Ocean Observatories Initiative - Construction under MREFC

Consortium For Ocean Leadership, Inc, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT We propose to construct a multi-scale, multidisciplinary ocean observing system that will provide a permanent presence in the ocean, with unprecedented power and interactive capability for advanced sensors and platforms, and real-time access to data and advanced visualization tools. The Ocean Observing Initiative (OOI) will transform ocean research and education by establishing an open, integrated, networked observing system that will enable next-generation research, discovery, education, and public engagement on a range of topics as broad as climate variability and ocean ecosystems, turbulent mixing, plate tectonics, and sub-seafloor biogeochemistry. The OOI will enable multiple scales of marine observations to be integrated into one observing system via common design elements and an overarching, interactive cyberinfrastructure. The Consortium for Ocean Leadership will coordinate and manage the construction of the OOI, with subawards to the Implementing Organizations for the Coastal/Global Scale Nodes, the Regional Scale Nodes, Cyberinfrastructure, and Education and Public Engagement. The coastal-scale assets of the OOI will expand existing observations off both U.S. coasts, creating focused, configurable observing regions. Regional cabled observing platforms will ?wire? a single region in the Northeast Pacific Ocean with a high speed optical and power grid. The global component addresses planetary-scale changes via moored open-ocean buoys linked to shore via satellite. A unifying cyberinfrastructure will link all the components of the system, and permit researchers to control sampling strategies of experiments deployed on one part of the system in response to remote detection of events by other parts of the system. The whole of OOI allows scientists and citizens to view phenomena irrespective of the observations' sources (e.g., coastal, global, regional, ships, satellites, IOOS). The OOI will address the Broader Impacts aspects of NSF research by implementing an Education and Public Engagement (EPE) component to address informatl learning and post-secondary education. This science education component will take advantage of the Internet, using Internet resources and the wide range of information and services that can be accessed online. The OOI EPE component will focus on ?free choice? learning in a variety of physical and virtual settings. In addition, the EPE component will support online post-secondary career, technical and educator training programs, with a focus on increasing participation and diversity in ocean science.