What is an Ocean Observing System?
Integrated ocean observing systems (IOOS) are revolutionizing the way scientists and decision makers view the ocean.
One hundred years ago, oceanographers studied the ocean and the life within it by venturing out on ships. In order to discover what was happening within the ocean, they would often literally throw a bucket over the side of the ship and analyze what came back. While these types of experiments expanded out knowledge of the ocean, scientists soon discovered that the ocean is a large, complex and dynamic environment. To gain a better understanding of the ocean, they would need more than a few buckets, and they would need to find a way to study the ocean even during large storms, when few people would venture out or return alive.
As instruments, communication networks and even ships improved throughout the twentieth century, scientists were able to collect more and more complex datasets over larger areas and longer time periods. This new knowledge aided our understanding of physical, biological, chemical and geological processes in the ocean. But because many of these processes are interrelated, elaborate networks of sensors are necessary to re cord many parameters at many places all at once in order to understand these complex relationships in the ocean. This convergence of sensors and technology has lead to the rise of “Ocean Observing Systems.”
Just as weather agencies have networks of metrological stations, weather radars, radiosondes and satellite sensors, which help them record and predict the weather, ocean observing systems are now building networks of underwater cabled observatories, surface buoys, coastal radars, autonomous profiling floats and gliders, and satellite sensors of their own. All of this data is sent back to shore and in many cases is made available in real-time on the Internet where scientists, resource managers, educators, students and the recreating public can view and use it.
By concentrating instruments within specific areas, and by amassing large collections of data from several instruments over time, scientists are able to study the complex issues of today, including climate change, harmful algal blooms, oil spill recovery, human-induced pollution, and maritime safty. Ocean observing systems are allowing us to observe the ocean form more angles than ever before, and are helping us to increase our oceanographic knowledge.
