The GCOOS Board of Directors is vetting applications for the next executive director, but they asked that I remind you that they are still accepting applications — so if you or someone you know is interested in applying for the post, please apply sooner rather than later!
I also wanted to let you know about an upcoming webinar featuring one of our newest data portals, GulfHub. This site is now a repository for thousands of datasets — most of which were previously considered proprietary and not publicly searchable. The information GulfHub contains is truly remarkable and GCOOS Board member Jan Van Smirren will tell you all about it during the webinar on April 27 (details below)!
And, if you haven’t already, please save the date — May 18 — for our Spring Meeting. We’ll be getting updates from the IOOS program office, along with the IOOS Association and will be hearing the latest news from the Gulf glider community as we head into hurricane season — you won’t want to miss it! You can register here right now.
Until next month,
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Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick
Executive Director
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GCOOS Spring Meeting Agenda |
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Please plan to join us online for our Spring (Virtual) Meeting. GCOOS members and nonmembers are welcome!
Meeting Draft Agenda (speakers are confirmed but times are subject to change)
- 1-1:15 p.m. Roll call, welcome by GCOOS Board Chair Joe Swaykos
- 1:15-2 p.m. Updates from the IOOS Program Office by Director Carl Gouldman
- 2- 2:45 p.m. The new IOOS Association strategic plan with Executive Director Josie Quintrell
- 2:45-3 p.m. Break
- 3:15-3:45 p.m. GCOOS Executive Director's Report from Barbara Kirkpatrick
- 3:45-4:30 p.m. Hurricane Picket Line Project 2021 with Kathy Bailey, Bill Lingsch and Kerri Whilden
- 4:30-4:45 p.m. Discussion and Q&A
- 4:45-5 p.m. Announcement of GCOOS Board of Directors election results and closing remarks by Joe Swaykos.
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GCOOS Accepting Applications for Next Executive Director |
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The GCOOS Board of Directors is undertaking a national search for the organization’s next leader, following the retirement announcement by Executive Director Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick. GCOOS is based at Texas A&M University College Station and the executive director may choose to have an office there or work remotely and reside in any Gulf of Mexico state.
The position includes:
- Management of the GCOOS team and their associated projects.
- Representing GCOOS at scientific conferences and workshops and other venues as deemed appropriate by the GCOOS Board of Directors. (i.e. annual IOOS DMAC meeting, Ocean Sciences meeting, AGU, etc.)
- Growing the GCOOS Membership and Data Holdings by seeking new data streams in the Gulf of Mexico and working with partners to add the data to the GCOOS data portal.
- Full details and application information
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BSEE/NTL Repository Transitioned to GCOOS |
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GCOOS was set to assume hosting services for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Notice to Lessees and Operators (NLT) data on April 1.
However, due to a series of events that led to a data disruption from the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), GCOOS activated this new data portal on March 15.
Raw data, comma separated values (CSV) equivalent, and netCDF files are now being served in a GCOOS NTL web accessible folder and on the GCOOS ERDDAP server for near real-time data. The GCOOS team, in collaboration with the various data providers, is working together to fix problems as they arise. We are very appreciative of the cooperation and help of the data providers and NDBC as we make this transition.
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The Society for Underwater Technology is sponsoring a webinar showcasing GulfHub, the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current Data Hub. This data resource hosts more than 4,600 unique physical oceanographic datasets on an ERDDAP server, including more than 2,900 from deepwater moorings, offshore oil rigs and platforms, and vessels that were previously considered proprietary. These newly accessible data can be used to better predict changes to the Loop Current and its subsequent impacts on human and animal communities in the Gulf of Mexico.
Presenters will be Jan van Smirren, Consultant Oceanographer, Ocean Sierra LLC and Bruce Magnell, Senior Oceanographer, Woods Hole Group, Inc., who helped lead the development of GulfHub.
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Stones Metocean Observatory Records 13-foot Waves! |
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On April 1, the Stones Metocean Observatory, located in the Gulf of Mexico where water depth reaches 2,941 meters (nearly two miles), recorded dominant wave heights in excess of 4 meters (13 feet).
No fooling!
Scientists simultaneously measure wave properties such as dominant wave height and dominant wave period so that the most energetic waves can be identified. Combined with atmospheric measurements — which showed corresponding wind speeds of 30 mph and gusts to 38 mph — data from the Observatory support offshore energy exploration and production, maritime transportation, and numerical models used in weather forecasts, including tropical cyclones.
The Observatory and GCOOS-hosted data portal are part of a broader, long-term initiative called Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems (UGOS). UGOS is a Gulf Research Program initiative focused on improving the skill of sustained continuous operational forecasts to improve understanding of the various interacting physical, biological, and chemical processes at work in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Seaglider, Slocum, Spray or something else? The Underwater Glider User Group needs your input to foster collaboration among the glider user community and is seeking information about gliders and the sensors they carry.
