Ocean Observing and Monitoring
Mission
Why we exist: to provide high-quality long term global observations, climate information, and products to researchers, forecasters, and other users to inform and prepare society for environmental challenges
Vision
What we hope to achieve: a sustained, comprehensive, and responsive global climate observing system that seamlessly delivers information and products to our partners and users within and beyond NOAA, and that provides a critical foundation for climate, weather, and environmental decision making
OOM's unique contribution
What we are uniquely positioned to do: OOM provides leadership for sustained global in situ ocean climate and Arctic observing systems and is the U.S. Federal Source for sustained climate observations and information in support of research, monitoring, and prediction
(Read more in the Strategic Plan).
Program activities aim to:
- Build and sustain a global climate observing system according to climate monitoring principles
- Develop and maintain long time-series indicators of climate variability and change
- Develop and maintain standard data sets for initialization and evaluation of climate forecast models, assessments of climate change, and informed risk management
- Develop informational products, diagnostics, and assessments of observed climate variability and change on global to regional scales
SST Government Performance Measure (supported by OOM): Satellite Bias Correction by in situ SST data
The difference between satellite measurements and surface measurements is calculated for all 1000 kilometer square regions of the global ocean surface. The differences for all regions are then averaged. The average difference produces a single indicator number for the global ocean. That indicator is calculated monthly and graphed in a time series.
Check out the current performance!
The resulting global observations and products contribute to other NOAA Programs, national and international capabilities aimed at understanding, modeling, and forecasting of the earth system, as well as developing targeted information to better inform society about changes of the earth system, including better response options. Access to these global observations and analyses of observational data has provided our Nation with invaluable information needed to better minimize climate-related risk and maximize climate-related opportunities. The program also provides data and information management support for national and international climate assessments. The Ocean Observing and Monitoring Division supports and coordinates its observing efforts with other activities in NOAA, other federal agencies, as well as international partners.