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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

13. 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 The short horizontal lines indicate typical convection depth in each winter of this period.

14. 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

15. 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 ) are applied for biological and chemical oceanographic variables.
Cold and Fresh
Lower Standing Stocks
Earlier Timing
Warm and Salty
Higher Standing Stocks
Later Timing

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

17. Advisory Products

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

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

25. Questions?