GOOS, the Global Ocean Observing System, provides a framework for worldwide ocean observation, the process of making regular measurements and observations of the seas, oceans, and atmosphere with the end goal of providing continuous real or near real-time data on the present state of the ocean, forecasts, and long-term historical data. The real-time operational data gathered by GOOS and its model outputs have a wide and varied user base across public bodies, research institutions, and industry.
Initiated by the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, GOOS is subdivided into a number of regional alliances (GOOS Regional Alliances – GRAs) whose purpose is to advocate for national needs at the regional level and to deliver the benefits of GOOS at a national and regional level. [i] The European Global Ocean Observing System (EuroGOOS), founded in 1994, is one such GRA, a pan-European inter-agency alliance for operational oceanography.
The contours of EuroGOOS’ architecture changed shape and evolved over the years as it adapted to accommodate new technologies and priorities. Many of its component teams and groups developed into considerably different forms throughout their operational lifespan. The constants throughout EuroGOOS’ near 30-year story have been its collaborative, bottom-up structure, and a drive for sustained observation capacities making full and economic use of all available resources.
[i] Moltmann, T., Turton, J., Zhang, H-M., Nolan, G., Gouldman, C., Griesbauer, L., Willis, Z., Piniella, ÁM., Barrell, S., Andersson, E., Gallage, C., Charpentier, E., Belbeoch, M., Poli, P., Rea, A., Burger, EF., Legler, DM., Lumpkin, R., Meinig, C., O’Brien, K., Saha, K., Sutton, A., Zhang, D. and Zhang, Y. (2019). A Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), Delivered Through Enhanced Collaboration Across Regions, Communities, and New Technologies in, Lorenzoni, Laura (Ed.), Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol. 6, 2019 (pp. 1-21) p. 5 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00291 (Note: this is a pdf with seemingly no physical periodical, so the page numbers only reflect the pages of the article).
