The Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS)

Source: http://www.scar.org/soos/

 

The Southern Ocean provides the principal connection between the Earth's ocean basins and between the upper and lower layers of the global ocean circulation. As a result, the Southern Ocean strongly influences climate patterns and the cycling of carbon and nutrients. Changes in the Southern Ocean would therefore have global ramifications. However, the short and incomplete nature of existing time series makes the causes and consequences of observed changes difficult to assess. Sustained, multi-disciplinary observations are required to detect, interpret and respond to change.

The Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) plan outlines the scientific rationale and strategy for the SOOS; identifies the variables to be observed; presents a draft plan for an integrated multi-disciplinary observing system for the Southern Ocean; and identifies the next steps required for implementation.

A final version of the SOOS plan is currently being formatted for printing. It will also be available online as a pdf.

News

• A SOOS website is currently being developed. For further details, please contact the SOOS Executive Officer, Louise Newman (email: Louise.Newman (at) utas.edu.au)
• A SOOS International Project Office (IPO) is being established in Australia, supported by the new Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania in Hobart (www.imas.utas.edu.au). The SOOS IPO will be co-located with Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) (www.imos.org.au). Louise Newman was appointed as Executive Officer from August 2011.
• The SCAR/SCOR Expert Group on Oceanography will act as a Scientific Steering Committee for SOOS.