Gijón 2010
European Maritime Day
Stakeholder Conference
3rd
The impact of new information infrastructures in
understanding , forecasting and managing the
changing coastal ocean
SOCIB, an international Coastal Ocean Observing and
Forecasting System based in the Balearic Islands
Joaquín Tintoré
Director of ICTS SOCIB
SOCIB and IMEDEA (UIB-CSIC)
Workshop: "Integrated Maritime Policy in
the Mediterranean and Black Sea in practice"
Rationale:
This workshop brings together a set of examples in the fields of research and innovation,
environment and coastal management that are currently being developed in the
Mediterranean sea-basin and Black Sea in the framework of the EU Communication
‘Towards an Integrated Maritime Policy for better governance in the Mediterranean’.
It will allow stakeholders to get acquainted with some of the key projects that promote
integration across sectors of activity, shed light on the role of science and innovation for
the sustainable management of our seas and coasts and encourage a debate on current
and future challenges for effective maritime policy-making.
 Examples of Research, Technology Development and Innovation
 Importance of Transfer of Knowledged (two directions!) and Governance
To achieve an Integrated Maritime Policy always based on
the more recent and established know how and
technologies.
Objectives of this presentation
1. To present SOCIB, a new coastal ocean Observing and Forecasting
System, that will help responding to major scientific, technological and
society driven questions.
2. To illustrate the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary, scientific,
ecosystem based, integrated management approach for the
preservation and restoration of the Mediterranean and the coastal
areas.
3. To show the relevance of high quality scientific research and new
technology developments for achieving Integrated Coastal Zone
Management (ICZM) as a way to advance towards a real
sustainability, using specific examples from the Balearic Islands.
The coastal zone, complexity, problems and
threats in a global change scenario
Environmental threats
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Climate change, sea level rises, ecosystem variability
More frequent extreme events
Beach erosion
Loss of coastal dunes
Degradation of Posidonia oceanica meadows
Proliferation of invasive species
Coastal artificialization
Degradation of water quality, eutrofication
Red tides, HABS
Loss of fisheries resources
Proliferation of jellyfish
Marine debris
Accidental oil spills
- Theses threats are already problems with significant
economic and social effects. There is a strong pressure on
the coastal zone as a resource
-“The natural resource is not unlimited” (limitation
concept)
-Theses threats are not only local, global change scenario
The coastal zone, complexity, problems and
threats in a global change scenario
Three sub-systems:
Natural
Administrative
Socio-economic
Complex system
“Things have to be made as simple as possible, but
not simpler” (A. Einstein)
General frame, basic principles and challenges:
sustainability
Sustainable development:
“…the development that satisfies the needs from the present without
compromising the capacities of future generations to fulfil their own needs”
Comisión Mundial del Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo, 1987, informe Brundtland
Also:
“Sustainable development implies an increase in quality of life within the limits
of the ecosystems”
Programa de Medio Ambiente de las Naciones Unidas y Fondo Mundial de la Naturaleza, 1991
The Balearic Islands
Ideal test case for integrated
multidisciplinary, science based
management:
- A privileged environment, still very
reasonable, unique habitats TO PRESERVE.
- Scientific know how (UIB, CSIC, IEO,…)
- Civil Society awareness (NGO’s,
Chambers of Commerce, Unions, etc.)
Need of a global approach.
SOCIB: The new Balearic Islands Coastal
Observing and Forecasting System
A New Approach to Marine and Coastal Research
New technologies, Three-dimensional
observations in quasi real time,
Forecasting numerical models and
Data assimilation for …
A quantitative major jump, advancement
of scientific knowledge and
technologies…
The development of a new form of
Integrated Coastal Zone
Management, based on recent
scientific and technological
achievements,
OOI, Regional Scale Nodes (Delaney, 2008)
on a global change context (where
climate change is one of the most
important, but not the only one…),
and following sustainability
principles
Ocean Observatories,
(Oceanus, 2006)
What is SOCIB?
SOCIB is a Coastal Observing and Forecasting System, a multi-platform
distributed and integrated Scientific and Technological Facility (a
facility of facilities…)
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providing streams of oceanographic data and modelling services in support
to operational oceanography
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contributing to the needs of marine and coastal research in a global change
context.
The concept of Operational Oceanography is here understood as general,
including traditional operational services to society but also including the
sustained supply of multidisciplinary data to cover the needs of a wide
range of scientific research priorities.
In other words, SOCIB will allow a quantitative increase in our understanding of key
questions on oceans and climate change, coastal ocean processes and ecosystem
variability.
Why SOCIB, why Coastal Ocean Observatories,
and why now?
New monitoring technologies are being progressively available for coastal ocean
studies:
For example, gliders allow high-resolution sampling showing the existence of new
features, such as submesoscale eddies with intense vertical motions that
significantly affect upper ocean biogeochemical exchanges, an issue of worldwide
relevance in the context of climate change (Klein-Lapeyre, Ann Rev, 2008).
Northern
Current
Balearic
Current
These new technologies, used together, are delivering new insight into
coastal ocean variability, which in turn will trigger new theoretical
developments, increasing our understanding of coastal and nearshore
processes and contributing to a more science based and sustainable
management of the coastal area.
