Influenced and supported by international initiatives like EC programmes, GMES, EuroGOOS and others a number of marine data networks have been and are being implemented, e.g. in the fields of operational oceanography, marine geology, marine biology. The following websites have been selected for you, because these provide excellent overviews and gateways to relevant marine environmental data & information:
- EuroGOOS
EuroGOOS is the European association of national agencies for developing operational oceanographic systems and services in European seas, and for promoting European participation in the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). EuroGOOS was set up in 1994. At present it has 31 members from 16 countries in Europe, and associate membership from several key European multi-national bodies.
EuroGOOS bases its plans on the premise that operational forecasting depends upon obtaining a scientifically planned stream of observational data in real time, or near real time, which are transmitted to modelling centres, assimilated into numerical models, and used to produce simulations and forecasts of the state of the ocean and coastal seas.
EDIOS
The European Directory of the Ocean-observing Systems (EDIOS) is one of
the initiatives of EuroGOOS. The EDIOS Directory provides an
internet-based tool for searching information on observing systems
operating repeatedly, regularly and routinely in European waters. It
contains metadata on European observing systems such as platforms,
repeated ship-borne measurements, buoys, remote imagery, etc.
A co-operation between EuroGOOS and the Sea-Search network has been
agreed for keeping the EDIOS Directory up-to-date.
- ESEAS - European Sea Level Service
The ESEAS is an international collaboration of governmental
and non-governmental organisations operating tide gauges along
European coasts or providing sea-level related information originating
from other sources such as satellite altimetry, GPS observations and
absolute gravity measurements at tide gauges. The ESEAS aims to provide
quality-assured sea-level data and sea-level related information for
the European waters and adjacent regions to a broad range of scientific
and non-scientific users.
- MedGOOS
The Mediterranean Global Ocean Observing System is an informal association founded under the auspices of the UNESCO/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to provide a concerted approach to the planning and implementation of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) in the Mediterranean.
The MedGOOS aims to facilitate the development of an operational ocean observing and forecasting system at a regional to coastal scale to the benefit of a wide group of users in the region. The MedGOOS focuses on the regional priorities for operational ocean forecasting and marine meteorology, addresses the related economic and social implications, and guides and assists the riparian states to the harmonious implementation of the Mediterranean ocean observing and forecasting system built on existing elements and based on principles of co-development, co-ownership and sharing of benefits. The MedGOOS will ensure the upgrading of national systems to the same level of expertise and infra-structure and will stimulate the necessary pre-operational R&D to ensure that GOOS is fully effective when it is eventually established in the region.
- ARENA
ARENA is a Regional Capacity Building and Networking Programme to upgrade Monitoring and Forecasting Activity in the Black Sea Basin. It is an EC FP5 project. Its basic mission is to:
- improve regional capacity building and networking capabilities in close collaboration with the regional organizations for future GOOS-related activities,
- develop a pre-operational forecasting system using the existing observational network and the numerical modeling/data assimilation capabilities,
- demonstrate the feasibility of an operational system for predictions of oceanographic fields at the basin and regional scales.
- BlackSeaGOOS
The Black Sea GOOS is a local Association formed by the Black Sea riparian countries in order to foster Operational Oceanography in the region and set up links with other regional and global organizations (with similar objectives). The Major Aims and Objectives of the Black Sea GOOS are:
- To contribute to international planning and implementation of the GOOS and to promote it at national, regional and global level.
- To identify regional priorities for operational oceanography.
- To develop capacity of the regional countries and promote the level to sustain GOOS activities.
- To provide high quality data and time series, for a better understanding of, the Black Sea ecosystem.
- To assess the economic and social benefits achieved by operational oceanography
- Coriolis ARGO Data service
CORIOLIS is a data service, operated by IFREMER - France, as part of the global ARGO programme (world wide deployement of 3000 subsurface drifters). It is a component of the operational oceanographic system, that is being developed in France: sea-surface observation using satellite sensors ; in situ measurements from ships, moored or drifting autonomous systems ; assimilation of in-situ and satellite data in an ocean circulation model. CORIOLIS contributes to the in-situ part of this system, with the objective of developing continuous, automatic and permanent observation networks.
The data collected enables water properties to be mapped, such as temperature, and ocean circulation. The Coriolis data center receives data from satellite link, validates and distributes them to operational ocean forecasting centers and to National Weathers Services. Understanding, monitoring, as well as forecasting, ocean-circulation variability requires a number of combined theoritical studies, in-situ measurements and numerical modes. Coriolis helps to extend our knowledge in a such a way as to improve the management and conservation of our ocean resources and global environment. CORIOLIS maintains a web site where data is freely accessed and displayed.
