Report to the First GODAE OceanView Science Team Meeting Toulouse, 8 June 2009

1. Report to the First GODAE OceanViewScience Team MeetingToulouse, 8 June 2009 Jean-Louis FELLOUS and Peter DEXTER Co-Presidents of JCOMM and Albert FISCHER, IOC

2. JCOMM (Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission on Oceanography and Marine Meteorology) • JCOMM structured to serve as coordination mechanism for the implementation of the worldwide met-ocean operational systems: • including data, information… • …AND FORECASTING SYSTEMS • in support of met-ocean services for marine operations, fisheries, offshore industry operations, national defense, search and rescue, marine pollution, coastal community activities, adaptation to climate change, etc. • Current status of the in situ component ofGOOS Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

3. JCOMM Organization Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

4. Recent Achievements • Programme Areas • Observations • Initial surface drifter and Argo profiling float networks complete • Interactions with GLOSS, OceanSITES, Ocean Carbon • Integration of ship-based observations • JCOMMOPS • Data Management • Close coordination with WIS and IODE • Data Management Strategy published, covering data and information exchange, processing, access, coordination and linkages, and communications • Pilot projects, including WIGOS PP for documentation of standards and linking marine data sets to WIS • Services • Maritime Safety Services • 3rd International Symposium on advances in marine climatology • Guide to Storm Surge Forecasting, Storm Surge Symposium & training workshop • Symposium on climate change and offshore industry (cosponsors WCRP, OGP) • Establishment of an ET-OOFS, work plan developed, activities underway • Cross-cutting activities • Capacity building • Satellite Observations – Support to Jason-3 and ESA Sentinels Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

5. JCOMM and GODAE “JCOMM has, as its mandate, the intergovernmental coordination of the implementation and maintenance of an operational, global, ocean observing (in situ and space-based), data management and services system, in support of the provision of marine services, operational marine meteorology, global climate studies, a range of other service applications, and operational oceanography. As such, JCOMM is recognized as a primary implementation mechanism for global GOOS, and it underpins the World Weather Watch with marine data. It also has developing responsibilities for assisting in the implementation of coastal GOOS. This work is performed with scientific guidance in relation to observing system design and the integration of new advances deriving from the Ocean Observations Panel for Climate, and the new Panel for Integrated Coastal Observations, coordinated through the GOOS Scientific Steering Committee. JCOMM also has long-standing responsibility for the global regulation and coordination of a range of marine meteorological services in support of maritime safety and coastal hazard warning, and thus has both the expertise and mandate to undertake a similar intergovernmental role for the operational ocean forecast systems deriving from GODAE.” (Excerpt from JCOMM abstract at the GODAE Final Symposium, November 2008) Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

6. JCOMM and GODAE OceanView:A Proposal for a Joint Statement of Work • The issue of the relationship of GOVST to JCOMM has had a number of iterations over the past few months, stemming from the GSSC meeting in February. • On May 27, 2009, Gary Brassington, Chair of ET-OOFS put forward a proposal to establish a “Joint Statement of Work between GODAE Ocean View and the JCOMM Expert Team on Operational Ocean Forecasting”. • This draft document provides details on the background, justification, Objectives, governance, relationships between ET-OOFS and GOV, and with the ocean community. Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

7. JCOMM and GODAE OceanView:A letter for the co-chairs of GOVSTY • In their letter dated 29 May 2009 to the JCOMM co-presidents, Andreas Schiller and Eric Dombrowsky recall that: • “Although GODAE has ended in 2008 there is strong ambition among the GODAE partners to further improve operational services, expand research to coastal, ecosystem and climate applications and strengthen the links with users. Many scientific challenges need to be explored. Consequently, there is a requirement to establish a longer-term international structure to support and guide the scientific development of future operational oceanography. • GODAE systems are evolving to satisfy new requirements and must benefit from scientific advances in ocean modeling and data assimilation. In order to ensure the required long-term international collaboration and cooperation on these issues, an international program on ocean analysis and forecasting systems called GODAE OceanView has been set up, complementing the already established Expert Team on Operational Ocean Forecasting Systems (ET-OOFS).” • They conclude with the following statement: • “We are proposing to link the GOVST to JCOMM in order to coordinate these objectives in line with the ET-OOFS and with the support of the international ocean community.” Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

8. Proposed JCOMM-GOV Relationship • The current understanding seems to be in favor of “a loose but specific relationship through the JCOMM Services Program Area (SPA) ”, a model of which could be the existing relationship between Argo and the JCOMM Observations Program Area (OPA). • In practice, GOVST would have membership of the Services Coordinating Group, to ensure close coordination with JCOMM, ET-OOFS and other Expert Teams. • This does not imply any formal link to the Commission or associated intergovernmental obligations vis-à-vis JCOMM parent organizations. • There are also no financial obligations for JCOMM (for God’s sake!). Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

9. Proposed JCOMM-GOV Organizational Link ? GODAE OceanView Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

10. Messages from IOC (1/2) • Continuing development of ocean forecasting systems, their capabilities, and their users, is important in developing an ocean observing system serving a larger community than scientific research • Focus your greatest efforts in your area of expertise: developing ocean forecast systems and applications • There is a clear need for partnership/close coordination with ET-OOFS • Should ET-OOFS be the 'intergovernmental/technical' part of GOVST? • More practically, continue planning to meet concurrently(but please check with the IOC and WMO secretariats about conflicts!) Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009

11. Messages from IOC (2/2) • Where you have ambitions that overlap with other communities, involve them as much as possible, from the beginning, to avoid duplication and overlap:  • Ocean reanalysis • Involve the WCRP/CLIVAR's Global Synthesis and Observations Panel • Coupled forecasting, forecasting metrics, intercomparison • Involve the WCRP-CAS Working Group for Numerical Experimentation • Coupling at the coast • Continue your efforts with your task team, and consider where it makes sense involving some of the GOOS Regional Alliances • Coupling with biogeochemistry and ecosystems • Continue your efforts with IMBER, but think also of the fisheries research organizations PICES and ICES • Developing the data system • Think of the WIGOS Report to 1st GOVST Meeting – Toulouse, 8 June 2009