CLIMATE OUTREACH USING REGIONAL COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM PORTALS David M. Anderson1, Debra Hernandez2, Abbey Wakely2, and Rob Bochenek3 1
Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS), 2 Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA), 3 Axiom Data Science Data Science
On the east and west coast of the US, regional observing systems have deployed and sustained a remarkable diverse array of observing tools and sensors. Data portals visualize and provide access to real-time sensor networks. Portals have emerged as an interactive tool for educators to help students explore and understand climate. Bringing data portals to outreach events, into classrooms, and onto tablets and smartphones enables educators to address topics and phenomena happening right now. Beyond the climate principles, the portal experience reveals remarkable technologies in action and shows how the observing system is enabled by the activity of many different partners. REGIONAL DATA PORTALS AOOS (Alaska Ocean Observing System)
As the “eye on Alaska’s coasts and oceans,” The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) represents and provides access to a network of critical ocean and coastal observations, historical data and information products that aid our understanding of the status of Alaska’s marine ecosystem. The AOOS Ocean Data Explorer is an advanced data portal that contains scientific and management information including real-time sensor feeds across the state, operational oceanographic and atmospheric model outputs, satellite observations and GIS data sets that describe the biological, chemical and physical characteristics of Alaska and its surrounding waters. Come explore Alaska at www.aoos.org
CariCOOS (Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System) The Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System encompasses the ocean waters surrounding Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. From waves and currents, to wind, storm surge maps and ocean color imagery, CariCOOS provides data and products to aid decision making in our tropical archipelago. Every year, our buoys and meteorological stations provide some of the first in situ observations of incoming tropical cyclones in region. Visit our new and improved data portal at caricoos.org.
CeNCOOS (Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System) The central and northern California ocean observing system stretches from the Oregon border south to Point Conception. The CeNCOOS data portal provides access to rich variety of real-time observations of the coastal ocean, including wind and water properties, waves, and ocean currents; models forecast of ocean conditions. The observations reveal California’s Mediterranean climate with warm dry summers, and cool wet winters, and show how the maritime influence on California is enhanced by the summer westerly winds (cencoos.org/data).
GCOOS (Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System) Welcome to the GCOOS Data Portal! The Gulf of Mexico is a biologically and culturally rich ecosystem where demands on its bountiful natural resources result in an ocean-based economy exceeding two trillion dollars annually. The interactive maps of the Data Portal provide timely information about the environment of the U.S. portion of the Gulf and its estuaries for use by decision-makers to protect the lives, livelihoods and property of the myriad employees, citizens and visitors to the region. www.gcoos.org
GLOS (Great Lakes Observing System)
The Great Lakes Observing System serves each of the Great Lakes and portions of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The GLOS Data Portal provides access to near-realtime and archived observations and to model forecasts. This includes lake conditions, water levels, wave heights, air and water temperatures and more. Users can receive updates from a specific station or buoy, and download data from the site. The GLOS portal provides an overview of instrumentation, summaries of recent observations, presents satellite data and model forecasts in a user-friendly manner and is map and chart-oriented. http://data.glos.us/portal/
MARACOOS (Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System) From Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System seeks, integrates, shares, and applies new knowledge and understanding of our coastal ocean. The MARACOOS assets explorer presents real-time observational assets and model forecasts that contribute to ocean monitoring in the region. The explorer provides maps, information about sites, and graphs, and options to select and download data. http://maracoos.org/
NANOOS (Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems)
The Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems serves the Pacific Northwest. While we span from the Canadian border south to Point Mendecino, we collaborate with our Canadian counterparts and overlap with CeNCOOS. Our NANOOS data visualization system (NVS) provides access to real-time and historical observations of the coastal ocean, estuaries, and shorelines, including weather, waves, ocean currents, and water properties, and model forecasts of ocean conditions. These observations and forecasts are used by a wide variety of stakeholders for diverse purposes including safe marine operations, tsunami escape route planning, real-time ocean acidification and harmful algal bloom data, and, lately, to track the influence of the Pacific “blob” (nvs.nanoos.org).
NERACOOS (Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems) The Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS) provides coastal ocean information for the northeastern United States and Canadian Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Many partners contribute to this effort, which brings together practitioners of all aspects of ocean observing and those using this information to manage and use coastal waters. The NERACOOS real time data portal provides hourly information including wind, wave, visibility, air temperature, and water temperature. Forecast and historical data are also available from the map and model viewer and other displays. http://www.neracoos.org/
PacIOOS (Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System)
The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) encompasses all U.S. Pacific Islands, including Hawai‘i, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, and U.S. Pacific Island Remote Island Areas. PacIOOS Voyager is a free and interactive online mapping platform, providing access to more than 1500 oceanic and atmospheric data sets. Voyager’s real-time, archival, and model data help to make well-informed decisions and to monitor climate phenomena such as El Niño (pacioos.org/voyager).
SCCOOS (Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System)
The Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System spans the geographic region from Morro Bay to the Mexican border. Within this region, major currents contribute to its biodiversity including the poleward flowing Southern California Counter Current, the equatorward flowing California Current and the poleward flowing, subsurface current. Unique atmospheric and oceanographic coupling also drive these systems through climatic patterns known as El Niño, associated with warm ocean temperature anomalies, and La Niña, associated with cold ocean water anomalies at the equatorial Pacific. The SCCOOS data portal displays instrumentation collecting data ranging from ocean surface currents to aragonite saturation to ichthyoplankton. Various data streams and products are all publicly available on sccoos.org.
SECOORA (Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing System)
SECOORA's footprint spans both the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic Bight, covering the shorelines NC, SC, GA, and FL. The SECOORA data portal visualizes near real-time coastal ocean observation information. Use the portal to see the path of major storms, ocean currents, water properties, weather and much more. The observations used by stakeholders reveal the Southeast’s truly unique climate that varies considerably across the region. www.secoora.org
CONTACT US
Many regional associations host outreach events and provide presentations to citizens and students. Regional Association staff are happy to work with educators to adapt coastal ocean observations to the interests of citizens and students.
Image Credit: SECOORA
Ocean temperatures, sea level, and the saturation state (ocean acidification) are among the many climate variables that can be accessed through coastal ocean data portals.
Image Credit: Pedro Matos Llavona
Data portals integrate real-time observations with historical records, revealing climate variability and long-term trends. Using real-time observations teachers can link their curricula and lesson plans to events in the news such as hurricanes and floods.
Image Credit: NOAA National Weather Service
David M. Anderson Director, CeNCOOS dmanderson@mbari.org Debra Hernandez Director, SECOORA debra@secoora.org