Establish Infrastructure Needed to Deliver Satellite Data
in Support of Integrated Ocean Observing (IOOS) System Regional Associations
and the Pacific Coastal Ocean Observing System (PaCOOS)

Current Status of Accomplishment or Milestone: Phase I of our efforts in support of coastal ocean observing systems is complete. This includes the installation of operational hardware and software, hiring of personnel, and the formation of partnerships with West Coast IOOS regional association members.

Background: The West Coast Regional Node (WCRN) of the NOAA CoastWatch Program generates near real time satellite-derived products intended for operational application in the management of US marine resources and distributes those products to a broad range of data users, including Regional Associations (RAs) of the Integrated Ocean Observing Systems (IOOS), State and Federal marine resource managers, commercial and recreational fishers, researchers, students, and the general public.  Since moving to the SWFSC / ERD in March 2003, the both the number of CoastWatch data products available and the data requests from users have increased an order of magnitude.

Purpose of Activity/Goal of Project: Enhancements in infrastructure were identified as necessary to meet the anticipated requirements of the emerging integrated ocean observing programs through the end of 2006.

Description of Accomplishment and Significant Results: The traditional WCRN processing and distribution has been operational in some form since 1994 but is restricted to data from the AVHRR sensors carried aboard the NOAA polar orbiting operational environmental satellites (POES). This system was overwhelmed by the volume and number of new data sets that now form the complete suite of NOAA CoastWatch products. Using out of year funds from NOAA/NESDIS, several new computers, along with the appropriate infrastructure, were purchased and installed in place of the 5 year-old machines transported from La Jolla in 2003.  This included funds used to strengthen the basic network infrastructure at SWFSC / ERD. A supplementary web site has also been designed, which encapsulates much of the basic functionality of the old site, while providing common access to many of the new data sets and derived products.  Finally, two new positions within the CoastWatch team were filled.  The first, funded by NESDIS, will concentrate on continuing the improvements to data delivery mechanisms and ensuring compliance with IOOS and PaCOOS standards data sharing standards.  The other, an office of the NOAA Commissioned Corps, will focus on data quality assurance to ensure that all CoastWatch products are in compliance with NOAA data standards, and work to establish a stronger outreach and education program.

Significance of Accomplishment (e.g., to the Center, to Management, and to NMFS Strategic plan Goals):
   1. CoastWatch has been identified by NOAA as part of the “National Backbone” of the IOOS.  This work enables us to meet that responsibility.
   2. This data will be used to help optimize resource allocation (e.g., directed sampling) during PaCOOS and IOOS RA activities.
   3. This work will ultimately increase the accessibility of these products to non-technical end users.

Problems: None.

Key Contact: Dave Foley (831-648-0632, dave.foley@noaa.gov )