A New Approach to Studying the Air-Sea Flux
A group of over 50 researchers have made the case for a new permanent unmanned surface vessel (USV) network to complement the mature and emerging networks within the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS).
They have drawn up a blueprint for guiding the global USV community towards an integrated approach to a key ocean observing frontier: the air-sea flux (the interface between the ocean and the atmosphere).
Here, momentum, energy, freshwater and gases are exchanged which drive ocean circulation, the Earth’s energy budget, weather and climate.
Despite its importance, this interface remains minimally observed. At present, there are only 25 air-sea flux moorings distributed globally as part of the OceanSITES GOOS network.
The surface of the ocean can be harsh on technology (high winds, large waves, variable temperatures, rain, snow, currents and ice). Add to that the remoteness of the majority of the world’s oceans and it’s clear why data collection is challenging.
Gaining an understanding of the complex interactions that occur at the air-sea flux requires simultaneous measurement of multiple in-situ co-located variables at a level of accuracy not provided by satellites or numerical models.
This is something USVs are good at, but currently there are large gaps in USV monitoring including in the Pacific Ocean and high latitudes. Additionally, USVs have not yet been active in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic.
Even where USV manufacturers, universities and research institutions have pioneered ground-breaking USV capabilities, the data has been siloed within individual projects, say the researchers.
They call for a global network approach that could transform the patchwork of independent USV projects into an established and trusted capability.
Already a “USV Network for GOOS” has been established as an endorsed UN Ocean Decade project linked to the Observing Air-Sea Interaction Strategy (OASIS) to serve as a starting point for a permanent global USV network.
The researchers propose a governance framework and a core steering committee comprising three leadership committees to lead the network.
Each leadership committee will be made up of stakeholders across what they consider are the three crucial aspects to delivering ocean data using USVs: science, data management and public-private partnerships.
To date, the network committee comprises the co-authors of the paper. They meet intermittently to share news and ideas and to work on collaborative funding proposals.
A core committee will be formed within the next 12 months.
“This paper is a first step in gathering a community of interested individuals which can help set the foundations for a coordinated and collaborative global network.”