GCOS GOOS WCRP/OOPC IX/3 

page 16 

between  the  satellite  and  in  situ  communities  (and  between  MERSEA  and  EuroGOOS)  are 

necessary. 

7.2 Satellites 

Mark  Drinkwater  continued  the  presentations  with  a  report  on  the  status  of  ocean 

satellite observations. The presentation is available on the meeting website. This information 

was collected in the CEOS Handbook, which was last updated in October 2003. Drinkwater 

described  the  upcoming  missions  and  overlap  by  variable.  While  in  altimetry,  we  are 

currently in a  luxury phase  with multiple platforms and sensors, there will be a gap after the 

end  of  Jason 1  in  2007  (see  also  above  recommendations  from  MERSEA  Strand 1),  with 

GMES  not  likely  to  fly  an  altimeter  before  2010.  Salinity  remains  in  research  mode,  and 

geoid missions after GRACE and GOCE need planning. For ocean vector winds, there is no 

successor to QuikScat planned, and the amount of swath data and whether enough coverage 

of the kinetic energy input to the ocean by the winds is available remains an open question. 

For  sea  ice,  commitments  are  needed  beyond  2008.  The  adequacy  of  ocean  color 

measurements and their use for CO

2

 flux estimations is also an open question. OOPC panel 

members  discussed  the  best  way  to  advance  the  commitments  and  advocacy  for  ocean 

satellite  missions,  and  whether  the  IGOS P  Ocean  Theme  was  the  right  mechanism.  While 

advocacy was clearly seen as necessary, the best avenue for this remained unclear.  

7.3 CLIVAR: basin perspectives 

Bob  Weller  gave  an  overview  of  the  CLIVAR  program  at  its  midpoint;  the 

presentation  is  available  on  the  meeting  website.  CLIVAR s  goals  have  been  to  distinguish 

natural  and  anthropogenic  climate  variability,  and  to  increase  predictability.  It  has  a  natural 

intersection with OOPC, looking to it to lead action in establishing and sustaining the ocean 

observation  system.  The  CLIVAR  Ocean  Observation  Panel  (OOP)  has  now  become  the 

Global  Synthesis  and  Observation  Panel  (GSOP),  which  will  meet  for  the  first  time  in 

November. The first CLIVAR Science Conference will be held at the end of June, and there is 

an understanding that CLIVAR should focus more on its legacy in prediction and the societal 

benefit. 

CLIVAR  is  organized  by  basin  panels,  charged  with  tracking  and  coordination  and 

with advocating process studies. Weller felt that a major challenge for CLIVAR was putting 

into  practice  the  knowledge  gained  in  process  studies  for  parameterizations,  for  improved 

modeling,  for  improved  observing  system  design  and  requirements,  and  to  identify  further 

needed process studies. He cited the US example of building climate process teams, bringing 

together  modelers,  observationalists  and  theoreticians  around  single  themes,  as  a  potential 

example. Of particular interest to the OOPC would be trying to evaluate the utility of various 

elements of the observing system: for example what is our error bar on the global ocean heat 

budget, and what elements contribute to this? 

Discussion by the OOPC focused on the question of getting feedback on the observing 

system,  and  the  lack  of  resources  devoted  to  these  types  of  efforts.  One  difficulty  is  that 

different elements of the observing system contribute different amounts depending on the end 

use,  on  the  question  being  asked.  It  is  perhaps  also  hampered  by  CLIVAR s  structural 

divisions between basin panels. OOPC felt this was a necessary and major effort, and that it 

should liaise with the new GSOP and others as appropriate to push this forward.