FixO3 will be coordinated by NERC-NOC (The National Oceanography Centre) with a funding of €7 million from The Seventh Framework Programme. An international project with 29 participants from the UK, Europe, and Scandinavia.
FixO3 - ‘Fixed Point Open Ocean Observatories Network’ seeks to integrate European open ocean fixed point observatories, and to improve access to these crucial installations for the broader community. These will provide multidisciplinary observations in all parts of the oceans from the air-sea interface to the deep seafloor.
Blue Lobster will be the Work Package Leader for ‘Outreach and Training’, focusing on the front-end development, graphic design, and maintenance of the FixO3 project website. This will include a targeted presentation of project outputs and “knowledge” to scientists, policy makers, industry, and the general public on the website and the design of a series of high-impact visual outputs. Blue Lobster will also develop and operate a social media campaign utilising a variety of platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter).
As part of the project, Blue Lobster will provide access to the European Marine Ecosystem Observatory (EMECO) Datatools. This tool currently provides advanced web services for the regional North Sea and Irish Sea. This will enable rapid integration and visualisation of multi-platform, multi-parameters, and multi-national data in the form of bespoke assessment maps and KML, as well as data and time series charts. Aimed at delivering high-level information products in a transparent and auditable manner that will increase confidence, the uptake of in-situ and remote sensing observational data, and model outputs.
Abstract:
The Fixed point Open Ocean Observatory network FixO3 seeks to integrate European open ocean fixed point observatories and to improve access to these key installations for the broader community. These will provide multidisciplinary observations in all parts of the oceans from the air-sea interface to the deep seafloor. Coordinated by the National Oceanography Centre (UK), FixO3 will build on the significant advances achieved through the FP7 programmes EuroSITES, ESONET, and CARBOOCEAN. With a budget of €7 million over 4 years (starting September 2013), the proposal has 29 partners drawn from academia, research institutions, and SMEs. In addition, 14 international experts from a wide range of disciplines comprise an Advisory Board. The programme will be achieved through:
Coordination activities to integrate and harmonise the current procedures and processes. Strong links will be fostered with the wider community across academia, industry, policy and the general public through outreach, knowledge exchange, and training.
Support actions to offer: access to observatory infrastructures to those who do not have such access to free and open data services and products.
Joint research activities to innovate and enhance the current capability for multidisciplinary in-situ ocean observation.
Open ocean observation is currently a high priority for European marine and maritime activities. FixO3 will provide important data on environmental products and services to address the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and in support of the EU Integrated Maritime Policy. The FixO3 network will provide free and open access to in-situ fixed point data of the highest quality. It will provide a strong integrated framework of open ocean facilities in the Atlantic from the Arctic to the Antarctic and throughout the Mediterranean, enabling an integrated, regional and multidisciplinary approach to understand natural and anthropogenic change in the ocean.
This project has received funding from The Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No 312463. The information and views of this website lie entirely with the authors. The Seventh Framework Programme is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.