GOOS

The GOOS El Niño Watch

GOOS temperature data is the basis of this graph of the El Niño3.4 index which is an indicator of central tropical Pacific El Niño conditions and can indicate the onset of the El Niño. The recent upturn into the red indicates anomalously warm conditions often associated with El Niño events, which peak in boreal fall/winter. For more information see OOPC State of the Ocean Climate

is a permanent global system for observations, modelling and analysis of marine and ocean variables to support operational ocean services worldwide. GOOS provides accurate descriptions of the present state of the oceans, including living resources; continuous forecasts of the future conditions of the sea for as far ahead as possible, and the basis for forecasts of climate change.

Click here to learn more about GOOS

Soil Mosture and Ocean Salinity SMOS Satellite Launched

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (Smos) satellite was put into orbit Nov. 2. The satellite is part of an armada of European spacecraft being sent into orbit over the next few years to study the planet. SMOS carries an interferometric radiometer called Miras. Some eight metres across, it has the look of helicopter rotor blades. Miras will measure changes in the wetness of the land and in the salinity of seawater by observing variations in the natural microwave emission coming up off the surface of the planet.

Space observations of surface salinity of the ocean are a new addition to Ocean Observing Systems. Surface salinity maps will be important to improve global circulation models, identify the origins of eddies and rings, and will help improve El Nino observations and forecasts. Changes in surface salinity may also be used to determine rainfall and evaporation in the open ocean.

For more see the BBC Article

NSF and COL sign cooperative agreement for vast undersea observing network

5 October 2009

Giving scientists never-before-seen views of the world's oceans, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership (COL) have signed a Cooperative Agreement that supports the construction and initial operation of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).

OOI will provide a network of undersea sensors for observing complex ocean processes such as climate variability, ocean circulation, and ocean acidification at several coastal, open-ocean and seafloor locations.

Continuous data flow from hundreds of OOI sensors will be integrated by a sophisticated computing network, and will be openly available to scientists, policy makers, students and the public.