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12 OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE NEXT DECADE 



Development of Instrumentation 



Some advancement of oceanographic knowledge has come through 

 the development of new observational technologies. Effective op- 

 erational systems to solve the complex problems facing mission 

 agencies will consist largely of instruments that either do not 

 now exist or have not yet been redesigned for oceanography. The 

 development of both in situ and satellite oceanographic instru- 

 mentation requires a long-term investment in novel technologies 

 and in the extensive field trials necessary to make instruments 

 operational. The board recommends that to ensure continued 

 progress in instrumentation, new mechanisms be found to address 

 the long time frames necessary for instrument development in 

 oceanography. Mission agencies, whose success will depend in- 

 creasingly on instrumentation that does not yet exist, should ini- 

 tiate suitable roles in the development of new technology. 



Transfer of Responsibility 



The division of tasks between academic scientists and agen- 

 cies will depend on the agencies' missions, resources, and inter- 

 nal capabilities vis-a-vis the academic community's. Mechanisms 

 must be developed to provide smooth transition from research 

 activities to operational measurements. In particular, the pro- 

 posed global ocean observing system will necessitate unprecedented 

 levels of monitoring. The board recommends that academia and 

 federal agencies work together to ensure that appropriate long- 

 term measurements are extended beyond the work of any indi- 

 vidual scientist or group of scientists and that the quality of such 

 measurements is maintained. 



Data Management and Exchange 



The board recommends that the present system for data man- 

 agement and exchange within and among the various elements of 

 the marine science community be modernized to reflect the exist- 

 ence of distributed computing systems, national and international 

 data networks, improved satellite data links, and on-line distribu- 

 tion of oceanographic data. Also, provision must be made for 

 future access to existing data. 



