SURA Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Program (SCOOP) A SURA Initiative To Create An Open-Access Distributed Scientific Laboratory

Transcription

1 SURA Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Program (SCOOP) A SURA Initiative To Create An Open-Access Distributed Scientific Laboratory

2 SURA Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Program (SCOOP) A SURA Initiative To Create An Open-Access Distributed Scientific Laboratory Background The southeastern United States is home to roughly 80 million people and encompasses more than half of the nation s tidal shores. The region supports five naval bases, over a dozen major ports, essential commercial shipping and fishing enterprises, major oil and natural gas reserves, and thriving tourist industries. However, environmental and ecological concerns threaten the health and safety of the region s inhabitants as well as the sustainability of its economies and marine resources. The region suffers from significant inputs of sediments and nutrients from rivers and chronic deficiencies of dissolved oxygen. Storms, hurricanes and other extreme events regularly challenge and endanger the coastal communities. There is an urgent need to improve our ability to predict critical coastal phenomena within the region on both short and long time scales. Proposal SURA proposes the creation of an open-access network of distributed sensors and linked computer models for the southeastern coastal zone. This SURA initiative supports the national agenda to establish an integrated, sustained ocean observing system. Existing systems, including several in the SURA region, are not integrated and are not fully compatible. SURA s Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Program will integrate and extend comparable observations from the Gulf of Mexico, the Southern Atlantic Bight (from Miami to Cape Hatteras), the Middle Atlantic Bight (from Cape Hatteras to Delaware), and the Chesapeake Bay. The network will provide comprehensive coverage of the southeast and will serve as a key component of a larger national system. Goal The primary goal is to implement a comprehensive observing system that will validate accurate and timely short- and long-term predictions. These predictions will guide coastal stewardship, enable planning for extreme events, facilitate safe and efficient maritime operations, and support coastal military security. The network will provide simultaneous measurements of winds, waves, currents, water density, nutrients, water quality, biological indices and fish stocks under all conditions. Open access to basic and analysed data and linked numerical models will be available in real-time and at high-speed through a SURA web portal. Vision When fully implemented, the coastal ocean of the entire southeastern region will function as a single, tightly integrated laboratory, providing an unparalleled window to new scientific frontiers while addressing a host of immediate socioeconomic issues and applications. Funding To launch the proposed initiative, SURA is seeking a $15 M enhancement of the Defense Budget through the Office of Naval Research. The funds will support the articulation of the overall plan, building stakeholders involvement, and design and prototyping of sensors and related subsystems for high-speed telecommunications support. The Office of Naval Research has expressed interest in working with SURA on this regional initiative.

3 Goal The goal is to enable more reliable, accurate, and timely shortand long-term predictions to guide effective coastal stewardship, plan for extreme events, facilitate safe and efficient maritime operations, and support coastal military security. The program will provide simultaneous measurements of winds, waves, currents, water density, nutrients, water quality, and biological indices above and below the sea surface under all conditions. Real-time open dissemination of the data and numerical models will be available via a high-speed telecommunications backbone.

4 Evolution of U.S. Plan for Integrated Ocean Observing Systems Consortium for Ocean Research and Education Includes 18 institutions in SURA region Congress Weldon (PA) Saxton (NJ) House Ocean Caucus National Oceanographic Partnership Program Act (10 USC et seq) National Ocean Research Leadership Council (NORLC) Navy NOAA NSF NASA DoE EPA USCG USGS DARPA MMS OSTP OMB Toward a US Plan for an Integrated, Sustained Ocean Observing System aka Nowlin (TAMU)-Malone (UMd) Report SURA 99 Workshop An Integrated Ocean Observing System: A Strategy for Implementing the First Steps of a US Plan aka Frosh report Ad Hoc Committee TODAY SAML EPSCoR OCEAN.US Office (MOA among Navy, NOAA, NSF, NASA & MMS)

5 A Coastal Zone of Enormous National Importance 5 Navy home ports Major ports Navy home ports 61% of nation s cargo volume 25% of nation s natural gas $4.2 billion/year in Federal revenues

6 The Southeastern Coastal Zone Will Be Undergoing Dramatic Changes Population Growth 20-40% 40-60% 60-80% % Prosperity = f (economy, quality of life) Projected Population Growth by 2100 in Southeastern Coastal States Climate Change

7 Most of the Continental US Drains to the SURA Coastal Zone Symptoms of Nutrient Pollution High Medium Pfiesteria Red tide Red tide Brown tide Toxic diatoms Red tide Blue greens Florida red tide

8 Nonpoint Source Runoff Causes Serious Water Quality Problems Dead zones off the Mississippi Delta and in Chesapeake Bay cause loss of seagrasses and harmful algal blooms.

9 Southeastern Universities Research Association Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Program (SCOOP) Central Goal To facilitate science-based predictions concerning the nation s most important and dynamic coastal zone, the SURA coast. Elements of Interest Extreme events and long-term changes New integrated measurement and information technologies Observations on multiple time and space scales Powerful predictive models Benefits Security (life and property, national defense) Environmental protection (restoration and avoiding accidents) Prosperity (sustained economic benefits, education, quality of life)

10 SURA Has A Strong Base on Which to Build CBOS SABSOON TABS TCOON WAVCIS NGLI COMPS SFOMC But These Systems Need to Be Fully Implemented, Effectively Linked in a Network, and Sustained

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12 South Atlantic Bight Synoptic Offshore Observational Network Skidaway Institute of Oceanography University of North Carolina

13 West Florida Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System University of South Florida PORTS Red tide Storms The Keys

14 Linking Observations and Predictions Models and Visualization Cyclogenesis, thunderstorms Water levels in Pamlico Sound with passage of hurricane North Carolina State University

15 More Effective Protection of Life and Property in the Increasingly Developed Coastal Zone SEVEER

16 Northern Gulf of Mexico Littoral Initiative (NGLI)

17 SURA s Role Fully implement, effectively link, and help sustain these vital observing systems in the SURA region CBO SABSOO TAB WAVCI TCOO NGL COMP SFOM Goal of SURA s Involvement Improved, science-based predictions of coastal phenomena SURA IT Role Provide IT expertise to advance connectivity and analysis

18 Vision When the network is fully implemented, the coastal ocean of the entire southeastern region will function as a single tightly integrated laboratory, providing an unparalleled window to new scientific frontiers while enabling the resolution of a host of immediate concerns.

19 Funding An initial investment of $15 M is required to launch the initiative. This will include the articulation of the overall plan, building partnerships, design and testing of sensors and implementation of related subsystems for a highspeed telecommunications backbone. Total project cost will be on the order of $1B over an anticipated five-to-seven-year build-out including an annual operating budget of $100 M. No single agency can be expected to support the program. Sustained support will require an alliance of multiple federal agencies, state governments and private industry.