Coordination and Management of the U.S. JGOFS Synthesis and Modeling Project: The Second and Final Phase

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT OCE-009738 / OCE-0097327 This project constitutes the management component for the second and final phase of the Synthesis and Modeling Program (SMP) of the U.S. Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (U.S.JGOFS). The overall objective of the SMP as defined in the Implementation Plan (U.S. JGOFS, 1997) is to "synthesize knowledge gained from the U.S. JGOFS and related studies into a set of models that reflect our current understanding of the oceanic carbon cycle" with emphasis on the processes controlling the partitioning of carbon among oceanic reservoirs and between the ocean and atmosphere. The success of the SMP therefore depends heavily on fostering strong interactions between the observational and modeling biogeochemical communities and on focusing those efforts in a coordinated fashion. Over the past three years, the SMP has grown into a vigorous scientific effort with some 50 funded projects from NSF, NASA, NOAA, and DOE and about 100 principal and co-investigators. This project will therefore support the SMP management team's involvement in project oversight and coordination, ongoing program scientific relevance, development of the required infrastructure, and communication among SMP components and to the outside community.