The short survey is designed to help share relevant information among the glider user community.
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NOAA has released its latest science report covering achievements that took place in 2020. The report discusses the latest in NOAA’s ocean, weather, water, and climate research, and how it works to protect lives and property, support a vibrant economy, and strengthen national security.
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Human Health and SafetyHeHEALTH
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The People Behind the Science: Citizen Scientists for GCOOS |
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The HABscope volunteer team continues to grow, allowing us to monitor more beaches for respiratory impacts of an ongoing red tide bloom lingering off Southwest Florida’s coast. April is Citizen Scientist Month and the perfect time to welcome one of our newest members!
HABscope is an inexpensive portable microscope system designed by GCOOS that allows volunteers to upload videos of water samples to a website where AI technology immediately analyzes it for the presence of Karenia brevis — the organism that causes red tide in the Gulf of Mexico — and the number of Karenia cells present. The information is fed into a NOAA-developed model that forecasts potential respiratory impacts at the beach level in near-real time.
HABscope volunteers are a diverse team that includes state, local, and private environmental professionals as well as trained citizen scientists who live near the beach.
Our most recent addition to the team is high school student Anna Walker, who collects water samples at Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Walker has an interest in marine science and coastal stewardship and has made the commitment to regularly collect water samples and upload the video for the forecast.
“Citizen scientists like Anna are essential to the success of HABscope,” said Grant Craig, GCOOS HABscope volunteer coordinator. “People like Anna are allowing us to increase the number of beaches we can monitor and provide even more protections for the public.”
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NOAA is launching a national rip current forecast model aimed at saving lives of beach-goers around the country. This new model can predict the hourly probability of rip currents along U.S. beaches up to six days out. NOAA’s National Ocean Service and National Weather Service developed and implemented the model, which leverages wave and water level information from the NWS’s recently upgraded Nearshore Wave Prediction System. The new Rip Current Model predicts the likelihood of dangerous seaward currents on a sliding scale — from 0 to 100%.
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This picture shows a rip current (using a harmless green dye). Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along the East, Gulf, and West coasts of the U.S., as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes. Moving at speeds of up to 8 feet per second, rip currents can move faster than an Olympic swimmer. |
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Protecting Recreational Waters |
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released an improved web-based app to help communities identify potential sources of pollution to recreational waters. This science-based and data-informed tool empowers communities and supports engagement in local decisions in protecting the health of swimmers from contaminants at lakes, rivers, and beaches while supporting the vitality of water-based economies.
A sanitary survey is a method of investigating the sources of fecal contamination to a waterbody. Sanitary surveys are often used for drinking water, shellfish, and watershed protection programs. They can also be used at beaches and other recreational waters. Sanitary surveys help state and local program managers and public health officials identify sources of water pollution, assess the magnitude of pollution, and identify priority locations for water testing.
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GCAN Develops New Website |
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The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network (GCAN) is developing a new, updated website designed to provide community users with a central access point for news about ocean acidification in the Gulf of Mexico.
Find past GCAN-sponsored webinars, a link to the Tampa Bay Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory (LOBO), and more at www.GCOOS.org/GCAN.
GCAN will continue to add new content — including a revised 2021 Implementation Plan, an OA Data/Resource Mapping hub and highlighted bios featuring experts and students from around the Gulf Region.
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A new study using satellite data to look at coastal changes over time shows that nearly a third of saltwater marshes along Alabama Bay have been lost.
The annual decrease of roughly 2,488 square meters means about 1 percent of marshes around the bay retreated each year between 1984 and 2019, according to the study “Fusing Multisource Data to Estimate the Effects of Urbanization, Sea Level Rise, and Hurricane Impacts on Long-Term Wetland Change Dynamics” published in the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing.
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Marsh loss seen in satellite images is isolated in purple and orange colors in a map of the Mobile Bay watershed. |
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Healthy Ecosystems & Living Resources |
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Interactive Infographics Informing Stewardship |
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The U.S. Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) collects rich datasets on the ocean’s biological diversity. Now, the MBON team is working to make the data even more accessible and applicable to real-world challenges through the development of site-specific interactive infographics.
The goal is to dynamically update marine sanctuary status and trend reports (also known as condition reports) through web-enabled products that provide a standardized summary of local resources, pressures and driving forces in a sanctuary.
By making site-specific quantitative data readily available to sanctuary managers, interactive infographics add transparency and rigor to the assessment process and facilitate timely decisions to minimize environmental stress and maximize sanctuary health.
