Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Research Articles

Multitemporal Seagrass Mapping and Monitoring of Posidonia Meadows and Banquettes for Blue Carbon Conservation: The Poseidon Project

Abstract. In the framework of mapping underwater environments, Posidonia Oceanica (PO) is a fundamental indicator for environmental monitoring and related studies and analyses for climate change. The POSEIDON project aims to study, develop and test new methodologies to provide knowledge, as well as ultra-high-resolution (UHR) and beyond ultra-high-resolution (BUHR) mapping and monitoring data for the conservation of the PO and related meadows and banquettes in the Mediterranean area. The project is funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and stems from the recommendation of international organizations (European Environmental Directives, Mediterranean PO Network, International Partnership for Blue Carbon, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO in the Save the Wave project). Starting from new integrated survey methods and legacy data, the PO, ichthyofauna and seagrass banquettes will be mapped to understand their evolution and extract indicators and useful trends. Furthermore, the produced information will be stored and shared in a webGIS and a dedicated app to prevent unexpected damages during sailing or other activities. POSEIDON will use imaging sensors (RGB and multi/hyperspectral cameras) to extract information. With specific lighting equipment for significant water depths, these sensors will be conducted (by scuba divers or Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) next to the object to acquire BUHR data. Finally, to monitor the fauna (fish, other species, invertebrates), terrestrial and underwater videogrammetry will be applied using mono and stereo-cameras with object detection algorithms.

Magnetogravimetric study on the Scotia Plate, in the South Atlantic Ocean for the characterization of tsunamis

The marine and coastal environments of the Scotia Sea regions in the Southern Atlantic Ocean and Antarctica are vulnerable to the potentially disastrous effects of seismic activity along the Scotia Arc. This paper presents a magnetogravimetric study of the Scotia Plate for tsunami characterization. The influence of earthquakes on the Geomagnetic Field (GMF) is investigated using data from INTERMAGNET network observatories. A tectonic model is evaluated using gravity data from NOAA and seismic refraction data from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. The study also assesses the impact on water level (WL) measured at Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) tide gauge stations. Cross Wavelet Transform (XWT) is applied, and a frequency analysis of the GMF is conducted to identify specific frequencies during seismic events. A 2D tectonic model is constructed for the North Scotia Ridge using gravimetric and seismic data to characterize structural boundaries that may be activated during seismic events. Water level records collected from 6 tide gauge stations in the region are filtered and analyzed to identify tsunamis at each station. The results reveal anomalous frequencies in the frequency analysis of the horizontal component of the GMF during the November 25, 2013 earthquake, with high data correlation from different observatories in the study area for periods of 0.5 and 1 hour. Gravimetric modeling delineates faults activated during seismic activity and edges of structures potentially activated due to the transcurrent and compressional nature of the margin. WL anomalies up to 1.30 m are obtained following earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 8. The propagation speed in the study area averaged 460 km/h, consistent with the expected speed for those depths, except for Puerto Argentino, which exceeded them in 50%.

Building multiscalar sustainable ocean governance: How do global perspectives interact with the Portuguese national approach?

UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission launched the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in 2021 to boost global and sustainable Ocean governance. The initiative resulted from historical and political dynamics at the global and lower political scales, with maritime environmental and economic concerns becoming more prominent in 2010. The Ocean Decade's pillars include science and research, sustainability, conservation, and bridging gaps for a global Ocean-Climate-Biodiversity nexus. The Sustainable Development Goals recognized the importance of oceans and marine resources, and the Ocean was officially perceived as a determining factor of Climate Change at CoP 21 in 2015. Portugal has built integrated and far-reaching policies for ocean governance, including significant involvement with an international perspective since the Lisbon World Exhibition in 1998. In addition, the national government established a Ministry of the Sea in 2015 to re-develop relations with its maritime space. This article analyzes and compares the discourse of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals reports and the Portuguese government programs (2005–2022) to explore the prominent trends in Portuguese Ocean governance discourse and how global and national perspectives interact. Through this case study, the research aims to develop insights into the multiscalar impacts of promoting global and sustainable Ocean governance and its interaction with national perspectives.

