• 46 International Organizations• A distributed system of systems

– Improves coordination of strategies and observation systems

– Links all platforms: in situ, aircraft, and satellite networks

– Identifies gaps in our global capacity– Facilitates exchange of data and

information – Improves decision-makers’ abilities to

address pressing policy issues– GOOS is the global ocean component of

GEOSS

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Example of a regional observing system in

Monterey Bay, CA

U.S. IOOSVision

• Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)– Enable rapid assessments of

current states of marine and estuarine systems, and the timely detection and prediction of changes in them, through the continual provision of routine and reliable data and information in forms and at rates specified by the users.

– Complex undertaking dependent on federal, regional, state, local, academic, & private sector contributions

Provide the right information, in the right format, at the right time, to the right people, to make the right decisions.

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Organize for Success

Background on NOAA’s IOOS Focus

NOAA IOOS Definition:

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a coordinated network of people and technology that work together to generate and disseminate continuous data on our coastal waters, Great Lakes, and oceans.  IOOS is our nation’s ocean contribution to an international effort called the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), which is designed to continuously and comprehensively monitor Earth and transmit observations globally.  IOOS supports both a coastal and global component of ocean observing.

• Establish NOAA IOOS Program Office

– Lead and manage NOAA’s IOOS efforts

• Support external collaboration – Identify and encourage similar data

integration, test and evaluation approach by partners

• Develop an Initial Operating Capability: Data Integration Framework (DIF).

– Integrate priority IOOS core variables and deliver to end users and models

– Quantify product improvements

Integrate Data

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NOAA’s Organizational Relationships

NOAA IOOS Activities

NOAA Administrator

NOS Assistant Administrator

NOAA IOOS Program Office Director

IOOS Project Management

Program Operations

OAR Assistant Administrator

Leveraging existing NOAA-wide capabilities

Ocean.US

NOAA Ocean Council

NOAA Observing System Council

Interagency Working Group on Ocean Observations (IWGOO)

Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST)

Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource

Management Integration (ICOSRMI)

Interagency Connections

Guidance & Requirements

Capacity & Capabilities

IOO

S Pr

ogra

m O

ffice

IOO

S O

vers

ight

Data Management&

Communications Observations

Modeling &

Analysis

Regional Coastal Component

Education Research

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IOOS Program Activities

Strategic Plan Program Operating Plan

Legislation Communication/Engagement

• Communication: Distribute Z-grams

• Regional: Visited regions

• Industry: Briefed 4 Industry Forum

• IWGOO: Provides ExSec; IWGOO Strategy

• Interagency: USACE/NOAA IOOS wave plan effort

• IOOS legislation is proposed in the 110th Congress

The House introduced two IOOS billsSenate bill S.950 authorizing IOOS

was recently reported out of Committee

• FY08 Senate Appropriations Language

• The NOAA IOOS strategic plan will serve as the guiding document to inform business operations and technical planning

• IOOS Program Office held strategic planning workshop, which included participants from all NOAA Line Offices, as well as NDBC, CSC, NOAA Budget, and PPI

• The draft plan is in the review process and will be finalized late summer – to early fall.

• Consistent with IWGOO Strategic Plan

DIFIOOS POPFY10-14

2 Conceptual Designs

IOOS StrategicPlanning

CEO POP FY9-13

AlternativesDIF

IOOS POPFY10-14

2 Conceptual Designs

2 Conceptual Designs

IOOS StrategicPlanning

CEO POP FY9-13

Alternatives

Alternatives & Quads

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NOAA’s IOOSMission

“Lead the integration of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing capabilities, in collaboration with Federal and non-federal partners, to maximize access to data and generation of information products to inform decision making and promote social, economic, and environmental benefit to our nation and the world.”

Source: Draft NOAA IOOS Strategic Plan

Example of an integrated ocean observation system

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Our ocean, coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems are complex; many are at risk

Coastal populations are at risk from weather, climate & natural hazards

The global climate is not well understood

Problems

Integrate Data: NOAA Mission Requirements Drive Data Integration Needs

IOOS Core Variables

TemperatureSalinitySea Level Surface currents Ocean color BathymetrySurface wavesIce distributionContaminantsDissolved nutrientsFish speciesFish abundanceZooplankton speciesOptical propertiesHeat fluxBottom characterPathogensDissolved O2

Phytoplankton speciesZooplankton abundance

IntegrationLong-term data

series, coordinated in space and time

Integrated Ecosystem

Assessment

Harmful Algal Bloom

Model

Hurricane Intensity

Model

Coastal Inundation

Model

NOAA Decision Tools

Improved ecosystem assessments

Updated management approaches

Improved access to data, and scientific information

Improved models (e.g., hurricane intensity, coastal inundation, and harmful algal bloom model)

