IOOS: A System of Systems

The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) provides high-quality data and information on current and future states of the oceans and Great Lakes from the global scale of ocean basins to local scales of coastal ecosystems.

Societal Goals of IOOS

IOOS provides data in forms and at rates required by decision makers to address seven societal goals:

Improve predictions of climate change and weather and their effects on coastal communities and the nation
Improve the safety and efficiency of maritime operations
Mitigate the effects of natural hazards more effectively
Improve national and homeland security
Reduce public health risks
Protect and restore healthy coastal ecosystems more effectively
Enable the sustained use of ocean and coastal resources

IOOS Background Materials

First Annual Implementation Plan for the Initial US IOOS (Ocean US 2004)

IOOS is part of the US Integrated Earth Observation System (IEOS), the US contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), and a contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). At the 2003 Earth Observation Summit, 30 nations expressed commitment to an understanding that sustainable economic growth can only result from linking systems into a GEOSS. Download the First Annual Implementation Plan

Building Consensus towards an IOOS for the US: Design and Implementation (May 2002)

Recommendations from the Ocean US Arliegh House Meeting, Warrenton VA.

IOOS and Ocean.US

Ocean.US is the National Office for Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observations. Since its establishment in 2000, Ocean.US has catalyzed the development of IOOS, the US contribution to a Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems.

NOAA IOOS Program Office

In 2007, NOAA established a Program Office to coordinate NOAA’s IOOS activities. NFRA works closely with this office on regional issues. Read more about NOAA IOOS