Disturbances in the geomagnetic field, water level and atmospheric pressure associated with Mw ≥ 6.6 earthquakes in the South Atlantic Ocean

This paper is aimed at studying disturbances in the earth’s geomagnetic field (GMF), water level (WL) and sea-level atmospheric pressure (AP) associated with Mw≥ 6.6 seismic events in the in the Scotia arch, in the South Atlantic. GMF records from observatories of the International Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET), WL records from tide stations of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and hourly AP records from databases of the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have been analyzed in the area under study. For the analysis of geomagnetic disturbances, the GMF horizontal component (H), which is more susceptible to variations, was considered. For the WL analysis, the discrepancy (residue) between the WL time series from tide stations and the predicted level of astronomical tides, for a 10-day period before and after the occurrence of each earthquake, was calculated. For the AP analysis, the variation of data gridded between 1 and 2 hours before and after the earthquake was calculated. The analysis of the geomagnetic data prior to the seismic event, using a high-pass filter and the wavelet method, showed: a) high energy ranges in all frequencies, even in very high ones; and b) oscillations in the filter with amplitude peaks of ± 0.2 nT, and with an anticipation and duration consistent with the wavelet method. As regards the WL residues calculated, there were oscillations in the largest amplitudes in the sensors located closest to the earthquake, thus, those large amplitudes corresponded to shorter times of arrival. The AP study showed a maximum followed by a local minimum within a range of ± 0.3 hPa around the location of the earthquake. While the GMF analysis anticipated seismic events within a range of 6-2 hours, the techniques used for WL and AP could detect Mw>7 earthquakes, associating them with the rising/falling surface of the sea. These three techniques can be used jointly to implement a prevention or early warning system for seismic events in the region under study.

Thermodynamics of Evaporation from the Ocean Surface

Adopted by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO in 2010 and the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) in 2011, the Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater 2010 (TEOS-10) is the current geophysical standard for the thermodynamic properties of humid air, seawater and ice. TEOS-10 equations for evaporation and sublimation enthalpies are derived mathematically from the thermodynamic potential of a »sea air« model, denoting a multi-phase equilibrium composite of the geophysical aqueous mixtures. To estimating evaporation rates from the ocean, Dalton equations in various versions are implemented in numerical climate models. Some of those equations appear to be biased on climatic time scales if compared with proper thermodynamic driving forces. Such equations may lead to a spurious amplification of the hydrological cycle and an implied effect of cooling oceans. As an unbiased alternative, Dalton equations are proposed in terms of TEOS-10 relative fugacity (RF) or its conventional relative humidity (RH) approximations. With respect to RH uncertainties or trends, the substantial sensitivity of the evaporation flux may be estimated to be as much as 5 W m−2 per 1 %rh. Within a maximum error of only 0.04 %rh, sea-surface RF may be approximated in terms of dew-point or frost-point temperatures using a simple formula.

Ocean acoustics and the UN decade of ocean science for sustainable development

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) was initiated in 2021 and runs until 2030. The Ocean Decade seeks transformative ocean science solutions that connects people to our oceans to bring about positive change. This motivated an idea that ocean acoustics has a role to play among the larger ocean sciences as they relate to climate change and the emerging blue economy. On World Ocean Day 2021 (June 8), the Ocean Decade Research Programme on the Maritime Acoustic Environment (OD-MAE) was included among the first Ocean Decade actions endorsed by the United Nations Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC). Inspired by Lindsay’s “wheel of acoustics,” the OD-MAE program is envisioned as a hub for coordinating studies involving rigorous and principled used of sound to address questions relating to all aspects of ocean science and engineering, development, policy, and management. The program seeks to support the development of both people and capabilities that enable a quantitative linkage between an acoustic environment and the physical and biological components and processes occurring within that environment. This presentation will introduce the OD-MAE program, describe some of the initiative underway within it, and provide information on how to get involved.