- MFSTEP : Mediterranean Forecasting System Towards Environmental Predictions
The Project aims at the further development of an operational forecasting system for the Mediterranean Sea based upon three main components: a) the Near Real Time Observing system; b) the numerical forecasting systems at basin scale and for regional areas; c) the forecast products dissemination/exploitation system.
The problems to be solved belong to three major categories:
- Technology developments, connected to the new instrumentation for NRT monitoring and the provision of NRT protocols for data dissemination, comprehensive of telecommunication technology and quality control procedures;
- Scientific development, connected to the understanding of the sampling scheme for different measuring platforms, the design and implementation of data assimilation schemes for different spatial scales, the ecosystem modelling validation/calibration experiments at the basin and the coastal areas scale and the development of data assimilation techniques for biochemical data;
- Exploitation developments, consisting of software interfaces between forecast products and oil spill modelling, general contaminant dispersion models, relocatable emergency systems, search and rescue models, and fish stock observing systems. In addition, the study of forecast economic value and impact will be carried out.
- Volunteer Observing Ships (VOS) Mediterranean Forecasting System
The Volunteer Observing Ship Program organises the automatic collection and near real time distribution of XBT data sets covering the Mediterranean Sea and CTD data sets in coastal areas (on line XBT data extraction). The VOS program in the Mediterranean Sea was initially built in the framework of the EC project Mediterranean Forecasting System - Pilot Project. It is continued under other National and European projects. Many Scientific Institution from Mediterranean Countries and SME are contributing to the goal of MFS-VOS:
- maintain XBT lines
- develop new tools for real time data acquisition and transmission
- implement strategies for monitoring
- MERSEA : Marine Environment and Security for the European Area
MERSEA is a large scale project to develop a European system for operational monitoring and forecasting of the ocean physics, biogeochemistry, and ecosystems, on global and regional scales. The strategic objective of MERSEA is to provide an integrated service of global and regional ocean monitoring and forecasting to intermediate users and policy makers in support of safe and efficient offshore activities, environmental management, security, and sustainable use of marine resources. The system will be a key component of the Ocean and Marine services element of GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security).
The MERSEA ocean monitoring system is envisioned as an operational network that systematically acquires data (earth observation from satellites, in situ from ocean observing networks, and surface forcing fields from numerical weather prediction agencies). These data from diverse sources are combined and merged with numerical ocean circulation models (i.e. assimilated) to produce best estimates of the actual state of the ocean (nowcasts) and forecasts. That information is then disseminated to enable various users to develop specific applications. The project work plan is structured on a set of thirteen work packages organized in three main modules :
- observing systems and provision of data ;
- the design, development, implementation, integration, evaluation and validation of a co-ordinated set of monitoring and forecast systems covering the global ocean and the oceans and seas surrounding Europe ;
- the development and demonstration of information products, applications and services, in partnership with intermediate users.
- EUROCORE & EUMARSIN:
The EU-SEASED web service for marine geological data has been launched as a result of two concerted actions by national marine geological surveys and marine geological research institutes in Europe in the framework of the EU-MAST programme. Since its launch it is an operational service, funded by EuroGeoSurveys (EGS), and kept up-to-date with regular contributions from EGS members.
The EU-SEASED database provides a searchable catalogue of over 300.000 seafloor samples from the ocean basins and continental shelves, held at European institutions. These metadata entries cover all geological samples and derived information products, collected in the European seas, and all cores, collected by European institutes in the world's oceans. Searches can be made using a graphic interface ('Search by map') or by text filled fields (Search all fields') which allows searching on a wide range of parameters. The result of searches will only list metadata, access to samples and any related accessory datasets is for negotiation between the user and the repository where the sample is stored. Contact information is provided.
- EUROSEISMIC:
The EU-SEASED web service has been expanded with a metadatabase and search interface for seismic surveys within the framework of the EUROSEISMIC EC project. The EUROSEISMIC database provides a searchable catalogue of over 2.5 million line kilometres of marine seismic and sonar survey data held at European institutions. Searches can be made using an interface combining geographic and text fields searching, which allows searches on a wide range of parameters. The results of your search lists only metadata; access to actual data and any related datasets is for negotiation between the user and the repository where the data is stored. Contact information for each data holder/owner is provided and, where possible, the terms of data availability is given.
Contents:
