US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) delivering benefits and the Global HF Radar and glider initiative

Abstract

The United States Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) is a user-driven, coordinated network of people, organizations, and technology that generate and disseminate continuous data about our coastal waters, Great Lakes, and oceans supported by strong research and development activities. IOOS® is our Eyes on our Oceans, Coasts and Great Lakes that enable the United States to track, predict, manage, and adapt to changes in our marine environment and deliver critical information to decision makers to improve safety, enhance our economy and protect our environment. IOOS focuses on the “I” or integration. Integration is defined providing rapid access to multi-disciplinary data from many sources and to provide data and information required to achieve multiple goals that historically have been the domain of separate agencies, offices, or programs. There are plenty of examples and efforts underway within US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) that are moving us to a fully integrated system. The United States National Ocean Policy states that we should achieve “an America whose stewardship ensures that the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes are healthy and resilient, safe and productive, and understood and treasured so as to promote the wellbeing, prosperity, and security of present and future generations.” For US IOOS to be a vital contributor to this goal we suggest a need to move beyond Integration and deliver benefits to society. Technologies must be incubated and rapidly inserted to keep the US IOOS system operating effectively and efficiently. Since oceans know no boundaries, US IOOS is also the United States' contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System which is part of the ocean contribution to the Global Earth Observation Systems of Systems (GEOSS). US IOOS is supporting the Blue Planet Initiative under GEOSS.