Characterize the state of the global climate system and its variability

Information Needs

Expanding the Marine Transportation System

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ARGO Profiling

Satellites

Drifting Buoys

NOAA Ships

VOS (xbt)

Weather Buoys

DART

C-MAN

NWLON

CREIOS

SWIM

SWMP

Tropical Moored Buoys

NOAA Ship Archive

ARGO Delayed data

NMFS

OAR

Single Sat. Pass Data

Multiple Sat. Pass Data

NCDC

NODC

CLASS

GDAC

NDBC

NCDDC

NERRS CDMO

AOML

PACIFIC I. FSC

CO-OPS

OSDPP

COAST WATCH

NOAA Ship Synoptic

Core Variable Integration Problem: Temperature (Example)

PLATFORM Data Distribution Archive

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Decision Tools: Integrated Core Variables for Models

CORE VARIABLES

NOAA MODELS

Current StateMODELING IMPROVEMENTS

(future state)

• TemperatureHurricane Intensity

Model

• Insufficient access to subsurface temperature observations needed used to inform model

• Integration of real-time, temperature = increased accuracy of hurricane intensity predictions

• Sea LevelCoastal

Inundation Model

• Sea level data (various sources and formats) integrated on site-by-site basis for use in model

• Expedited development of coastal inundation forecasts for Southeast and Gulf

• Surface currents

• Ocean Color• Salinity

Harmful Algal Bloom Model

• Wind data and marine forecasts used as proxy to determine currents

• Improved bloom trajectory forecast

• Enable development of national HAB forecast with integrated currents

• Temperature• Salinity• Ocean Color• Surface

currents• Sea level

Integrated Ecosystem

Assessment

• NOAA compiles and integrates suite of data required for each assessment

• Assess current conditions• Forecast ecological health

based on existing management strategies

• Evaluate impacts of alternate management strategies

Evaluate NOAA models that impact highest-

priority problems

Integrate variables needed to achieve benchmarked

improvements

Select next set of priority core variables based on impacts to

NOAA products

Quantify progress toward defined modeling improvements

Identify remaining IOOS core variables needed

to reduce errorNone?

Identify additional source(s) of error within model

Process Flow

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NOAAIOOS Data Integration Framework

Systems Engineering &

Standards Development

Data Integration Framework (DIF)

Integrated Ecosystem

Assessment

Month 36Integration of 5 IOOS Core

Variables

• Product Enhancement

• Test & Evaluation

• Verification & Validation

• Integrated information services for NOAA programs

• Identify observation gaps

• Validated enhanced data products

• NOAA’s Data Integration Framework

Enhanced decision support through:

NOAA MISSION OBJECTIVES

NOAA 5 Core Variables

Months 0-12 Month 18 Month 24

Harmful Algal Bloom Model

Hurricane Intensity Model

Coastal Inundation Model

Temperature Salinity Sea Level Currents Color

Harmful Algal Bloom Model

Integrated Ecosystem

Assessment

Hurricane Intensity Model

Coastal Inundation Model

External sources of 5 Core Variables (consistent with NOAA standards)

Temperature Salinity Sea Level Currents Color

Systems Engineering:

Data A

ccess &

Exch

ang

e

REGIONAL COASTAL NEEDS

Future State:

• Regional-coastal data integration for

• Regional scale data and information products and services

Integrated Variable Ingest for Select Data Products

Test & Evaluation

Benchmarked Product Improvements for Operational Use

Dat

a S

tan

dar

ds

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Harmful Algal Bloom Data Flow

Harmful Algal Bloom

Focus Area

Transport simulation for the forecast

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Summary of Customer Needs

• Common Thread– All wanted additional observations and easier access to data – Efficiency gains identified as a result of improved data access.

• Specific Customer Comments – Hurricane Intensity

• Timely access to standardized quality control data• Access to regional Observations

– Harmful Algal Blooms• Improved data transport into “HAB” model• Standard formats and distribution of currents (NDBC and others)• Standard formats and distribution of NOAA ocean model outputs

– Integrated Ecosystem Assessment• Subsetting capability and standard naming units• Access to time series data for each of the priority parameters

– Coastal Inundation • Streamlined access to latest bathymetry and topography in common

formats• Access to timely regional observations• Standard data formats and additional water level data to validate the

accuracy of their inundation model forecasts

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Temperature Interoperability Test May/ June 2007

Data

• Incompatible data formats

• Inconsistent Data structures

• Different forms of temporal/spatial expressions

• Different data dictionaries/vocabularies

• Varying formats for lat/long

Metadata

• Metadata generally missing

Information Technology

• OPeNDAP servers unavailable

• Transport protocols generally correct, some outdated

OGC WFS

W3C SOAP Web services

OPeNDAP

NWSOGC WFS

WFS version 1.

