In keeping with the scientific design, development and evaluation of relevant ocean and marine observing networks, research and development projects of the facility include:-

• Observing Network Design

  • Evaluation, assessment and design of new measurement methods and observing networks with potential for operational implementation. This includes the enhancement of observing systems through the use of autonomous, profiling floats to observe parameters such as subsurface temperature and salinity. An example of this is the development of the Cooperative Ocean Observing Experiment (COOE), which has now been fully implemented as the Australian Argo project.

  • Design of integrated observational networks, incorporating remotely sensed data and in situ observations from different platforms.

  • In 1999, JAFOOS reviewed the Global Upper Ocean Temperature and Salinity Network for the international community. This project was sponsored by NOAA's Office of Global Programs, CSIRO and Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, under the auspicies of OOPC, CLIVAR and SOOPIP.

  • Further development of the national and international ship-of-opportunity program (SOOP). The national SOOPs are operated by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO Marine Research. JAFOOS is overseeing the ocean surface and subsurface sampling requirements for research and operational applications, including the development of broad-scale biological and chemical sampling capabilities. JAFOOS is actively involved in the National SOOP Coordination Panel and through this, the international SOOP Implementation Panel (SOOPIP).

• Analysis & Forecasting Schemes

  • Development of BlueLink, a marine forecasting system being developed by scientists from CSIRO and the Burea of Meteorology.
    This project incorporates our earlier ocean analyses.

• Historical Data Analysis

  • JAFOOS is resposible for the Indian Ocean Thermal Archive (IOTA).
    This project is aimed at building a high quality upper ocean thermal dataset which can ultimately be used in construction of a new fine resolution (x,y,z) Indian Ocean Climatology. This will allow close examination of the seasonal cycle of storage and advection in the upper ocean and in particular, the cycles of equatorial and boundary currents. Such a climatology will help provide a more accurate basis for model intercomparisons.