50 Years of PMEL Tsunami Research and Development

This article chronicles the 50-year history of tsunami research and development at the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), beginning with the merger in 1973 of the Joint Tsunami Research Effort and PMEL. It traces the development of instrumentation and modeling that brought a better understanding of tsunamis and improved warning systems. The advantage of having observational engineering and flooding modeling under one roof are highlighted. Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART) research and development led to technology transfer to NOAA’s National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) that now operates and maintains 39 buoys and serves as real-time data distributor for other nations. This technology was also patented and licensed by PMEL to meet the needs of the international community. DART licensee Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has manufactured over 60 buoys for eight different countries. DART data are essential for accurate tsunami warnings, so the global society benefits by receiving lifesaving information before the arrival of a tsunami. PMEL’s tsunami flooding modeling research led to technology transfer to NOAA’s tsunami warning centers, the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, and international tsunami preparedness communities. Short-term flooding modeling research was initiated at PMEL to improve NOAA tsunami warning operations to better serve US coastal communities. The same validated modeling technology was then applied to produce hazard maps for coastal communities in the United States and internationally through the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). Tsunami hazard maps are an essential first step in preparing a community for the next tsunami. Using these maps and other preparedness criteria, a community can become “Tsunami Ready” for the next event. Tsunami Ready has been adopted by the IOC as the global standard for preparedness of at-risk communities with total populations exceeding 890 million people.

Tsunami risk perception, a state-of-the-art review with a focus in the NEAM region

Large-scale coastal urban sprawl, development of tourist accommodations and industrial maritime poles have highly increased the tsunami risk to people living and/or traveling along the coasts of our planet. The disastrous tsunamis in the Indian Ocean (2004) and in the Pacific Ocean (2011), as well as a suite of other damaging events worldwide, have encouraged International Institutions, first of all UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, National Governments and Local Communities to implement Tsunami Warning Systems (TWS), to raise awareness on tsunami risk, and to create a multilevel risk governance. In this framework, research on tsunami risk perception plays a key role. The results of these studies should be taken into account in designing risk mitigation programs and tools (such as drills, activities with local communities, emergency plans, etc.). This paper presents a review of such studies, carried out in several countries worldwide through many thousands of interviews performed with different techniques. Most tsunami risk perception studies were carried out in the regions where the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System and the Pacific Ocean one (PTWS) operate. In the NEAMTWS (North-East Atlantic, Mediterranean and connected seas Tsunami Warning Systems) region, only few specific studies were conducted, mostly within the EU-funded ASTARTE project (2013–2017) and more recently in a few extensive surveys on tsunami risk perception conducted in Italy between 2019 and 2021. Although the twenty-three studies analyzed in our review show a strong heterogeneity of methodological approaches and population samples, they allow us to outline some general considerations on tsunami risk as perceived by people in the different regions of the world. With the help of a table, we schematically summarized the emerging strengths, weaknesses and lessons learned in the twenty-three papers, noting an increase in the number of such studies in the last 5 years. The surveys were mostly concentrated in high-risk areas and focused on local residents. Some differences emerged depending on the memory of past tsunamis, education level, and local cultures. This provides useful hints for sound citizen-based tsunami risk reduction actions, including improved risk communication aimed at increasing the resilience of tsunami-prone populations. The need for increasing the assessment of tourists’ tsunami risk perception, and for a more homogeneous survey strategy also emerge from our analysis.

CARIBE WAVE: A Decade of Exercises for Validating Tsunami Preparedness in the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions

ABSTRACT The year 2021 marked a decade of CARIBE WAVE (CW) exercises organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Coordination Group for Tsunamis and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG CARIBE/EWS). This region has had a long history of devastating tsunamis, and over the years the risk to lives and livelihoods of coastal communities has continued to increase. The tsunami threat in the Caribbean provides a strong incentive for countries to prepare and participate in annual tsunami exercises. The CW exercise is carried out with the purpose of validating and advancing tsunami resilient communities in the region. As a result of these exercises, countries have been able to test and improve communications between the Tsunami Service Provider and their National Tsunami Warning Centers (NTWC) and Tsunami Warning Focal Points (TWFP), as well as practice their emergency response plans. Participation of the public (including mass media communications, social media engagements, tsunami walks, etc.) and regional government beyond TWFP and NTWC has played a critical role in developing tsunami awareness in the greater community. This study collates the history and background of exercises since 2011, resulting in enhancing tsunami preparedness and awareness. Ongoing CW exercises should continue and be strengthened so that the region is prepared as possible to respond and recover when the next tsunami strikes the shores of the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions.

