Overview of DFO ocean climate monitoring programs, products, clients, and information gaps Blair Greenan

Outline Summary of observation programs in Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program as an example Sources of Information Data Products Clients Examples of multi-disciplinary applications Information gaps

Ocean Observation Programs Long standing observation programs in Atlantic and Pacific Oceans – primarily T/S Heavy reliance on research programs in Arctic Ocean Goal – Collect and analyze data to characterize and understand the causes of ocean variability at seasonal, interannual and decadal scales Provide multidisciplinary data to establish relationships among physical, chemical and biological conditions Provide adequate data to support sound development of ocean activities

Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP) Seasonal Oceanographic sections [17] (spring, fall, summer [NL only]) High frequency (~1-4 weeks when ice free) sampling sites [5 sites] Physical, chemical and biological oceanographic variables since 1999 Some physical series going back to 1940s CTDs Ecosystem trawl surveys Atlantic Zone Offshore sampling Program (AZOMP) Combines Labrador Sea Monitoring Program (AR7W since 1990) with Scotian Slope/Rise Program (XHL since 2006) Sampling typically in May

Line P Program Hydrographic casts and plankton sampling at Ocean Station Papa (OSP) started in 1956 (BT in 1952) OSP vessel retired in 1981 Line P sampling started in 1959 Currently 2-3 cruises per year 26 Hydrographic stations (8 with chemical, biological collections) WCVI / Strait of Georgia West Coat Vancouver Island started in late 1970s; Strait of Georgia in 1999 Physical, chemical and biological oceanographic variables Surveys occur 2-4 times per year

Areas of Observation Arctic Ocean Several areas of Arctic Ocean with repeated observation from research programs Physical, chemical and biological variables but variable combinations K. Azetsu-Scott, D. Ianson, B. Morrison, unpub.

Historical Data for Carbonate Chemistry Arctic Ocean Seasonal Data Distributions Beaufort Sea 1970s 1980s Recovered and compiled set of inorganic carbon data collected in the Canadian Arctic 1990s 2000s Giesbrecht et al., 2014 Miller et al., 2014

AZMP Program Elements Ship-based observations of physical, chemical and biological oceanographic variables (will be starting to incorporate gliders) Length of time series varies (some back to 1940s) but consistent collections of complete variable set since 1999 Other oceanographic observations Remote sensing – SST, Chlorophyll a, Sea level Thermosalinographs: fixed sites (buoys) and ship-mounted Oceanographic buoys Moorings deployed year-round at some high frequency sampling sites Non-oceanographic observations Freshwater inflow (measured and modelled) Ice Extent (daily and weekly areas and estimated volumes) Atmospheric variables (weather stations)

Ship-based observations Standard variables Profiles Conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) Oxygen Fluorescence (chlorophyll) Light (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) Bottle samples Chlorophyll Nutrients Integrated net mesozooplankton Biomass Taxonomic composition Optional variables pH, alkalinity, DIC Phytoplankton pigments (HPLC) Taxonomic composition of phytoplankton Ammonium Phytoplankton counts Net microzooplankton Stratified net meso/macrozooplankton … Common methods used across platforms and regions

Sea Surface Temperature (SST) annual anomalies Remote sensing Satellite statistical boxes Chlorophyll variability The program incorporates observations from other platforms in addition to the field program. Chlorophyll estimates from remote sensing provide information about seasonal timing and interannual variability in phytoplankton production, and sea surface temperature estimates are one metric of the state of the physical environment Johnson et al. 2016 Sea Surface Temperature (SST) annual anomalies Sea-surface temperatures for July 2015. Ocean colour chlorophyll a concentrations for first half of May 2015 Hebert et al. 2015

Remote sensing Labrador Current Transport NE Track 191 Han G. and Li J. 2008. Journal of Remote Sensing, 29(1), 265-280.

