MACOORA Education & Outreach

MACOORA seeks to educate users on end product delivery and understanding. Through workshops, programs, studies, pilot projects and collaborations, MACOORA hopes to educate the many users of ocean observation data.

On August 21-22, 2008, the Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence Networked Ocean World (COSEE NOW), and the Freeport Tuna Club, collaborated with a consultant, Cia Romano from Interface Guru, to conduct website usability testing with a group of tuna anglers to better understand how ocean observatory data related to their fishing needs can be communicated via Web-based visualization displays such as maps, charts and other data sources.  This work was done to support the mission of MACOORA and COSEE NOW to learn: 1) to use the results of the test to improve visualization and navigation of data displays for MACOORA member institutions and
2) learn the fundamentals of website usability testing. Read about usability testing here

K-12 and Ocean Observations

The Cool Room
Here, scientists from Rutgers University pull together data from satellites, coastal radars and underwater weather stations, process it, and post it on the Cool Room for you to use to make the most of NJ's coastal resources. Site gives oceanographic data for use by fishermen, boaters, swimmers, surfers, and divers, and includes activities for kids. The Cool Room classroom allows teachers to seamlessly integrate the Cool Room into their lessons.

Visit http://www.coolclassroom.org/ for Internet-based modules link classrooms with studies of New Jersey's coastal ocean. Interdisciplinary projects use real-time or near real-time data to support science concepts: history of oceanography; how and why ocean data is collected; impact of physical factors on phytoplankton, fisheries. Students use data to plot sea surface temperatures and currents, predict ocean weather conditions, and more. Includes profiles of researchers and their jobs, printable teacher guides on COOL tools and projects, tutorials on research instrumentation.

The Ecosystem Literacy Initiative is the focus of the education program at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. It strives to understand how people learn about ecosystems, to enhance the general understanding of students, policy makers, and the public of ecosystems, and train a new generation of ecologists capable of addressing and solving complex environmental problems. http://www.ecostudies.org/ed_main.html

VIMS Real-Time Data Buoy
The VIMS data buoy provides real-time data including air and water temperature, water salinity, chlorophyll, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and water current and wave information for the York River at Gloucester Point, Virginia. The buoy is one piece of a long-term project to provide real-time data for accurate predictions of ecosystem processes in Lower Chesapeake Bay.

Our Lake
OurLake allows access to surface water quality data collected remotely on Central New York State’s lakes and tributaries. Useful for education, scientists, and the general public, this web site includes Near-Real-Time (NRT) data, detailed section describing the parameters that are measured, how these parameters are measured, and suggestions on how the measurements may be interpreted and utilized by all stakeholders. Meteorological data are also collected and presented in NRT.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources' Eyes on the Bay
This easy to use, comprehensive website includes a wealth of real-time and archived data, as well as several lesson plans. Using the highly-interactive map, you can access stations that measure parameters including air and water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and water clarity in the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay. The lesson plans cover salinity, dissolved oxygen, and harmful algal blooms, and are aligned to the Maryland Voluntary Curriculum.

Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS)
This observing system provides real-time data, graphs, web cams, and more throughout the Great Lakes and connecting waterways, including the St. Lawrence River, Niagara River, and the St. Clair system. The data are easily accessible using the highly interactive menus. GLOS data includes lake conditions, water levels, surface temperatures, meteorological data, and weekly forecasts. The site also provides the history of the project, the partners involved, and a list serv.

Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program (CORMP)
CORMP's goal is to provide an interdisciplinary science-based framework that supports sound public policy leading to wise coastal use, sustainable fisheries and improved coastal ocean ecosystem health. This site features an easy to use interactive map with real time and archived buoy and weather station data for southern North Carolina and South Carolina. The site also includes teacher resources including workshop information, presentations and reports, and links to additional systems and educational resources, and information on CORMP research initiatives.

National Data Buoy Center (NDBC)
Obtain real-time and archived data from data buoys, weather stations, and oil rigs all over the globe. This is an excellent resource for students, teachers, scientists, and the general public. The data are easy to access and manipulate for hundreds of stations world-wide. The Science Education page features frequently asked questions answered with graphs, maps, and real data. The site also provides background information on ocean observing systems including buoys, satellites, floats, and more.

Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS)
GOOS is a permanent global system for observations, modeling and analysis of marine and ocean variables to support operational ocean services worldwide. The GOOS site is strictly an informational page concerning GOOS, its goals, the progress it has made so far, the groups involved, and its potential impacts. Links are available to pilot projects and affiliated programs that are already underway, as well as documents presented at various organizational meetings and workshops.

National Office for Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observations (IOOS)
Ocean.US was created by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) to coordinate the development of an operational and integrated and sustained ocean observing system (IOOS). The IOOS site includes detailed information on the formation and organization of the group, as well as a calendar of workshops and events, development information, a newsletter, and all the latest news. The site also links to similar programs and industry representatives.

Bridge DATA - Waves: An Alternative Energy Source
Evaluate the feasibility of wave energy as a practical alternative energy source using ocean observing system (OOS) buoys.

For real-time data, visit:

The COOL Room
This site displays data observing data from New Jersey.

Real-time observing data in Chesapeake Bay
This site is a great compilation of near and real time water quality data from Chesapeake Bay – Maryland.

Real-time data in Long Island Sound
MYSound provides real-time water quality, weather and wave data from Long Island Sound, its harbors and estuaries.

NY Harbor Nowcast and Forecast Site (Currents & Meteorology)
The Port of New York and New Jersey Operational Forecast System uses observed or forecast data to make scientific predictions about the present and future states, respectively, of water levels and currents (and possibly other relevant oceanographic variables such as salinity and temperature) in New York Harbor.

 

What is Ocean Observation?

Coastal Observation Systems 101

See the Cool Room commercial

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (MACOORA) is one of eleven regional associations in the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).  http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/visions/ioos/
Coastal Ocean Observing refers to systems that provide real-time, continuous information to a variety of users to improve the efficiency and safety of marine operations, national and homeland security, predictions of natural hazards and their effects, predictions of climate change and the sustainability of living resources. (click here to view a pdf on ocean observation basics)

The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a coordinated network of people and technology that work together to generate and disseminate continuous data on our coastal waters, Great Lakes, and oceans. http://ioos.noaa.gov/

IOOS is a major shift in our approach to ocean observing. It draws together many networks of Federal and non-Federal observing systems to produce data, information, and products at the scales needed to support decision making. This infrastructure is critical to understand, respond, and adapt to the effects of severe weather, global-to-regional climate variability, and natural hazards. 

Ocean observations are collected at global, national, regional, and local scales and impact many facets of our daily lives.   At a regional scale, IOOS data are used to complement existing observations of wind speed, barometric pressure, and other atmospheric measurements to predict the path and severity of approaching hurricanes.  At a more local scale, IOOS data are used to monitor and predict marine conditions and issue small craft advisories.  IOOS data are required to support a wide range of critical decisions, including evacuations, beach and shellfish closures, fisheries catch limits, and the identification of safe and efficient shipping routes to transport the products we rely on each day. 

Photo: ioos.noaa.gov

Equipment Used for Observations

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles or Gliders. An AUV, or glider is an autonomous underwater robot like instrument.  A suite of miniaturized physical and bio-optical instruments, remotely measure water properties including temperature, salinity, and the absorption and scattering of light in the water column. A pair of fixed wings provides forward momentum to move horizontally through the ocean.

Buoys are moored floating markers, outfitted with instruments that collect oceanographic and/or meteorological data that is relayed back in real time or near real time to a central data management office.

CODAR.  Coastal Ocean Dynamics Application Radar, sometimes calledCoastal RADAR, or CODAR for short is used by oceanographers to determine surface currents and wave heights and frequency using information gathered by the radar system. Computers interpret the data and then re-present them as real-time maps of the ocean using arrows to indicate currents.

Remote Sensing Satellites.  These satellites orbit the earth at an altitude of 500 miles and are designed to "see" the earth's surface temperature, taking pictures of the earth that represent temperatures as colors. The images taken of the ocean are sent back down to earth as Sea Surface Temperature maps, or SST maps for short.

A History of Ocean Observation

The world's leaders have committed to creating a Global Earth Observing System - a massive network to provide a continuous and comprehensive picture of the Earth and its environment. (watch)

A history of ocean observation development can be found at: http://www.nopp.org/Dev2Go.web?id=207784

Read  First Annual Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Development Plan, a report of the National Ocean Research Leadership Council prepared by Ocean.US.