Brief Report of Possible Anticipation of Earthquakes from Geomagnetic Studies Water Level and Atmospheric Pressure in the South Atlantic

This paper presents a brief summary of studies carried out in the southwestern Atlantic, based on the analysis of disturbances in the earth’s Geomagnetic Field (GMF), Water Level (WL) and sea-level Atmospheric Pressure (AP) associated with seismic events. GMF records from observatories of the International Real-time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET), WL records from tide stations of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and hourly AP records from databases of the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have been analyzed in the area under study. A comparative table is presented between the frequencies of the GMF wavelet transform analysis, filtered WL records and variation in the AP grids at sea level before and after the earthquakes. It is possible to observe different degrees of approximation in each of the variables regarding the occurrence of earthquakes. For example, in the case of the CMF, some high-intensity seismic events show anomalous frequencies some hours before the earthquake. On the other hand, the WL filtered by astronomical tide, account for the seismic event along the seacoast with a correspondence between wave amplitude and distance to the nearest ports. AP grids account for a dipole type configuration in the distribution of the pressure difference around the earthquake. On the other hand, the time series of atmospheric pressure at ocean level show a local minimum in a range of hours around the occurrence of the event.

«Marine Technology»: Content of the Term under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

INTRODUCTION. Adopted at the end of the 20th century and amidst the need to address the most pressing challenges at the time to regulate international relations in the World Ocean (delimitation of maritime spaces, ensuring equal access of states to ocean resources etc.), the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is an example of a legal text, some basic provisions of which require further interpretation. In addition to globalization trends reflected in the development of international law of the sea, the transformation of general international law, environmental law and research carried out under Sustainable Development Goal 14 ("Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development") entail the need for further clarification of the content of those terms used to regulate certain aspects of international law of the sea. During the last decade, the term "marine technology" has gained relevance inview of the increasing technological exchange and cooperation among States. At the same time, the lack of legal interpretation of the original term in the UN Convention of 1982 presents a problem, making it difficult to transfer marine technology as well as to define those technologies that can be attributed to marine technology. The purpose of this study is to analyze the legal content of the term "marine technology" under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, on the basis of the applicable international legal sources. The study includes a historical and legal analysis, an analysis of the applicable international legal literature as well as the content of the researched provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in the context of the development of general international law and international jurisprudence. In addition to a direct definition of the term "marine technology", the article also analyses related concepts ("accessibility", "promotion", "related technology", etc.) used in international legal instruments and literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This study is based on the analysis of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Supporting sources were also used in the analysis, such as the UN GA resolution A/RES/69/245 of 2014 on the need to increase opportunities for the transfer of marine technological potential, "Criteria and Guidelines for the transfer of marine technology" of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, as well as international legal literature. RESEARCH RESULTS. The study analyzed the meaning of the term"marine technology" under the applicable provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; identified and gave a definition to a number of related terms used within the context of development, transfer and operation of marine technology; as well as identified and substantively defined the needfor distinguishing of the legal terms and clarifying their content in order to ensure greater efficiency of the applicable provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. Within the present study, the author traces the evolution of the content of the term "marine technology", analyzes its content and concludes that the scope of this term has been clarified in the context of the modern ecologisation of international legal consciousness. In this context, "marine technology" includes not only the means and tools for the extraction of marine resources and minerals from the seabed, but also, inter alia, a set of technological solutions aimed at ensuring the implementation of the concept of sustainable development in the course of economic activities at sea.

A database for sea‐level monitoring in French Polynesia

AbstractThis article presents a curated database of the sea‐level measurements acquired by the network of the five geodetic tide gauges managed over French Polynesia by the Geodesy Observatory of Tahiti from 13 June 2009 to 28 January 2021. A unique feature of this database, with respect to previous databases that host the same raw data, like the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission database (IOC, www.ioc‐sealevelmonitoring.org) and the database of ‘Réseaux de référence des observations marégraphiques’ (REFMAR, http://refmar.shom.fr) is that all the time‐tags of the raw measurements (1‐ or 2‐min sampling) have been validated and, if necessary, corrected with a precision of 2 min (time shifts of up to 1 hr can be present in the raw data). Possible outliers have also been flagged, but not removed. In addition, smoothed hourly data are also provided, along with tidal analysis results and estimations of the sea‐level trends for the five tide gauges, with respect to their local geodetic datum. The database, entitled ‘SEA LEVEL collected from TIDE STATIONS in South Pacific Ocean from 2009‐06‐13 to 2021‐01‐28’, can be accessed on the NOAA data servers as ‘NCEI Accession 0244182’ and contains two subsets: The first one is relative to the original sampling rate and the second one is relative to an hourly re‐sampling with harmonic tide models for each tide gauge station.

