public/about_groom.txt · Last modified: 2013/02/14 11:10 by jkarstensen



About GROOM

GOOS/ROOS considered in the MyOcean project (1) Global ocean, (2) Arctic Sea (Arctic ROOS), (3) Baltic Sea (BOOS), (4) Atlantic European North West Shelf Ocean (NOOS), (5) Atlantic Iberian Biscay Irish Ocean (IBI-ROOS), (6) Mediterranean Sea (MOON and Med-GOOS), (7) Black Sea (Black Sea-GOOS) ; European possible “gliderports” are indicated by yellow stars.

The “Gliders for Research, Ocean Observation and Management” (GROOM) infrastructure design study will evaluate the requirements to set up a sustainable European glider infrastructure to safely operate individual as well as fleets of gliders in order to create a continuum of observations. Operations shall be coordinated to fill the gaps left by present marine observation systems on global, regional and coastal scale, with benefits for both fundamental marine research and operational oceanography. The objective for this design study for a European glider RI are to demonstrate that:

  • a distributed architecture of “gliderports” around the European seas and overseas (see figure on the right), working in close coordination, is the required and cost effective way to operate fleets gliders in the combination with existing observing systems,
  • this infrastructure is suitable to deploy, maintain and operate individual as well as fleets of gliders continuously for operational monitoring and research.
  • such infrastructure can provide a world-class service to the research and environment monitoring communities.


Its foreseen principle is illustrated below.

GROOM foreseen principle with the integration of the two-way communication capabilities in the existing observing and modelling system. The scientists would interact with 24/7 pilots in order to steer the glider fleet in an optimised way, getting all relevant information on the marine environment (numerical products, remote sensing images, GIS, in-situ data from other platforms,etc.). This would be based on an infrastructure of several “gliderports” (communication and computer resources, workshops for maintenance and development, pools of gliders, sea-access) distributed according to the GOOS/ROOS strategy.


Taking into account the existing frames and vision statement about ocean observation, the GROOM project work program will focus on:

  • The integration of gliders into the existing global and regional/coastal ocean observing systems, including a consistent EC-wide contribution for GMES,
  • The Law of the Sea and maritime traffic issues that such platforms raises,
  • The assessment of strategic location for a full network perspective and coordination with existing observation activities,
  • Research priorities to deliver new sensor capabilities for gliders in particular for biology,
  • The assessment of existing legal frameworks and existing RI entities for joint funding and management of the proposed RI,
  • Integration of the proposed RI in an international network of similar capacities, with the aim of an European leadership,
  • Adaptation and strengthening of existing data management e-infrastructure framework to gather and make available consistent and quality controlled datasets,
  • Exploiting the open access to glider data as an educational “window” on the oceans and their role in climate, resources, etc.

and, as a overall contribution, the GROOM project will propose a roadmap for a ten year implementation plan.

 





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