You have already or should soon receive information from your course LIT leader on filling out a course survey and evaluation. This is a requirement for receiving credit for the course. If you have not received this information by the end of the week, please contact your LIT leader.
You could not have picked a better time to be studying oceanography! You are now in a position to observe (and maybe participate in) the truly dramatic transformation in the way science is done in the ocean.
Our understanding of Earth's ocean has been growing at an exponential rate in recent decades. Fundamental to this growth has been the expansion of observations by ships, submersibles, satellites, profiling floats, gliders, and the like made possible by accelerating advances in technology, communications and cooperative efforts at the national and international levels.
Figure 1 places the principal phases of ocean exploration into historical perspective. The sweeping transformation in the way ocean research is conducted extends the expansion from expeditionary science (e.g., ship-based cruises), in situ probing (e.g., submersibles and profiling floats), and remote sensing (e.g., satellites), to a first-time permanent presence in the ocean. Major initiatives have begun for the development and operation of deep-sea cabled observatories (DCOs) which are expected to become major components of this new way to investigate the ocean environment.
Figure 1. Principal phases of ocean exploration showing the advent of deep-sea cabled observatories (DCOs).
U.S. programs to construct deep-sea cabled observatories have already moved beyond the planning stages. These observatories are networked sensor grids that will collect ocean and seafloor observations simultaneously and continuously to investigate phenomena ranging from episodic, short-lived events (e.g., tectonic, volcanic, biological, storms) to longer-term events or changes (e.g., circulation patterns, climate change, ocean acidity, ecosystem trends). Their goal is to improve detection and forecasting of environmental changes and their effects on biodiversity, coastal ecosystems and climate.
The U.S. DCO effort has two major components:
The science-driven Ocean Observatory Initiative (OOI), which will be directed toward making discoveries enabled by new technologies. Its structure includes implementing organizations (IO) for Cyberinfrastructure, Coastal/Global Scale nodes, and Regional Scale nodes. A fourth part of OOI dealing with Education and Public Engagement is still in its formative stage. OOI is the National Science Foundation's contribution to the nation's broader Integrated Ocean Observing System program.
The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which will focus on direct applications to everyday societal needs, will also be the United States' contribution to the international Global Ocean Observing System. NOAA is the lead among the 17 federal agencies involved in IOOS.
The progress being made in the establishment of ocean observing systems, including DCOs, is so rapid that our goal here is to direct you to those websites you can visit from time to time to monitor advances.
Go to: http://www.oceanleadership.org/ocean_observing/initiative. This is part of the website for the organization (Consortium for Ocean Leadership) that manages OOI on behalf of the National Science Foundation, and is a major source of information on the OOI's progress. By clicking on "About Ocean Leadership" near the top of the webpage and then on "Mission," it can be seen that the Consortium represents ____ of the leading public and private ocean research education institutions, aquaria and industry. We recommend that you visit this website now and then to track the progress of OOI.
Go to: http://www.ooi.washington.edu/. This University of Washington School of Oceanography website describes OOI, including its goals and components. In the "Mission" statement appearing on this page, it states that the mission is to launch a new era of ocean discovery by providing [(electrical power) (high speed internet connectivity) (both of these)] throughout large portions of the ocean.
Next, under "OOI Components" above the large image, click on and visit each of the listed components. Which of the following institutions is not leading a specific U.S. OOI component? [(University of Washington) (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Oregon State University) (University of California, San Diego) (University of Miami)]. We suggest that you explore each of the OOI components to better understand the massive undertaking that is underway.
The U.S. OOI Project has an international cooperating partner. It is called Neptune Canada and is centered at the University of Victoria. Go to: http://www.neptunecanada.ca/infrastructure/cabled-ocean-observatory/. This webpage lists the various cabled observatories (DCOs) operating or in development around the world. They are located in all the following locations except [(Canada) (United States) (Europe) (Australia) (Japan)].
In summary, cabled observatories, along with other great advances in technology and communications, are destined to transform the way science is done in the ocean. Join the excitement of advances in ocean exploration by maintaining your own internet connectivity to ocean science.
You are now completing the final DataStreme Ocean course investigation. We hope that you will create your own investigations on Ocean topics for your students and colleagues. Congratulations and best wishes from all of us at DataStreme Ocean Central as you prepare to serve as an Ocean Resource Teacher for your teacher colleagues, students, and school. We hope that your DataStreme Ocean experience was valuable and we encourage you to share your impressions with other teachers who might be interested in participating in DataStreme Ocean. Please feel free to contact us at any time and revisit the DataStreme Ocean Website often. Best wishes for a great holiday season! Remember, think ocean and think globally!
DataStreme Ocean participants: Your successful completion of
the DataStreme Ocean course with this Investigation, your final course meeting
and submitting the course evaluation, includes 3 graduate semester hours of
credit from the State University of New York College at Brockport.
ESC 676 Real-time Ocean Studies
Develops principles of oceanography from analysis of electronically delivered
current environmental data and learning activities. Relies on computer receipt,
analysis, and display of geoscience data with classroom applications.
Administered by the American Meteorological Society (www.ametsoc.org/amsedu/).
3 Cr. Fall, Spring Semester
"ESC" indicates this is a course from the Department of the Earth
Sciences and "676" indicates it is a course at the
graduate level.
You will not receive notification from Brockport of your credit. However, you may verify your course grade subsequent to 23 December 2008 by accessing the SUNY Brockport computer system directly:
To request a certified transcript copy (cost $5), call Registration and Records at SUNY Brockport at 585-395-2531 and follow the provided directions, or go to: http://www.brockport.edu/registrar/officialtranscript.html.
Record your responses to items in DataStreme Ocean Investigations 12A and
12B on the Investigations Answer Form and responses
for Current Ocean Studies items on the Current Ocean
Studies Answer Form for transmission to your course mentor.
Instructions for Communications with Mentor:
After completing this week's applications, transmit the following work to your
LIT mentor by Monday, 8 December 2008, or as coordinated with your mentor, or
take to your last course meeting:
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