Additional Observational Series Ecosystem Trawl Surveys Regional examples of sampling effort Similar programs exist in all regions Thermograph network High frequency sampling site Black – hydrography Red – nets and hydrography

Additional Observational Series Argo Program Location of Argo floats (red) in the NW Atlantic as of 30 April 2009, with AZMP and AZOMP lines (black) Temperature and salinity in the central Labrador Sea based on the measurements collected by the Argo floats and research vessels during 2002-2015. The short horizontal lines indicate typical convection depth in each winter of this period.

Complementary monitoring programs Duration anomaly Air temperature / solar radiation Ice Cover Hebert et al. 2015 Ice Area Ice Volume Sea-level The program also incorporates long term observations of sea ice and air temperature

Data Products: Standardized anomalies (SA) The oceanographic time series are standardized by referencing the current year to an average value during a time period and dividing by the standard deviation over that same time interval; typically 1980 to 2010 but shorter referencing periods (e.g. 1999-2010) are applied for biological and chemical oceanographic variables. Cold and Fresh Lower Standing Stocks Earlier Timing Warm and Salty Higher Standing Stocks Later Timing

Data Products Annual Indices Sea surface temperature Labrador Current transport River transport Ice Volume Cold water indices (winter mixing) Bottom water temperature

Advisory Products

Clients Fisheries Management Sector (through population assessment reviews) Assessment specific indices developed for lobster, crab, shrimp, herring, mackerel, cod, etc. Applied to evaluate change in stock abundance, somatic growth, spatial distribution and projections of future catches Ocean Management Baseline knowledge for delineation of spatial management measures (e.g. MPAs, EBSAs) Post implementation monitoring

Clients Aquatic Climate Change Adaptation Services Program (ACCASP) Environmental Trends and Projections Climate Change Ocean Circulation Modelling Initiatives Impact and Vulnerability Assessment Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (regional fisheries management organization) International Council for the Exploration of the Seas Canada – US Trans-boundary Consultations

Information gaps Data pertaining to the Arctic Ocean are very limited ACCASP Arctic risk assessment often states that “The temporal and spatial coverage of data are insufficient to delineate trends across the Arctic Large Aquatic Basin.” Limited knowledge of departures from seasonal cycles beyond surface observations and HFSS Most physical indices (temperature, salinity, tracers), even if based on single surveys, are not severely seasonally aliased Same cannot be said for chemical (e.g. nutrients), phyto- or zooplankton

Information gaps Most time series of chemical (nutrients, dissolved gases) and biological (bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton) are short, with limited spatial coverage, and high degree of observational uncertainty In some parts of all three oceans, density or frequency of oceanographic observations is very limited Knowledge of the strength and variability of currents and transport (with a few exceptions – mostly in deep ocean) nearly all model-based with limited validation

OCEAN ECV Product Requirements Sea Surface temperature Sea Surface Temperature Subsurface Temperature Interior Temperature Sea Surface Salinity Subsurface Salinity Interior Salinity Surface Currents Surface geostrophic Current Subsurface Currents Interior Currents Sea Level Global Mean Sea Level Regional Sea Level Sea State Wave Height – (jointly with ECCC) Surface Stress Ocean Surface Heat Flux Latent Heat Flux Sensible Heat Flux Radiative Heat Flux Sea Ice Sea Ice Concentration Sea Ice Extent/Edge Sea Ice Thickness Sea Ice Drift

Oxygen Interior ocean Oxygen concentration Nutrients Interior ocean Concentration of silicate, phosphate, nitrate Inorganic Carbon Interior ocean carbon storage. At least 2 of: Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), Total Alkalinity (TA) or pH pCO2 (to provide Air-sea flux of CO2) Transient Tracers Interior ocean CC-12, CFC-11, SF6, tritium, 3He, 14C, 39Ar Nitrous Oxide Interior ocean N2O N2O air-sea flux

Ocean Colour Water Leaving Radiance Chlorophyll-a Concentration Plankton Phytoplankton Zoo plankton Marine Habitat Properties Coral reefs, Mangrove Forests, Seagrass Beds, Macroalgal Communities

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