Ocean negative carbon emissions: A new UN Decade program

Ocean negative carbon emissions: A new UN Decade program

A Global Ocean Map is Not an Ambition, But a Necessity to Support the Ocean Decade

Abstract The Nippon Foundation-General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) Seabed 2030 Project is a collaboration between The Nippon Foundation, Japan's largest private philanthropic organization, and the GEBCO, which has more than a century of experience in ocean-floor mapping and is jointly administered by the International Hydrographic Organization and UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Its mission is to create a comprehensive, publicly available map of the entire ocean floor by 2030, which will empower the world to make informed policy decisions, use the ocean sustainably, and undertake scientific research based on detailed bathymetric information. Knowing the shape of the seabed is critical to understanding ocean circulation patterns and their associated impact on climate and weather, wave action, tsunami wave propagation, improving species distribution models, supporting the management of fisheries and marine-protected areas, and identifying underwater geohazards. This knowledge is essential to achieving the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development societal outcomes. With only 8 years left to map the remaining 80% of the ocean, it can be achieved but will require the support and mobilization of the global community.

Odyssey Project: Contributing Actively to the Implementation of the Global Ocean Observing System

Abstract The Odyssey Project coordinated by OceanOPS, joint center of the World Meteorological Organization and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, will support and involve civil society, including citizens, sailors, businesses, etc., in observing the ocean and the atmosphere above it to contribute to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) implementation.As the global population is set to reach more than 9 billion people by 2050, impacts on the ocean associated with human activities will escalate. Understanding the variability and trends of the ocean and the related impacts on our society, through sustained oceanographic and marine meteorological observations and ocean science, is essential to predict the consequences of change, guide mitigation, and design adaptation for the benefit of the nature and humankind.The Odyssey project embodies the level of response we need to face climate issues and will help strengthen collaborations within and outside the global ocean observing community. These collaborations, based on the met-ocean observations' collection, data sharing and analyses, scientific and technological developments, will be essential to develop such a project.

Some International Legal Issues in the Development and Transfer of Marine Technologies

INTRODUCTION. In the second half of the 20th century, the expert was faced with a number of urgent tasks, in particular: ensuring access of states to living and nonliving resources of the World Ocean, protecting marine ecology, expanding the jurisdiction of states-states and delimiting maritime spaces. These problems became the official reason for convening the III Conference on the Law of the Sea. Also on the agenda of this conference is the issue of the transfer of marine technology. In the course of lengthy negotiations on the elaborated part XIV "Development and transfer of marine technologies" of the Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is used by the international legal regime for the transfer of marine technology. The author examines various international legal aspects of the problem of transfer of marine technologies, the importance of this institution for the international community. The purpose of the presented study is a comprehensive analysis of the international legal regime for the development and transfer of marine technologies based on the study of the relevant international legal acts and documents, identification of international legal problems. The main tasks are: identification of the prerequisites for the need for international legal regulation of the development and transfer of marine technologies, analysis of the provisions of the relevant international legal acts, consideration of the mechanism for the transfer of marine technologies developed by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The basis of this study is the provisions of international legal acts in the field of maritime law, documents of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in the field of transfer of marine technologies, as well as the works of domestic and foreign experts in the field of maritime law. Comparative legal analysis, formal legal, formal logical and systemic methods, methods of analysis and generalization were used as the main research methodology.RESEARCH RESULTS. As a result of the presented study, the prerequisites for the international legal regulation of the development and transfer of marine technologies were identified, the delineation of the areas of regulation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Agreement on the Implementation of Part XI of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the UNESCO IOC Criteria and Guidelines for the Transfer of Marine Technologies. A detailed analysis of the modern international legal regime for the development and transfer of marine technologies and the transfer mechanism developed by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission was carried out. A number of problems in the international legal regulation of this area have been identified, and ways to improve the efficiency of such regulation have been proposed.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. In the course of the study, the author concludes that the mechanism of international legal regulation of the development and transfer of marine technologies needs further improvement, and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines for the Transfer of Marine Technologies require appropriate amendments and additions. The author not only identifies specific problems of the international legal regime for the development and transfer of marine technologies, but also suggests ways to solve them.

