Observing Network Design & Model Improvements Theme Team


Guiding Questions

  1. What are the physical and biogeochemical air-sea interaction processes and ecological stressors that should be included in the OASIS?
  2. How well are these processes resolved or parameterized in models?
  3. How well are these processes observed by the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)? And by the operational observing network that provides near-real time data to modeling and data centers?
  4.  

    What near-term activities are needed to optimize the OASIS network design?

  5. What near-term activities (e.g. process studies, model studies) are needed to advance flux parameterizations? air-sea interaction understanding? coupled model physics? weather, climate and ocean prediction? Coupled ocean-atmosphere data assimilation for initialization of coupled forecasts?

Terms of Reference

  • Work collaboratively with OASIS Theme Teams, stakeholders, end-users and Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) panels to define the physical and biogeochemical air-sea interaction processes and ecological stressors and the corresponding Essential Ocean Variable (EOV) sampling requirements for the OASIS.

    • Performance Key Indicators: Publicly available specification reports or publication.

  • Assess numerical models and parameterizations (e.g., skin temperature corrections from bulk or foundation sea surface temperature, bulk fluxes, …) ability to reproduce these processes with acceptable uncertainties. Develop recommendations for improving these models and parameterizations

    • Performance Key Indicators: A literature review prepared as a part of a publication or made publicly available as a report or presentation.

  • Assess how well air-sea interaction processes are currently observed within the GOOS and its operational components that provide near-real time data to modeling and data centers.

    • Performance Key Indicators: Assessment publications or reports that use accepted methodologies (e.g. Framework for Ocean Observing, OSSEs, …). Ideally, assessment publication is peer-reviewed.

  • Work collaboratively with OASIS Theme Teams, stakeholders, and end-users, drawing upon OceanObs19 community white papers and other community strategic plans, to formulate near-term and long term recommendations that should be implemented as part of the OASIS.

    • Performance Key Indicators: Strategy reports and publications. The OASIS scope should be documented within the first year of the report, preferably peer-reviewed. A synthesis report of OASIS near-term and long term recommendations should be published (preferably with peer-review) by no later than the third year of the Programme. An OASIS implementation report should be published by the 5th year of the Programme.

  • Develop an Implementation plan (1-5 year) and Decade Actions that would advance OASIS 2030 goals/objectives. This implementation plan will be presented to GOOS, GCOS, WCRP, etc. for inclusion in international implementation plans

  • Engage collaboratively in these Activities. Develop Community of Practices as needed to advance OASIS implementation.

  • Share and integrate vetted outcomes into and from other Theme Teams

Theme Team Membership

Theme Team Leads: Phil Browne & Zhaohui Chen

Staff Support: Maggie Chory

Open membership — join here!