SOCIB general objective:
Develop an Observing and Forecasting System, a
scientific and technological infrastructure
which will provide free, open, quality
controlled and timely streams of data to:
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Support research and technology development on
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The role of the oceans in the climate system
The interaction between major Mediterranean currents
the shelf environments and ecosystems variability
The understanding of nearshore morpho-dynamics
and sea level variability in response to climate
change.
Support (on a longer term) strategic needs from
society in the context of global change.
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Changes in Mediterranean…
Sustainable management, science based mitigation
and adaptation strategies
Policy development and operational tools for decision
support
López-Jurado, J.-L. et al. (2005), Geophys. Res. Lett.,
Consolidate operational oceanography research in Careful monitoring is needed
the Balearic Islands and in Spain, contributing to the with new infrastructures, new
establishment of a well structured centre of
excellence in an international frame. Importance of tools, new technologies...
real partnership.
SOCIB Science Focus: coastal ocean variability at
mesoscale/sub-mesoscale, interactions and ecosystem response
Theory and observations have shown
that there is a maximum energy at the
mesoscale (include fronts and eddies
~10-100km),
Temporal and spatial scales of ocean
processes
(D. Chelton, 2001).
SOCIB focus: mesoscale &
submesoscale and their
effects on vertical motions,
impact on ecosystem
variability.
With inputs from ‘both sides’....
(nearshore and coastal ocean and
also inter-annual and decadal
variability)
Mesoscale (50-500 km/ 10-100
days) is the dominant signal in
the ocean (Le Traon and Morrow,
2001)
SOCIB scales
SOCIB Science Focus: monitoring at the right
scale: from nearshore to coastal and regional
1mm
1cm
1dm
1m
10m
100m
1km
10km
100km 1000km
1sec
Molecular
Processes
1 min
Movement
by Individual
1 hour
Turbulant
Patch
size
Gliders
Surface
Waves
AUV’s
Inertial/Internal
Waves
Storms
Tides
1 day
1 week
Phytoplankton
bloom/patch
Monsoon
1 month
Seasonal
Fronts
1 year
10 year
Edge
Waves
Plankton
Migration
Gyre
Circulation
Adapted from Dickey
Time
series
HF radar
Spatial
survey
Satellite
Products and Services: benefits for society,
examples
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Marine and Coastal Environment
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Marine Safety: development of science based decision support tools
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Ocean climate variability and indicators
Sea level changes and impacts on coastal zone
Ecosystem response and variability in the Mediterranean
Marine Resources
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Search & rescue operations at sea
Response to spills and mitigation procedures at sea and at the coast
Climate and Seasonal Forecasting
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Harbors oscillations
Water quality in the coastal areas
Beach erosion, sediment transport
Sustainability science, indicators, baseline data, science based limits
ICZM, new science based integrated, multidisciplinary management of the coastal zone
Pollution management, marine debris, coastal impacts
Ecosystem modeling, Marine Protected areas optimization and design
Responsible fisheries, variability, natural and anthropogenic
Technology development
Education, public outreach and science
SOCIB Glider Facility (phase 0: 2009-2010 pilot
activities)
Glider data
- Variables: P, T, S
- Vertical extension: 10-180 m
- Horizontal resolution: 1km
Collaboration:
Search and Rescue
801 Squadron
and local authorities
Data Centre Facility (phase 0: 2009-2010 pilot
activities)
The European framework
The international framework
SOCIB: the view….
Mediterranean inter-annual eractions
Mesoscale dynamics, vertical motions, size
structure of phytoplankton, biogeochemical fluxes
Shelf/slope exchanges – canyons interactions –
mean flow/frontal instabilities
Operational Systems: Oil spill, Search and Rescue,
etc…
SST from 11/2008
Coastal management (ESI)
This system incorporates all the available information and identifies
resources at risk, establishing protection priorities and identifying
appropriate response.
ESI (Environmental Sensitivity Index)
Operational systems being implemented
Oil-spill mapping
Land vulnerability
Security in beaches – rip currents
Prediction of trajectories from Tsunamis.
Residence time – coastal – open ocean exchanges
Cobertura de Posidonia
Tiempo de residencia (en días)
cerca del fondo. z
Results at local scale
We know that with today’s
knowledge, actions undertaken in
the past would be done
differently
Results
Logical Framework and Summary
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6.
The Mediterranean and Black Sea complex systems, problems and
threats, Balearic Islands as case study: tourism driving force, know how
and social society awareness. Ideal conditions
Science based management. Discuss basic underlying initial principles,
real sustainability, ecosystem based management, preservation and
restoration, limits to growth, indicators, thresholds, in a global change
environment
Science and society: using state of the art scientific results, disciplinary
excellence in multidisciplinary environments, involve stakeholders to
guarantee real sustainability
ICZM, a process to reach real science based decision making. Establish
basic principles, discuss limits to growth, thresholds for indicators in a
global change environment. The recent CES/CSIC Indicators example.
Coastal observing and forecasting system – new technologies,
monitoring and forecasting capabilities: baseline data, for Operational
oceanography and to contribute to the needs of marine and coastal
research
Science and ethical values “Science sans conscience n’est que ruine de
l’ame” (Rabelais).
Muchas gracias!!