Timeline of the Decade of Ocean Science: 2021

Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021—2030) (hereinafter — the Decade) aims to stimulate the develop- ment of ocean science and generate knowledge to stem the trend of deterioration of the ocean ecosys- tem and stimulate the use of new opportunities for its sustainable development in accordance with the paradigm of the Decade: «The science we need for the ocean we want». The Decade of Ocean Sciences provides scientists and stakeholders across sectors with a framework to develop the scientific knowl- edge and partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to advance under- standing of the ocean system and provide science-based solutions to implement the Agenda Sustainable Development Day 2030. The UN General Assembly instructed the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO to coordinate the preparation and implementation of the Decade. The article presents the most important events held since January 2021 by the IOC in the framework of the events of the Decade.

UN Ocean Decade of Ocean Sciences and Fundamental Challenges of Russian Oceanography

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2017 on the initiative of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and entered the implementation phase from January 2021. The main watchword of the Decade is “The Science We Need for the Ocean We Want”. It is based on seven socially significant outcomes. To achieve them, ten priority challenges have been identified. These challenges are divided into three groups: Knowledge and Solutions Challenges, Essen- tial Infrastructure Challenges and Foundational Challenges. Although the Decade Implementation Plan considers Ocean Sciences in its broadest sense, including the nature sciences and social sciences and humanities, local and indigenous knowledge, science-policy and science-innovation interactions, and technology and infrastructure etc., basic oceanographic research are of paramount importance for understanding and achieving virtually all seven Decade Outcomes.

Comparison of two data acquisition protocols for tide gauge sensors at Imbituba port – Santa Catarina State

The Santa Catarina Tide Gauge Network (SCTGN) is a continuous sea level monitoring system to support fishery, aquaculture, and navigation in general. Deployed in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, the initiative started in 2012 with one tide gauge at the Santa Catarina Island South Bay to support aquaculture research projects and hydrodynamic numerical modelling. By 2020, the SCTGN was fully operational, consisting of 11 tide gauge stations along the 450km of the Santa Catarina coastal line. The next step is standardizing these tide stations to international data collection protocols. Knowledge of the effects different programming protocols have on data collection are important since they may affect the results. Data from a radar gauge (RG) and a vented (or relative) pressure gauge (VPG) were obtained over six months. The difference between RG and VPG measurements showed a 5.07cm2 variance. Percentage of reading errors was 0.03% and 0.77% for RG and VPG, respectively. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the SCTGN data collection protocol in the RG to comply with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) recommendations for sea level monitoring. We find that an RG gauge using the SCTGN protocol is adequate to monitor sea levels and has an easier installation and maintenance, and more stable vertical datum control.

KOERI’s Tsunami Warning System in the Eastern Mediterranean and Its Connected Seas: A Decade of Achievements and Challenges

A tsunami warning system providing services in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara and Black Seas under the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)—Intergovernmental Coordination Group (ICG) for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas (NEAMTWS) framework was established in Turkey by the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI) (Özel et al., 2011). KOERI’s Regional Earthquake and Tsunami Monitoring Center (RETMC) was established on the foundations of the legacy KOERI National Earthquake Monitoring Center (NEMC) by adding observation, analysis and operational capability related to tsunami early warnings after an extensive preparatory period during 2009 and 2011. The center initiated its test-mode 7/24 operational status as a national tsunami warning center in 2011, and after a one year period it became operational as a candidate tsunami warning center for NEAMTWS on 1 July 2012, together with CENALT (Centre d’Alerte aux Tsunamis—France) and followed by the NOA (National Observatory of Athens—Greece) on 28 August 2012, INGV (Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia—Italy) on 1 October 2014 and IPMA (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera—Portugal) on 1 February 2018, completing full coverage of the tsunami-prone regions monitored by NEAMTWS. In this paper, an overview of the progress and continuous improvement of KOERI’s tsunami early warning system will be presented, together with lessons learned from important tsunamigenic events, such as the 20 July 2017 Bodrum–Kos Mw 6.6 and 30 October 2020 Samos–Izmir Mw 6.9 earthquakes. Gaps preventing the completion of an effective tsunami warning cycle and areas for future improvement are also addressed.