GLOSS PLAN OF ACTIONS 1997 - 1999 (FOLLOWING ANNEX 4 OF THE REPORT OF THE GE5 MEETING AT JPL MARCH 1997) with comments on progress as of 30 September 1998 Actions ------- 1. Presentation of GLOSS GE-5 report and Implementation Plan to IOC Assembly and I-GOOS for approval (Chairman/Secretariat, 1997) Done. 2. Publication of the revised GLOSS Implementation Plan (Secretariat, Oct 1997) Done. Printed version available from IOC or PSMSL. Web version also available. 3. Implementation of recommendations from IGS/PSMSL GPS workshop (IGS/PSMSL/ others, 1997) Awaiting items 5 and 6. 4. Publication of GPS Workshop Proceedings (IGS/PSMSL, July 1997) Done. Printed proceedings report available from IGS or PSMSL. 5. Preparation and publication of "IOC Manual 3 (GPS)" (IGS/PSMSL/IOC, 1998) This depends on the work of the Technical Committee formed by the IGS Workshop. The Committee itself has begun its work, chaired by Mike Bevis (Hawaii), with a first draft version of its report. Contact bevis@soest.hawaii.edu if you would like to see it. 6. Establish Scientific Group for TGBM's and GPS (IAG/IAPSO, 1997 i.e. Le Provost/Blewitt) No special news. At a recent meeting Le Provost has expressed continued IAPSO interest in this activity. Blewitt is pessimistic due to overall lack of funding. I suggest Le Provost and Blewitt get in direct touch again (geoffrey.blewitt@newcastle.ac.uk and leprovos@pontos.cst.cnes.fr). 7. A further complete set of correspondence to all GLOSS Contacts and a revision of the GLOSS network of tide gauges as an essential preliminary to the production of the next issue of the GLOSS Handbook CD-ROM (PSMSL/BODC/IOC, 1997) Correspondence was sent out by email/fax/letter during July/August 97. Many replies received but by no means all. Slow repliers chased in October 97. 8. Preparation of up-dated GLOSS Handbook CD-ROM as part of WOCE Sea Level Centres CD-ROM (BODC/UHSLC/PSMSL/NODC/IOC,1997-1998) Done (almost) by Lesley Rickards. Preliminary version of V4.0 of the Handbook made for the WOCE Sea Level CDROM for the International WOCE Halifax meeting in May 1998 and also on web. Final version expected 'shortly'. 9. Intersessional GLOSS Data Management Committee set up to facilitate data management and distribution (Chairman/Secretariat,1997) Lesley Rickards (BODC) and Bernie Kilonsky and Pat Caldwell (UH) agreed to serve as the nucleus of this group. A joint report on WOCE/GLOSS data processing standards has been written and added to the GLOSS web pages. More work required on common formats etc. 10. Continued support of PSMSL activities re. GLOSS development (Secretariat, 1997-1999) Janice Trotte sent proposed PSMSL Work Plan for 1998. No news yet. 11. Continued production of the GLOSS Bulletin on the world wide web (POL/NTF) Issue 6 produced October 1998. The NTF in Australia is interested in editing some issues. 12. Continuation of the Afro-America GLOSS News. USP is further to be asked to investigate a "free" web version of the AAGN (USP) Done. Latest issue of the paper version has been circulated and has also been put on the web (April 98). 13. Organize training courses/workshops including POL course June 1997 for Mediterranean countries (Secretariat/POL). POL 1997 course was held in June 1997 and a workshop report was printed by IOC in January 1998. Copies can be obtained from IOC. The University of Cape Town will hold a course for countries of the region 16-27 November 1998. Also a course is planned for South America some time in 1999. 14. IOC to keep as far as possible copies of training materials/lectures from courses as a guide to preparation of new courses. Copies should be obtained of materials from all courses in last 4 years (Secretariat) No news. Effort such as this is very dependent on appointment of a full time GLOSS Technical Secretary at IOC. 15. Support where possible of GLOSS regional activities (Secretariat) ?? 16. Assist countries to make proposals for GLOSS and sea-level impacts projects to GEF. Arrange meeting at 1997 Assembly of IOC (Secretariat/Pugh/Mitchell 1997-1998) Bill Mitchell attended the 3rd SPREP Climate Change & Sea Level Rise conference in Noumea, New Caledonia, 18-22 August 1997 and had discussions regarding GEF funding in the South Pacific as discussed at GE5. It is hoped that this will lead to proposals. Janice Trotte has obtained a copy of the GEF/World Bank Caribbean project proposal which must be studied for possible copying elsewhere. 