MODEG members | MODEG Members excused | Guests | Commission Services |
Colpan Beken Antonio Bode Jean-François Bourillet, Hans Dahlin (chairman) Yann-Hervé De Roeck Robert Gatliff, Lars Hansen Remi Laane François Le Corre Ilaria Nardello, Lesley Rickards, Dick Schaap, Henry Vallius Christopher Zimmerman |
Frederique Blanc Peter Burkill Neil Holdsworth Ralph Rayner, Anastasios Tselepidis |
Jean-Marie Beckers Frank Oliver Glöckner Rudy Herman Kate Larkin Maureen Pagnani, |
Vittorio Barale Jan Ekebo Pascal Le Grand Eric Honoré Herwig Ranner Ana Ruiz Mikko Strahlendorff Anne-France Woestyn |
The following participated in the eighth meeting of the Marine Observation and Data Expert Group on 23 and 24 February 2010
European Atlas of the Seas (presentation)
The Commission presented current developments of the on-line European Atlas of the Seas which is planned for release in April 2010 and enhancement afterwards. MODEG were supportive of the initiative and appreciative of the user-friendly interface. Interest was expressed in recent fish quota information, environmental indicators and average sea-ice.
In answer to questions the Commission replied:
Marine Genomics (presentation)
Frank Oliver Glöckner presented progress in marine genomics. He pointed out that many DNA sequences of marine organism have already been mapped and that new technologies will rapidly increase the worldwide inventory of sequences.
The challenge will be to ensure that these data are available for use. Work is underway to ensure common standards but many data already collected are unusable because they cannot be associated with the relevant temporal, geographical (longitude, latitude) and environmental conditions (temperature, water depth etc).
Glöckner said that real-time sequencing of micro-organisms in ocean buoys would be technically possible within a few years and we need standards to link information on genes, organisms and environment before then and to place this information in repositories where it can be accessed by those who need it.
Data-Interpolating Variational Analysis (DIVA)
The DIVA software was presented by Jean-Marie Beckers. It was written in Fortran for producing contiguous map layers showing the spatial variation of parameters obtained from discrete sampling points. It does this by dividing the area into triangular finite elements and minimizes the error between observed and modeled variables. It is able to produce error estimates and identify outliers. A crucial input parameter is the length scale or the radius of the circle of influence of a measurement. Users are generally very happy with the software but there is some demand to generalize to 3 or 4 dimensional analysis. This would require a complete reprogramming.
Eurosites (presentation)
The EuroSITES project was explained by Kate Larkin and Maureen Pagnani. The aim of the network is to integrate and enhance 9 existing deep ocean fixed point measuring stations across Europe. EuroSITES is the European component to the OceanSITES international network. Consequently the EuroSITES project outputs data as open access in OceanSITES format. The data standards are aligned with the INSPIRE directive and the project is contributing to GOOS as the ocean component of GEO.
The main advantage is the very high frequency of observation that allows both short-term and longer-term trends and processes to be analysed. Episodic events and fast-moving transients can be captured. A comparison with Seawifs satellite measurements of chlorophyll concentration generated some discussion.
It highlighted the challenges of understanding the distribution of a parameter from of in situ fixed-point measurements but also the need for a multi-scale ocean observing at appropriate temporal and spatial scales using complementary platforms (e.g. remote sensing and in situ techniques).
EuroSITES is developing its links with the modeling community contributing daily near real-time datasets of physical (temperature and salinity) variables to the GTS system. In the future this will also include biogeochemical datasets.
Marine Knowledge Communication (presentation from DG-MARE)
The Commission aims to adopt two proposals in April this year.
DG-MARE indicated that these actions could be financed by procurements or grants. Direct grants without a call for tender can only be awarded in exceptional conditions – for instance if there is a real monopoly. There do not appear to be any monopolies in the provision of marine data, except possibly in geology, where national geological surveys hold national archives .
The governance of EMODnet requires:
There were three suggestions for the secretariat
Most MODEG members thought that the secretariat ought to be a bottom-up exercise administered by the data providers rather than the data users and that the data users should be represented, along with other users, in the decision making process. DG-MARE said that they were considering options and would welcome further input.
Actions
DG-MARE to warn MODEG in advance of any call for renewal of membership
MODEG members to provide suggestions for a secretariat
Next meetings
25-26 May 2010, Copenhagen
28-29 September 2010, Brussels