The global oceans play a critical role along the atmosphere in impacting weather and climate. A broad scale global ocean observing system already exists that is used in weather and climate forecasts. This consists of remotely sensed estimates of sea-surface temperature and sea-level variability, as well as in-situ measurements from volunteer observing ships, drifting and moored buoys, and island measurements. An essential element for El Niño forecasting is an array of moored buoys, i.e. the TAO array, that spans the equatorial Pacific. These various measurement systems have given researchers a first look at the oceans’ role in climate and have lead to the initial capabilities for forecasting El Niño.

However, improved forecasts, a better understanding of long-term changes in the ocean, and applications for marine resource management require a better understanding of the role of the global tropical oceans in seasonal to interannual climate forecasting and the role of the global oceans in decadal variations. This will require an expansion of the current observing system to measure global temperature and salinity budgets and direct estimates of the circulation. Measurements will be requires at least through the top kilometer of the ocean. This necessitates the development and implementation of improved and less expensive in situ measurement systems and the routine implementation of techniques for combining in situ and remotely sensed information in real-time and at high spatial resolutions. Routine ocean products need to be developed and delivered to a broad constituency.

Dr. Ants Leetmaa, Climate Prediction Center, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, National Weather Service, NOAA
“The Role of the Oceans in Producing Climatic Variability over the U.S.: Forecasting El Niño”

Dr. Robert Molinari, Senior Oceanographer, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA, Miami, Florida
“Learned Lessons from Global Ocean Observations”

Dr. Breck Owens, Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
“Profiling Floats: a New Measurement System for Observing the Global Ocean”

Dr. Mark Swenson, Oceanographer, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratories, NOAA, Miami, Florida
“A Global Observing System for Observing Near Surface Circulation and Temperature”

Dr. Chet Koblinsky, Head, Oceans and Ice Branch, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
“Observing the Ocean Circulation from Space: the Legacy of TOPEX/POSEIDON”