17. Information paper on sea-level measurements in the Arctic Ocean (This is carried over from GE-4) (Bolduc/Zilbershtein/IOC 1998 - see below) Oleg Zilbershtein has agreed to take the editing lead in the production of this report with colleagues from Norway, Finland, Canada, USA, Denmark and Iceland. Hans-Peter Plag from Norway will also be closely involved. No news as yet, but may form component of proposed 'Atlantic' workshop alongside GGE-6 in May 1999. 18. Resolution of fate of missing 4 gauges delivered to West Africa (Secretariat 1997). Four were to Nigeria (for Escravos), Gambia, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. (Original 4 back around 1990 were to Lagos, Tema (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal) and the fourth is lost? Sites were asked for costings in Freetown (Sierra Leone) and Mauritania). At July 1997 IOC Assembly it was reported that Nigeria had just received one of the missing gauges. Secretariat to follow this up and chase the others. At Assembly delegates of Nigeria and Guinea thanked Sweden and Germany. As of February 1998, NIOMR are in the process of finalising plans with Chevron Oil to install theirs in Escravos; Chevron will build the platform and housing. Larry Awosika established that Gambia and Guinea had received gauges, no news from Cote d'Ivoire. Later, we learned that Gambia will not install it until they obtain funds as part of a wider coastal monitoring project. I don't find this acceptable; requesting and receiving the gauge should have been an implicit obligation to install it. Larry Awosika is asked to chase the four again and update the news. 19. Investigation of possibility of exchange of data from the ASEAN tide gauge network (Secretariat, 1997) Letters sent to ASEAN people by IOC (Janice Trotte) in November 1997. Only reply received was from Singapore (Wilson Chua) saying we could have access to data at the NTF we have anyway from Raffles Lighthouse. Bill to be asked if it would be ok if Janice sends out further set of letters saying ok to release data if no reply - Bill to check 31/7/98. 20. Review designation and activities of Regional GLOSS Coordinators (Chairman/Secretariat,1997) All Regional Cordinators will be mailed in October to see how they see their roles evolving. 21. Following from previous item, review how best the IOCEA network be coordinated (Chairman,1997) Under review. 22. Investigate multi-national funding for a Technical Consultant for GLOSS (Chairman/Secretariat,1997-1998) After the GE5 meeting it was decided to investigate possible 'pooling' of expertise as per David Smith's (POL) consultancy to Greek tide gauge specialists. At the POL 97 course it became evident that perhaps Morroco might be a possibile country for gauge installation if expert advice available. (Morocco has since decided it cannot afford a gauge after having received the training and absorbed considerable T&S funds) S.Ragoonaden from Mauritius also suggested that any gauge installation be accompanied by a week or so's training for the local people by the visiting technicians. 23. NOAA prioritorisation study of gauges for climate (Scherer/Johnson/ Gornitz, 1997) Report completed by Vivien Gornitz and meeting held in Honolulu. Meeting report prepared by Neville Smith and published by NOAA. 24. Production of an IAPSO/GLOSS tidal constants data set (Le Provost and others, 1997) Le Provost et al. plan a first version of this IAPSO data set by IUGG 1999. Related item - Are MEDS in Canada still responsible to IHO for data banking and distributing tidal constants? See web page of the Hydrographic Office, Taunton and email from Graham Alcock. 25. Short sea-level brochure in cooperation with OOPC for the GCOS Participants Meeting (Secretariat, Jan 1998) No news. Mail from Neville Smith April 1998: "It seems we can put off the end-to-end brochure no longer. So I am going to find some time with Christian while I am here to sketch something out. I will have a look at the GLOSS Brochure as a reference." 26. Preparation and printing of a new GLOSS brochure (Chairman/Secretariat,1998) A prototype new GLOSS brochure has been made by Gillian Spencer and Robert Smith and will be printed in October. 27. Joint activities with J-GOOS/OOPC in design/planning and implementation of the sea-level component of the GOOS Climate Module. May include occasional participation at J-GOOS meetings (Chairman,1997-1998) Meeting held in Sydney February 1998 (meeting report available). Another planned end November in Paris. 28. Arrange joint publication of a background report with OOPC on scientific rationale for GLOSS (Le Provost,1998) Mail from Neville Smith April 98: "We discussed the joint Background paper at OOPC III. Christian was of the view that it would be more useful at this point if a paper was written, targetted at BAMS or some such journal, that consolidated the progress and conclusions of the GLOSS IP and SL Workshop." 