What is the best way to observe the ocean? How was the ocean observed so far… What processes to observe What technologies are available Who is driving who? How does our understanding of the ocean change our future observation strategies? What are the independent variables of the ocean state?

Oceanography is an observationally driven field! What are the independent variables for the ocean? What do they measure and what is there use? Geological: coastlines, bathymetry, (recently movement of plates) Physics: T, U, V, S, SSH Biology: Chl-a, Productivity, Zooplankton, Phytoplankton, Fish and Egg counts, too many! Chemistry: Carbon, Nitrogen, Iron, Oxygen…

How was the ocean observed so far? der/ /ref=sib_dp_pt/ #reader- page Curiosity: Guns, Germ and Steel by Diamond Lots of historical account of early explorations – (see book). t.edu/ocn1010e ng/week1- 1pptslide/ocnhi story1%5B1%5 D_files/frame.h tm Good link! HMS Challenger

1876, Spithead in May. 1)There was now a much clearer idea of the form of the great ocean basins down to the greatest depth sounded at 4475 fathoms, including the important discovery of a submarine ridge running the length of the Atlantic Ocean. 2)The varying types of sea-bed samples had been classified and it had been conclusively demonstrated that the deep-sea oozes were made up of the skeletons of tiny organisms which lived in the upper layers of the sea rather than on the bottom, a subject which had caused considerable controversy during the decade before the Challenger sailed. 3)Ample evidence had been obtained of the existence of a rich and varied fauna in the very deepest regions, although there was no evidence that the ocean depths were occupied by 'living fossils' as some biologists had expected. 1895, almost a quarter of a century after the ship set sail. The fifty thick royal quarto tomes of the report, containing pages, were written by an international galaxy of scientists and many of these reports still form a starting point for specialist studies in oceanography new species of animals taken by the trawls and dredges were documented and are still referred to by scientists from a11 over the world. The reports were the tangible evidence of the achievements of the Challenger venture, but perhaps of much greater importance in the long term was the co-operation between scientists of many countries, inspired by Wyville Thomson's leadership, which set the young science of oceanography on the path to becoming the truly international discipline that it is today. HMS Challenger - some facts

International Observational Programs Deep Sea Drilling Project - DSDP 1985, Joides Resolution Replace G. Challenger 1968, Glomar Challenger Theory of Plate Tectonics and much more…

International Observational Programs The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) was launched in 1987 at a planning meeting in Paris The Operational Goal of JGOFS : Spatial Scale: regional to global Temporal Scale: seasonal to interannual 1) Fluxes of carbon between the atmosphere-surface ocean-ocean interior. 2) Sensitivity to climate changes

International Observational Programs The World Ocean Circulation Experiment International Programme on Climate Variability and Predictability, 1995-present World Climate Research Programme pord.ucsd.edu/whp_atlas//pac ific/p03/sections/printatlas/P 03_OXYGEN_final.jpg

US Programs sponsors Incredible amount of resources! science/oceanography e.g. GLOBEC

U.S. Coastal Observing Systems

Remote Sensing/Satellite Imagery: Geostationary Server - Satellite significant events: National Geophysical Data Center: Technologies for ocean observing Floating devices in the ocean: Argo FLoats Drifter Programs: Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) : Amazing discoveries… Automated Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) :

SO MUCH DATA!!! How to synthesize it?

Homework #1