The National Ocean Research Leadership Council's Integrated Ocean Observation Plan
“Toward a U.S. Plan for an Integrated, Sustained Ocean Observing System” (April, 1999)

CORE's Community Letter on Enhanced Ocean Observation signed by 1,832 Members of the U.S. Ocean Science Community (May, 1999)

CORE's Position Paper: "A National Initiative to Observe the Oceans: A CORE Perspective"

The Ocean Observations Task Team report: "An Integrated Ocean Observing System: A Strategy for Implementing the First Steps of a U.S. Plan" (December, 1999)

Toward a Global Scale Coastal Ocean Observing System prepared by: Malone-Cole, (2000)

For a basic ppt primer on MACOORA, click here

 

Links and Resources

The Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT). ACT is a NOAA-funded partnership of research institutions, resource managers, and private sector companies dedicated to fostering the development and adoption of effective and reliable sensors and platforms. See http://www.act-us.info/

Coastal Services Center. As part of the federal government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Coastal Services Center works with private and public sector partners to address coastal issues. Many of the Center's products, services, and initiatives are profiled on this website. http://www.csc.noaa.gov/

The Friends of the John Smith Chesapeake Trail is a regional environmental organization dedicated to conserving treasured landscapes in the Chesapeake Bay and advancing the goals of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and other National Historic Trails in the Chesapeake region. The Friends is advancing NOAA’s state-of-the-art buoy program to monitor the health of the Bay and to serve as markers for the trail. http://www.friendsofthejohnsmithtrail.org/

IOOS. The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a multidisciplinary system designed to enhance our ability to collect, deliver, and use ocean information. The goal is to provide continuous data on our open oceans, coastal waters, and Great Lakes in the formats, rates, and scales required by scientists, managers, businesses, governments, and the public to support research and inform decision-making. http://ioos.noaa.gov/

IOOS DMAC standards: http://ioosdmac.fedworx.org/ioos/dmac.nsf/WhatsNew?OpenForm

The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Observations (IWGOO) represents seventeen federal agencies that produce or utilize ocean observations. These systems collect climate and weather data, providing streamlined and integrated information on real-world conditions. As a federal working group promoting collaboration, the IWGOO is committed to promoting ocean observations and models that serve the needs of the public.  The Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) established the IWGOO in coherence with the U.S. Ocean Action Plan.  Interagency collaboration is essential to achieving ocean science and technology priorities and, in particular, for planning and coordinating an integrated ocean observation system.  http://www.oceanleadership.org/iwgoo

NERRS System Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP)
http://nerrs.noaa.gov/Monitoring/

NOAA National Data Buoy Center
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/
http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/

NOAA National Weather Service
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) is a collaboration of federal agencies to provide leadership and coordination of national oceanographic research and education initiatives. NOPP facilitates interactions among federal agencies, academia and industry; increases visibility for ocean issues on the national agenda; and achieves a higher level of coordinated effort across the broad oceanographic community. http://www.nopp.org/

NFRA is a non-profit organization formed by the Regional Associations for Coastal and Ocean Observing in support of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). IOOS is a national program created to ensure the sustained observation of our nation's coastal oceans and to develop information products from those observations to assist people in their lives and livelihoods.  IOOS is both a national system and a network of regional systems. NFRA: http://www.usnfra.org/

Partnerships for Observations of the Global Ocean, http://ocean-partners.org/

Click here to view links to our members

Ports of the United States America
http://portfocus.com/united_states_america/index.html

Regional Ocean Observing Associations:

• Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS)
• Caribbean Regional Association (CaRA)
• Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS)
• Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS)
• Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS)
• Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS)
• Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS)
• Pacific Regional Integrated Ocean Obsering System (PacIOOS) 
• Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS)

Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association  (SECOORA)
QARTOD is a continuing multi-agency effort to address the Quality Assurance and Quality Control issues of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and broader international community. http://nautilus.baruch.sc.edu/twiki/bin/view