29. Continuation and development of 2 WOCE Sea-Level Centres and Southern Ocean SLC (UHSLC/BODC/NTF,1997-1999) 30. Investigate subsequent experience of trainees at the Dehra Dun training workshop and possible temporary visits at oceanographic laboratories in the region (Shetye,1997) No news. 31. Extend Pilot Phase of Indian Ocean CMAS to other countries (Shetye/ Secretariat,1997-1999) Satish Shetye reports that CMAS work in India is progressing well. Not much news from other countries. He has written to countries of the region to see how project should evolve. IOCINDIO Indian Ocean proposal also from Krishnamurthy at DoD, India. Older IOCINCWIO proposal (by Odido?) also exists. These should all be merged - see items 36 and 37. Related item is that WIOMAP (the association of western Indian Ocean states) had several conferences 1998 in which sea level changes was included. Ragoonaden (Mauritius) represented GLOSS at these meetings. 32. Resolution of the EuroGLOSS/EPTN/MedGLOSS/EOSS overlap of projects (Boucher, 1997) A meeting was held at IGN in Paris between the parties concerned which it is believed has resolved this issue. EOSS Management Meeting was held in December in Copenhagen which was attended by Zerbini, Woodworth etc. so links between GLOSS and EOSS should be good in future. 33. Arrangements for next full meeting: GLOSS-VI Session and interim meeting as required (Chairman/Secretariat, early 1999, interim meeting late 1997/1998) 'Mini-GLOSS meeting' held Taiwan in July 1998. Initial arrangements for GE-6 made. Other Actions Added Subsequently: 34. Installation of gauge at Quinhon, Vietnam by Indian Experts Vietnam had mentioned at IOC Assembly in July 97 the non-delivery of Indian tide gauge. We subsequently learned that contact had reached good level with DOD in Delhi and installation would happen soon. Gauge was installed Feb 98 but malfunctioned for some reason, and has been shipped back to India for repair. Re-installation expected in '3 months or so' (from April 98). Bill Mitchell meanwhile mentions that ASEAN-related developments may lead to a number of gauges being installed in Vietnam through the ASEAN-Australia Cooperation Development Programme (AACDP). A delegation of Vietnamese specialists visited POL at the end of April 98 and proposals for a POL bubbler in Northern Viet Nam were discussed. 35. Merger of MedGLOSS and BlackGLOSS activities No news since April 1998. Dov Rosen agreed June 1997 to contact Prof.Metrevelli to coordinate things. Metrevelli has asked for IOC/GLOSS funds for Black Sea gauges. Rosen and Woodworth have attached their names to an INTAS proposal for BlackGLOSS led by the Ukraine. 36. Proposal for an IOCINDIO-proposed Indian Ocean network, document entitled "Indian Ocean Sea-Level Observing Network (IOSLON)", edited by DOD, following IOCINDIO meeting in Goa during November 1996. Several letters have been exchanged with former-DOD Director, Dr.B.N.Krishnamurthy, expressing great interest and encouragement. There is obvious overlap with the next item. 37. Proposal for IOCINCWIO-proposed Indian Ocean network and related activities following fourth session of IOCINCWIO in Mombasa, 6-10 May, 1997. Mika Odido to take the lead. Proposal (paras 109-114 of meeting report) includes gauges, maintenance, technicians, reviews of present network, bibliography etc. Odido sent email to me on 4 October 1997 providing updated project description. 38. At IOC Assembly delegate of Iran proposed regional GLOSS network in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman. GE invited to discuss. 39. Scientific Working Group for Sea Level following the Hawaii meeting to be co-sponsored by GLOSS/IOC, CLIVAR UOP and OOPC. Neville Smith and Philip Woodworth agreed October 97 form of words sent to IOC for reaction. Discussed at Sydney GOOS meeting. Will be affected by general GOOS organisational structure. 40. Proposal by C.K.Shum for a China Seas tide gauge, GPS and altimetry programme. APSG sea levels and GPS etc. discussed at Taiwan meeting. Letter of support written by me to C.K. on behalf of GLOSS. 41. Comparative study of new acoustic gauges (Sonar Research type) and stilling wells. Begonha Perez (Spain) and Howard Waldron (South Africa) interested in a comparative study. No news. 42. GLOSS Contacts not on email. Letters have been written to all Contacts not on email asking that they get online (May 1998). 43. Distribution of offered 4 gauges from Singapore. Captain Chua has been asked to estimate costs of freighting them to the UK.