1. GCOOS Status and Plans An Update Ann E. Jochens GCOOS Regional Coordinator Texas A&M University College Station, Texas GCOOS Parties and Board Meeting Biloxi, MS 26 February 2008

2. Topics Funded Proposals Pending GCOOS Proposals Results from FY08 Proposals Potential Future GCOOS Proposals Other Related Proposals Priorities of GCOOS Conceptual Design

3. Funded Proposals Year 3 of Support for Regional Association Design and Develop a Data Portal Standardize Local Data Nodes

4. Year 3 Support for GCOOS-RA Yr 3 funding increment of current grant received 6/12/07 in amount of $435,820 (direct and indirect) $1,100,688 total 3-year funding End date 31 May 2008 Time extension to 31 May 2009 will be requested E/O subcontract in place through 5/31/2008; will be extended to 5/31/2009

5. Design and Development of a Data Portal Awarded in August 2007 Period of one year Start date: 1 January 2008 $500,000 Education and Outreach Component –EOC Workshop on the Data Portal (EOC members, portal developers, selected committee members) –Workshop report posted to web –E/O Coordinator and 2 EOC members participate in meetings

6. Standardize Local Data Nodes Awarded in August 2007 3 years beginning January 1, 2008 ~$300K/yr Year 1 firm Year 2 support reduced by 25% –Education and Outreach Component removed for years 1 and 2 to meet the 25% reduction while maintaining the ability to achieve the goal of interoperability Year 3 support depends on funding availability

7. Pending GCOOS Proposals RA Support Results of FY08 Proposals

8. RA Support Submitted 15 August 2007 ~$400,000/year for 3-years Regional Coordinator 50% time Data Management Coordinator 25% time Research Associate 100% time Co-PI Nowlin 5% time Will be funded at some level

9. RA Support Meetings component –Board meetings –Parties meetings –Council and Committee meetings –One observing system design workshop –One stakeholders workshop –Coordinators’ travel support

10. RA Support E/O component –E/O Coordinator 6.5 months/year

12. Results from FY08 Proposals 3-D Circulation Model Comparison Data Portal/Regional Operation Center Meteorological Instrumentation HF Radar

13. Developing a Proven 3-D Circulation Model for the Gulf; a Pilot Project Declined 3-D Gulf of Mexico circulation model; comparisons and development Chris Mooers, University of Miami, is lead Industry to fund deepwater part (~$1.3M) Seeking federal match to extend to shelf and extend time of effort –NOAA –MMS –Others

14. Meteorological Instrumentation Declined 2-3 year project to develop and deploy self sufficient meteorological instruments on ~10 O&G platforms Fugro GEOS as Lead Components –Year 1: Sensor Integration and Testing –Year 2: Installation of ~10 packages –Year 3: Build-out to additional packages and maintain Education and outreach component

15. Maintain Data Portal and Develop Regional Operations Center On Hold for FY09 Consideration For 3 years to follow year Data Portal development ~$750K per year Jochens as Lead PI Howard as Co-PI for DP and ROC Walker as Co-PI for E/O Component Support for E/O Coordinator (3 months) Support for development and maintenance of GCOOS wiki for observing systems inputs

16. Data Portal/Regional Operation Center On Hold for FY09 Consideration Components: –Data Portal Year 1: Internal testing & review/roll-out Year 2: Roll-out and evaluation Year 3: Maintain and enhance All Years: Add Data Streams –Regional Operation Center Year 1: Initiate planning Year 2: Planning and develop proto-type Year 3: Develop & test proto-type –Education and Outreach Year 1: Education Materials; 2 Interactive Exhibits Year 2: Education Materials; 2 Interactive Exhibits Year 3: Education Materials; 1 Interactive Exhibit

17. HF Radar On Hold for FY09 Consideration ~2 year project to –integrate WERA, CODAR, and in situ systems Stephan Howden, USM, as Lead PI Other participants: UM, USF, FSU, LSU, TAMU Sharon Walker as E/O PI Ann Jochens as GCOOS representative (~5% time)

18. HF Radar On Hold for FY09 Consideration Components –Maintain existing HF Radar systems –CODAR/WERA integration/interoperability: Florida Straits West Florida shelf Mississippi shelf –Develop Gulf-wide HF radar observing system plan –Education and outreach activities: Inreach Display for outreach

19. Potential Future GCOOS Proposals Gap Analysis Regional Satellite Product Development HABs Integrated Observing System Hypoxia

20. HABs Integrated Observing System Plan for Gulf of Mexico Plan development and follow-on –Workshop in Nov 2007 –Draft plan completed early 2008 –Final plan completed by spring 2008 –Activities to update plan will be developed

21. Other Potential Future Proposals Hypoxia Observing System –NOAA is leading the development of a Hypoxia Monitoring Implementation Plan Gap Analysis Project - NCDDC is interested in leading this effort for GCOOS Regional Satellite Product Development –Encouraging regional cooperation among satellite laboratories in their development and production of needed products

22. Other Related Proposals

23. NWQMC Declined, but GOMA Pursuing National Water Quality Monitoring Network for U.S. Coastal Waters and their Tributaries: Announcement of Pilot Studies and Request for Statement of Interest GCOOS-RA partnered with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA); GOMA was lead NO FUNDS WERE OFFERED by NWQMC GCOOS-RA to provide relevant inventory and gap analysis information, expertise on DMAC and ocean observing systems, and report review GOMA Submitted to NWQM Council on 23 February 07 NWQMC did not select the GOMA/GCOOS pilots

24. Homeland Security Center of Excellence Declined Possible Partnership on a Homeland Security Center of Excellence For study of natural disasters, coastal infrastructure, and emergency management Major partners are University of Washington, Texas A&M University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center would be housed at the University of Washington GCOOS effort would be to enhance the storm surge and inundation workshop results through outreach

25. Agreement between Shell & NOAA Finalized

26. Priorities from GCOOS Conceptual Design Priority activities, products, and information for the GCOOS and their societal benefits.

27. Seven Societal Goals of IOOS 1.Improve predictions of climate change and weather and their effects on coastal communities and the nation; 2.Protect and restore healthy coastal ecosystems more effectively; 3.Reduce public health risks; 4.Enable the sustained use of ocean and coastal resources; 5.Improve the safety and efficiency of maritime operations; 6.Improve national and homeland security; and 7.Mitigate the effects of natural hazards more effectively.

28. Priorities from GCOOS Conceptual Design: HF Radar for Surface Currents and Waves

31. Priority activities, measurements, R&D needs, and E/O aspects

34. Questions? Contact Ann Jochens GCOOS Regional Coordinator ajochens@tamu.edu ; 979-845-6714