CO-OPSW3C SOAP

NERRS/ CDMOW3C SOAP

SEACOOSOPeNDAP DRDS

GoMOOSOPeNDAP

CORMPOPeNDAP

NCDDCOGC WFS

WFS version 1.0.0

TemperatureCSC

Jim Boyd, John Ulmer, Daniel Martin

Data Access & Exchange

Sea level

Salinity

Temp

Currents

Color

DATA

Status: Report Complete

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DATA

TYPES

Functional Categories

Sea level Salinity TempCurrentsColorDATA Data Standards

Data Discovery

Data Transport& Access

Metadata Uniform on-line Browse

Data Archive

IT Security QC/QA

Grids X X P P

Scattered Points

Trajectories

Time Series X X P P

Moving-sensor

? ? ? ?

Profiles X X P P

Geospatial Mapping data

Metadata X X P P

X = Addressing; P = partially addressing; ? = under review;

Remainder of the standards reviewed in following efforts

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IDENTIFY STANDARDS FOR NOAA DIF IMPLEMENTATION

DOCUMENT FOR DMAC-STPROCESS FORMAT

DEPLOY INITIAL NOAA DIF

NOAA DIFEXPERIENCE

IMPLEMENTED STANDARDSFOR COMMUNITY REUSE

Experience Informs Evaluation

NOAA DIF Process IOOS DMAC Process

270+

DMAC-STNON-TECHNICAL

SUBMITTED

PROPOSED

RECOMMENDED

PUBLICCOMMENT

DMAC-STTECHNICAL

REVIEW

DMAC-STEVALUATION

45

120

STANDARDS SOLICITED 0

Standard Processes (All Welcome)

Days

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National HF Radar Plan

• Version 0.1 Standards:  Submitted to NOAA IOOS – in work

• The system, by Nov 07, will have 3 redundant national servers plus 4 regional servers that feed into the 3 national servers.

• FY07 IOOS Funds Increased Coverage

• Requirement in NOAA PPBES FY10-14 (early in the cycle)

85 HFR Sites x 700 Pts/Site= 59500 Data Pts

Figure from SCCOOS website

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Regional Capacity

Coastal Observation Technology Coastal Observation Technology System (COTS)System (COTS)GEM

CIMT

CI-CORE

WAVCIS

Caro-COOPS

CORMP

COOA

WallopsACT

LISICOS

GoMOOS

COMPS

SCCOOS

Pilot ProjectsGoMOOSOregon Health & Sciences Inst. Univ. of South Florida

Regional CoordinationGCOOSSECOORAMACOORAGLOSNANOOSCeNCOOSSCCOOSAOOSNERAPacIOOSCaRA

Observing SystemsACTWallops/CITCORMPCaro-COOPSCOMPSOrCOOSSCCOOSCIMTCI-COREAOOSGoMOOSSCOOPLISICOSCOOAJCOOTCenGOOS

Coastal Observation Technology Coastal Observation Technology System (COTS)System (COTS)GEM

CIMT

CI-CORE

WAVCIS

Caro-COOPS

CORMP

COOA

WallopsACT

LISICOS

GoMOOS

COMPS

SCCOOS

Pilot ProjectsGoMOOSOregon Health & Sciences Inst. Univ. of South Florida

Regional CoordinationGCOOSSECOORAMACOORAGLOSNANOOSCeNCOOSSCCOOSAOOSNERAPacIOOSCaRA

Observing SystemsACTWallops/CITCORMPCaro-COOPSCOMPSOrCOOSSCCOOSCIMTCI-COREAOOSGoMOOSSCOOPLISICOSCOOAJCOOTCenGOOS

• Capacity Exists • Integration into National IOOS• Optimization• Operations, Maintenance

• Register produced by NOAA CSC and NMSP• 679 platforms registered, 1969 distinct parameters• NOAA NDBC processes 2.5M observations (physical)

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Integrated Ocean Observing

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IOOS Challenges

• Technical– Not easy to integrate data from many

sources– Need to provide data in formats and rates

that are useful for broad array of applications

• Program– IOOS is not “owned” by 1 agency or entity– Difficult to engineer a cohesive and

operation system with many stakeholders that contribute to and use the system

• Budget– Fiscal constraints always an issue (no one

agency can do it all)– Coordinating federal budget requests

across agencies is not typical and not easy– Moving from earmarks to merit based

awards

IOOS Observation Registry - many data sources from around the U.S.

Example of ocean and coastal observation data.

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Summary

• IOOS is maturing, but more work needed to evolve IOOS into a fully operational system.

• NOAA IOOS Program Stood Up – focused on execution– In Presidents Budget in FY08

• DIF effort supports NOAA, regional and other federal integration– Standards– Technical Processes– Lessons learned

• NOAA engagement with Interagency Partners– Through Ocean.US and IWGOO– E.g. OOI/IOOS Industry Work Shop; USACE

• NOAA engaged with Regions– Developing processes for long term sustainability

relationship– Integrating Regional capacity into National IOOS