JCOMM in-situ Observing Platform Support Centre & Argo M. Belbeoch Sept Hangzhou, CHINA

2 Background Ocean observation programmes are implemented nationally and cooperate internationally through dedicated panels. JCOMMOPS represents a bridge between the oceanographic and meteorological communities and keeps the day-to-day link with the platform operators and actors involved in such programmes. International coordination can improve the efficiency of these national programmes by providing links between funding agencies, program managers or principal investigators, platform operators, data users, satellite data telecommunication providers, instrument manufacturers and data centres. This international coordination is required by the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) and the Joint WMO-IOC Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM). JCOMMOPS was developed in this context, with just two Technical Coordinators (TC), into a near-operational structure.

3 Background Each international observing programme has its own specific requirements, however there are many cross-cutting issues (e.g. deployment opportunities, metadata management and information system development, common international coordination issues, relationships with IOC and WMO). Each JCOMMOPS TC focuses on his/her designated programme/s but at the same time, keeps in mind the larger context in which the programmes are implemented. They share infrastructure, develop tools in common, share ideas and achieve greater productivity together than they would do alone. Today, JCOMMOPS faces the challenge of strengthening its infrastructure, integrating the existing services better and eventually extending its operations to new observing systems.

4 Introduction JCOMMOPS is a component of the international coordination mechanism, which aims, on behalf of JCOMM, to: develop synergies between observing systems (Argo, DBCP, SOT) assist in the planning, implementation and operations of the observing systems monitor and evaluate the performance of the networks encourage cooperation between communities and member states encourage data sharing assist in data distribution on Internet and GTS relay users feedback on data quality to platforms operators provide technical assistance and user worldwide support act as a clearing house and focal point on all programmes aspects JCOMMOPS is not a data centre, rather, it: –gathers, QCs, and distributes essential metadata –guides users to data centers More general information is available at

5 Infrastructure JCOMMOPS is funded through the following annual (or ad hoc) national voluntary contributions DBCP/SOT: Australia, Canada, Europe (E-SURFMAR), France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, United Kingdom, USA. Argo: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, United Kingdom, USA. The JCOMMOPS Technical Coordinators employed by the IOC and act in close collaboration with both the IOC and WMO secretariats.

6 Infrastructure JCOMMOPS is hosted by CLS-Argos. Mercator (France’s operational oceanography centre) is in the same building

7 Information System Three Operational Servers are used to run the JCOMMOPS Information system: Relational Database - Oracle: ~100 Go, ~150 tables Web Server - Apache/Tomcat Dynamic web applications – WebObjects, Java Application Server Dynamic Map Server - ESRI GIS, ArcIMS Dynamic Chart Server FTP Server Mailing lists ( ~30)

8 Information System Essential links with platform operators, Argos location system, the GTS of WMO and various Data Centres Independent float/buoy tracking (XX-6 Resolution.) and network monitoring Target 24/7 services in 2007

9 Accessing the JCOMMOPS Information System JCOMMOPS maintains various web pages:

10 Websites Information is available about programme implementation, monitoring, instrumentation, data management and a map room includes many products to display network status The websites also include: –News, Contacts, Documents, Meetings, Image gallery, Web references and Help –Search engines for platform, contacts, documents, news are available –Real Time statistics on countries, programmes or any group of platform –Monthly products (maps, charts, status reports) –Daily metadata exports in multiple formats (ASCII, GIS,XML, KML)

11 Web Services: Real Time Tracking Geographic Information Systems and Google Earth can be used to visualise, in real-time, where platforms are located. Google Earth (kml,kmz files) ESRI ArcMap (shapefiles)

12 Web Services Web Map Services (WMS) are available to “plug in” JCOMMOPS data layers to existing GIS tools, or generate maps on the fly on any website: customisable URL query on data layers, projection, image type, image size

13 Google Earth - Argo

14 Interactive Maps: JCOMM, Argo, DBCP, SOT

15 AIC website AIC toolbar –Shortcuts –Search engine (Google & AIC) –Direct link to platform detail page –Brief news –Links GDACs, national websites,...

16 Sample products: Monthly Status Maps

17 Sample Products: DBCP e.g. Data distributed on GTS or Statistical Analyses by sensor type, platform type or country.

18 Annual SOOP Line Sampling Report Ship of Opportunity Program (SOOP) report produced annually to assess sampling with Expendable Bathy Thermographs (XBTs)

Argo Status: data distribution 19 Monthly Report

20 Argo Status: network growth 3000 Floats by November 1st

Argo Status 21

22 Argo status: participating countries

23 Argo Status: national contributions Argo

24 Argo Status: network density Source: SIO/ USA Distribution not optimal (south hemisphere)

25 Argo status: network age

26 Argo Planning Argo needs to organize efficiently its own planning –Maintain an optimal coverage –Make an optimal use of ship time –Share and extend deployment opportunities TC took step to facilitate regional coordinators work Establishing a centralized mechanism to update all plans Extending the regular notification process –Draft mode added –Text file loader added –User Guide issued –Many exchanges with float operators Providing new (R/T) products: web pages, ASCII files, GIS data layers Monitoring network coverage, age, lifetime Missing spatial dispersion (ideas ?, volunteers ?)

27 Argo - Planning Goal: cross all data layers: floats, drifters, density, age, plans, SOOP lines, past/planned cruises, etc …

28 Argo Status: cycles Need to cross check AIC meta-database & GDAC metadata files

29 Argo - Technology

30 Argo - Technology Float lifetime improving but not yet optimal

31 On-line statistics for China - Deployments - Growth - Float models - Float Age distribution - Drifting/profiling depths - Survival rate - links to maps - ….

32 International issues JCOMMOPS designed the adhesive Argo label JCOMMOPS coordinates the retrieval of beached instruments Float beached in Lima / Peru or in New Caledonia / Lifou Lagoon …

33 International issues Law of the sea (IOC/ABE-LOS): (floats) –JCOMMOPS / Argo Information Centre responsible for deployment notification procedure according to IOC Res. XX-6.: “(…) notify to Member States of all floats which might drift into some EEZs (…)” Donor programmes: (floats & buoys) –True donations under IOC/UNESCO and WMO auspices Develop cooperation Fill gaps in the arrays Foster new participating countries Modest capacity building initiatives (transfer of marine technology) –Achieved: Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Mauritius, Brazil, Chile –Ongoing: Ecuador, Dominican Rep., Kenya, Morocco, Ivory Coast –Planned: Caribbean Region, Philippines, Columbia, Cape Verde, Sri Lanka, Gabon, Nigeria Capacity Building: –Argo Training Workshop (Ghana, 12/2006) –DBCP Training Workshop (Ostend IODE, 06/2007) - Argo Training Workshop II (early 2007)

Floats & EEZs 34

35 Challenges Substantial effort is still required on the JCOMMOPS website and in general within the JCOMMOPS Information System in the integration of all available products. Main challenge: deployment opportunities information to assist the maintenance of global networks “How can we deploy the required instruments at the required time/space resolution to fill the gaps identified?”

36 Conclusion JCOMMOPS is efficient due to its: –flexibility –rigorous network monitoring, –independence (developments, monitoring, evaluation, mediation), –clear international status (cooperation, funding), –strong link with IOC/WMO secretariats Challenges: –integration of services –deployment opportunities –expand services to other related programmes (Ships, OceanSITES)

37 Thank You … JCOMMOPS 8-10, rue Hermès Parc Technologique du Canal Ramonville Saint-Agne France General support: Webmaster: Argo Coordinator: Mathieu Belbeoch Tel: AIC Support: DBCP & SOT Coordinator: Hester Viola Tel: