From the Director – October 2012

It has been rewarding to see the recent accomplishments of the OOI as the project moves into ‘build and deploy’ phase.  One of the most significant recent accomplishments was the successful installation of seven Primary Nodes on the OOI submarine cable infrastructure in the Northeast Pacific, led by the OOI Regional Scales Nodes (RSN) group at the University of Washington. The primary nodes serve as the power and data connection points on the network, supporting the connection and installation of a wide range of instrumentation.  For more on the primary node installation activities, please read the full story on the Primary Node Installation, check out the Primary Node Installation Photo Tour, and visit the RSN Blog here.  More information about the cabled infrastructure can be found on our website and through the online instrument tables.

Another significant recent accomplishment is the completion of the OOI deployment schedule, with important installations occurring in 2013, 2014 and early 2015.  Of particular interest will be the opportunities for users to see early, pre-commissioned data from the Global deployment at Station Papa (July/August 2013), seafloor instruments at Hydrate Ridge and Axial Seamount (July/August 2013), a cross-shelf mooring line off Oregon in the Endurance Array (October 2013), and six moorings within the Pioneer Array (November 2013).  Glider data will also be available from both coastal arrays and the Station Papa deployment.  Additional details about these upcoming installations will be posted on the OOI website by 20 November.

As the project moves toward each of these deployments, there will be opportunities for users to participate in pre- and post-deployment discussions of functionality and data delivery.  We will post advance information about these discussions before the end of the 2012.

The successful accomplishments of the OOI construction effort must be balanced by the challenges faced in making the transition from construction to operations. Following an analysis and review of O&M cost estimates for 2016 and beyond, the OOI Operations and Maintenance (O&M) team is in the midst of restructuring the management and technical elements of the O&M phase of the OOI to assure that the team delivers the most efficient and cost-effective approach possible. We will share this revised O&M management plan and cost estimates via the OOI website in early 2013.  The team is strongly committed to operating in a lean, efficient and effective manner as we meet the operational requirements of the observatory.

If you will be attending the AGU meeting in San Francisco in December, please stop by the OOI booth for program information and answers to questions you have about the upcoming installations in 2013 and beyond.

To learn more about the OOI please continue to visit the OOI Website and OOI Facebook and Twitter accounts for event coverage.  Please do not hesitate to submit Questions and Concerns via the OOI website.  Your questions assist us in keeping the FAQ document up to date. Submit a Question or Comment here.

Sincerely,
Tim Cowles
Program Director, Ocean Observing