The proof of concept was developed by the Sanctuaries MBON team focused first on the Florida Keys and Monterey Bay national marine sanctuaries. Since then, a collaboration between MBON and the Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) Program, led by Dr. Jennifer Brown, has advanced a fully developed, web-enabled infographic system to support condition reports for the Channel Islands NMS.
Now, a collaborative development team led by Florida IEA and including MBON, IOOS, and NOAA sanctuary and fisheries scientists, is under way and will soon launch an advanced series of infographics with indicators for the Florida Keys NMS. Stay tuned for these indicator portfolios and conceptual models that will include major sanctuary habitats such as corals, mangroves, seagrass and pelagic habitats.
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The Paddle the Gulf-sponsored webinar training on how to join iNaturalist is now available.
iNaturalist app users explore the natural world and help scientists by taking photos of plants and animals that contribute to a global biodiversity monitoring network.
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Tracking Marine Megafauna |
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Are you a researcher monitoring marine magafauna? If so, BioTrack needs you! BioTrack is a collaboration between the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and Animal Tracking Network (ATN) that is forming to assess and monitor migratory pathways and biodiversity hotspots.
- Watch the video to learn more
- Join the BioTrack working group here
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Mapping Benthic Communities |
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The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is seeking written proposals for benthic habitat mapping services on an as needed basis, related to natural resource restoration projects implemented on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which is necessitated by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
- To obtain a downloadable copy of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for this Project, please complete the form on the website , email mgreen@mdeq.ms.gov, or call 601.961.5270.
- Proposals will be received until 3 p.m. CST, May 14, 2021
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In 2010, the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon resulted in the largest man-made disaster in U.S. history. Today, each Gulf state administers restoration funds and programs. Additionally, other agencies and organizations are also tasked with administering programs designed to restore Gulf habitats and better understand Gulf ecosystems.
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Students in grades 2-8 can learn about ocean science during the NOAA Live! Webinars. The series is exploring Alaska on Tuesday, April 20, and, on Wednesday, April 21, students can learn about buoys in oceans around the world.
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Gulf Research Program Webinars |
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The Gulf Research Program invites educators and parents with students of all ages to join in an hour of science discussions during Emerging ScienTalks Webinar Series. This series provides a platform for early-career research fellows to highlight and teach students about their current research efforts. Webinars include interactive learning elements.
- Dr. Hannah Vander Zanden from the University of Florida will discuss sea turtle journeys and survival stories during the next webinar at 1p.m. EST Wednesday, April 21.
- Details & registration
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GCOOS maintains a jobs listing for positions and fellowships in the ocean observing community. Want to advertise a position? Email Laura Caldwell
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Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System: Executive Director
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Integrated Ocean Observing System: Physical Scientist
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine: Senior Program Officer Gulf Environmental Protection and Stewardship Program
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Georgia Southern University: Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Marine Sciences
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Mote Marine Laboratory: Coral Reproduction Biologist
Postdoctoral Positions:
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NOAA: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences, NRC Research Programs
Fellowships:
- The University of Florida Center for Coastal Solutions (CSS) and Florida Sea Grant (FSG)
- NASEM: Early Career Fellowships
- Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship
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GCOOS maintains a listing of funding opportunities. Have an opportunity you'd like to advertise? Email Laura Caldwell
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26-27: Shoreline21. (SHared Operational REsearch Logistics In the Nearshore Environment) Virtual.
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18: GCOOS Spring Meeting Virtual
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GCOOS is the Gulf of Mexico regional component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and the only certified system dedicated solely to the Gulf of Mexico. Our mission is to provide timely, reliable, accurate and on-demand information on the open ocean and coastal ocean waters of the Gulf of Mexico to ensure a healthy, clean, productive ocean and resilient coastal zone. |
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Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick, Executive Director • Bill Lingsch, U.S. Glider User Group Coordinator • Dr. Chris Simoniello, Outreach & Education Coordinator • Dr. Kerri Whilden, Oceanographer • Felimon Gayanilo, Systems Architect, Co-Data Manager • Dr. Shinichi Kobara, Assistant Research Scientist, Product Developer • Bob Currier, Research Specialist, Product Developer, Co-Data Manager • Marion Stoessel, Senior Research Associate • Jennifer Vreeland-Dawson, Research Associate • Grant Craig, Program Coordinator • Stephanie Watson, CETACEAN Coordinator • Nadine Slimak, Public Relations & Content Marketing, Vetted Communications, LLC • Dr. Chuan-Yuan Hsu, Post Doctoral Research Associate • Robbie Iles, Graduate Research Assistant • Laura Caldwell, Program Assistant
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In Memoriam: Matt Howard, 1952-2018
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