WeatherFlow, Inc.
http://www.weatherflow.com

Acronyms

ACT	Alliance for Coastal Technologies
AOOS	Alaska Ocean Observing System
ARTS	Antelope Real-Time System
BRTT	Boulder Real-Time Technologies
CaRA	Caribbean Regional Association
CBOS	Chesapeake Bay Observing System
CeNCOOS	Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System
CF	Climate and Forecast Conventions
CIPS	Chesapeake Bay Inundation Prediction System
COCMP	Coastal Ocean Current Monitoring Program
CODAR	Coastal Ocean Dynamics
CONOPS	Concept of Operations
CO-OPS	Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services
CORDC	Coastal Observing Research and Development Center
COS	CODAR Ocean Sensors, Ltd.
COSEE	Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence
CSDGM	Content Standard for Digital
CSR	Center for Secure and Resilient
DAC	Data Assembly Center
DHS	Department of Homeland Security
DIF	Data Integration Framework
DMAC	Data Management and Communications
EDS	Environmental Data Server
EEZ	Exclusive Economic Zone
FCC	Federal Communications Commission
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FGDC	Federal Geographic Data Committee
GCOOS	Gulf Coastal Ocean Observing System
GDOP	Geometric Dilution of Precision
GPS	Global Positioning System
HAB	Harmful Algal Blooms
HFR	High Frequency Radar
IMCS	Institute Marine and Coastal Sciences (Rutgers University)
IOOS®	Integrated Ocean Observing System
IRAC	Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee
ISO	International Organization for Standardization
IWGOO	Interagency Working Group on Ocean Observations
JIMO	Joint Institute for Marine Observations
LISICOS	Long Island Sound Integrated Coastal Observing System
MACOORA	Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association
MACOORA	Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association
MARCOOS	Mid-Atlantic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System
MARCOOS	Mid-Atlantic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System
NANOOS	Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems
NCEP	National Centers for Environmental Prediction
ncWMS	Web Map Service for CF-compliant netCDF geospatial data files
NDBC	National Data Buoy Center
NDBC	National Data Buoy Center
NERACOOS	Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems
netCDF	network Common Data Form
NFRA	National Federation of Regional Associations
NOAA	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NTP	Network Time Protocol
NWQMN	National Water Quality Monitoring Network
NWS	National Weather Service
NYHOPS	New York Harbor Observing and Prediction System
O&M	Operations and Maintenance
OGC	Open Geospatial Consortium
OPeNDAP	Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol
PacIOOS	Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System
POC	Point of Contact
PORTS	Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System
QARTOD	Quality Assurance of Real-Time Oceanographic Data
RCOOS	Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System
RDBMS	Relational Database Management Systems
ROW	Radiowave Oceanography Workshop
ROWG	Radiowave Operators Working Group
RSE	Remote Sensing Extensions
RTVs	Real-Time Vectors
SAR	Search and Rescue
SAROPS	Search and Rescue Operations
SCCOOS	Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System
SCM	Surface Current Mapping
SCMI	Surface Current Mapping Initiative
SECOORA	Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association
SSH	Secure Shell
SST	Sea Surface Temperature
TAP	Technical Advisory Panel
THREDDS	Thematic Real-time Environmental Distributed Data Services
USCG	United States Coast Guard
USCG	United States Coast Guard
VD&T	Vessel Detection and Tracking
VHF	Very High Frequency
WCS	Web Coverage Services
WERA	Wellen Radar
WFO	National Weather Service Forecast Office
WMS	Web Map Services
WRC	World Radiocommunication Conference
XML	Extensible Markup Language

COSEEs

COSEE, Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence

One of the seven societal goals of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is to enable the sustained use of the ocean and coastal resources, and one of the many ways that MACOORA strives to achieve this goal is through community outreach and education. MACOORA continues to strengthen these goals by promoting awareness of current ocean observing activities and establishing partnerships with several key educational research centers in the Mid-Atlantic area. Some of these partnerships include the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence.  

COSEE-Networked Ocean World
Ocean observing systems, real time data, teacher professional development, building pathways for scientist ­ educator partnerships. Special interests of this COSEE: K-12 professional development, undergraduate and graduate education, careers, engaging scientists, ocean literacy.

IMCS Rutgers University
71 Dudley Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Contact: Janice McDonnell
mcdonnel@marine.rutgers.edu
(732) 932-6555 x521

Educational Materials archive: http://coseenow.net/category/resources/education-materials/
Free online training for teachers: http://coseenow.net/training/

If you would like more resources on ocean education, please contact:

Rutgers University, Janice McDonnell, mcdonnell@marine.rutgers.edu, (732) 932-6555 x521 IESE - Stevens Institute of Technology, Liesl Hotaling, lhotalin@stevens.edu VIMS - Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Mike Newman, newman@vims.edu (804) 684-7725 Hampton University, Deidre Gibson, deidre.gibson@hamptonu.edu, (757) 727-5883 New York Aquarium, Lisa Mielke, lmielke@wcs.org, (718) 265-3453

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