The GOOS Physics and Climate Panel* coordinates requirements for the physical variables for GOOS, and also leads the climate theme, reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), through the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Due to the many links that need to be made, the panel has a 5 year Work Plan (2013-2018), which is reviewed and updated annually. The Work Plan focusses on developing requirements for physics Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) and ocean Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) through the development of variable specifications, the evaluation of network design to meet requirements, and the development and application of observing system performance metrics. Where there is a need to evolve or expand the observing system, the panel conducts thematic systems based evaluations: for example, the Tropical Pacific observing system (TPOS) review, and evaluation of physics and climate aspects of the Deep Ocean Observing Strategy. Future plans and priorities include; Boundary Currents, and boundary current/shelf interactions, observations for reducing uncertainties in air sea fluxes, and observing ocean/ice interactions. Systems based evaluations are designed to assess requirements for observations of EOVs, and assess approaches to meeting requirements with existing and emerging observing technologies. Some of these evaluations can and will lead to stand alone finite lifetime projects to oversee the transition or expansion of the observing system. For instance, a new project has been established following the TPOS review, called TPOS 2020 to oversee transition of the TPOS to become more robust, integrated and sustainable (see www.tpos2020.org). * The GOOS Physics and Climate Panel is also known as the GCOS-GOOS-WCRP Ocean Observations panel for Physics and Climate, OOPC. See more details at www.oopc.info

1. The activities and Work Plan of
the GOOS Physics and Climate
Panel (OOPC)
Co-chairs: Toshio Suga (Tohoku U, Japan)
Mark Bourassa (FSU, USA)
Secretariat: Katy Hill (WMO)
GEO Blue Planet Symposium, Cairns, 27 May 2015

2. Outline
1. Panel’s roles
2. Work Plan
3. Activities: examples

3. Panel’s roles
GOOS Physics and Climate Panel, also known
as GCOS-GOOS-WCRP Ocean Observations
Panel for Climate (OOPC):
•To provide scientific recommendations and to
review the implementation of the ocean
observations required for climate in support of its
3 sponsors:
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)

4. “Variables approach” to defining observing
system requirements:
– GCOS: Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)
– GOOS: Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs)
‘Information broker’ between GOOS and GCOS
Oceanic
ECV’s
Physics
EOV’se.g.
Temperature
Salinity
Ocean Currents
Sea Level
e.g.
?
e.g.
Ocean
Carbon
Ocean
Colour
Nutrients
Phytoplankton Expand into non-
climate aspects of
ocean physics
Delivered in consultation
with other GOOS panels
Traditional core activities.
Panel’s evolving roles in variable domain

6. Work Plan
Due to the many links that
need to be made, the panel
has a 5 year Work Plan (2013-
2018), which is reviewed and
updated annually.
The Work Plan informs
communities in and around
Framework for Ocean
Observing (FOO) about what
the panel is doing and is going
to do.

7. OOPC Work Plan 2013-2018
1. Introduction
1.1 Organization context
2. Contributing to the GOOS and
GCOS Assessment Processes
2.1 Evaluating requirements for
Essential Ocean/Climate Variables
2.2 Articulating network
contributions
2.3 Observing element/network
status and metrics
2.4 Developing approaches for
assessing scales and accuracy
requirements of observationsWorking with other panels
Through JCOMM
Observation
Coordination
Group

8. OOPC Work Plan 2013-2018
3. Developing and assessing product and
information
3.1 Development and application of Ocean Indices
3.2 Other priorities
4. Systems based Evaluations
4.1 Developing approaches for assessing scales and
accuracy requirements of observations
4.2 Observations for reducing uncertainties in Air Sea
Flux Estimates
4.3 Upper Ocean Thermal Review
4.4 Tropical Pacific Observing System Workshop
4.5 Deep Ocean Observing Strategy
4.6 Boundary Currents and Inter-basin flows
4.7 Polar Seas
4.8 Regional and coastal seas
5. Summary and priorities
Working with
GODAE
OceanView and
CLIVAR/ GSOP
Where there is a need
to evolve or expand
the observing system,
the panel conducts
thematic systems
based evaluations.

9. Activities: TPOS
A workshop on the tropical Pacific Observing System was
proposed in 2013 by NOAA and JAMSTEC, motivated by
concerns about the sustainability of the TAO/TRITON mooring
array. Since the development of the TAO/TRITON array in the
1980s, scientific requirements for observations had evolved.

10. Activities: TPOS
The Panel was invited to be involved in coordinating the
workshop and review, and provided input on the scope, focus
and process of the workshop.
TPOS 2020 Workshop
27-30th
January, 2014, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, USA.
A new project called TPOS 2020 was established to oversee
transition of the TPOS to become more robust, integrated and
sustainable (www.tpos2020.org).

11. RequirementRequirement
What to MeasureWhat to Measure
Essential Ocean VariablesEssential Ocean Variables
Issues (Scientific and societal drivers)Issues (Scientific and societal drivers)
DataAssemblyDataAssembly
Data/Info.ProductsData/Info.Products
IssuesImpactIssuesImpact
ArgoArgo
VOSVOS
SatelliteSatellite
ConstellationConstellationSOOPSOOP
IOOSIOOS
SatelliteSatellite
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
IMOSIMOS
Observations Deployment andObservations Deployment and
MaintenanceMaintenance
Structure of the Framework
OceanSITESOceanSITES

12. Activities: Argo enhancement
Argo, one of the most eminent
and successful observing
networks, is now moving
towards its expansion.
Enhancement in the western
boundaries and their extension
regions are to be considered
within the Panel’s next
evaluation activity on
“Boundary Currents and their
shelf interaction.”

13. Summary
• GOOS Physics and Climate Panel
-provides scientific recommendations and
-reviews the implementation of the ocean
observations required for climate/physics
in support of GOOS, GCOS and WCRP.
• The Work Plan
-informs communities in and around FOO’s
all aspects from societal/scientific
requirements to observations
development/maintenance and data
products/societal benefit areas
-to facilitate their engagement in FOO from
various entry points.
ioc-goos-oopc.org