GOOS-AFRICA

Data Access

Data availability: Data are available online. The establishment of the Global Ocean Observing System in Africa (GOOS AFRICA) is intended to advance sustainable development in the coastal and marine environments surrounding Africa. It forms the African contribution to the development and implementation of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).

GOOS-AFRICA IOC web page

GOOS-Africa Program Overview

***Update February 9, 2009***

• ODINAFRICA - Ocean Data and Information for Africa
• Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS) AFRICA The GLOSS is an international programme conducted under the auspices of the Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). GLOSS aims at the establishment of high quality global and regional sea level networks for application to climate, oceanographic and coastal sea level research. The programme became known as GLOSS as it provides data for deriving the 'Global Level of the Sea Surface'. The main component of GLOSS is the 'Global Core Network' (GCN) of 290 sea level stations around the world for long term climate change and oceanographic sea level monitoring.
• Tsunami Sea Level Station Monitoring Facility
• The African Marine Atlas provides maps, images, data and information to coastal resources managers, planners and decision-makers from various administrative institutions and specialized agencies in Africa.
• Marine Species Datbase for Easter African (MASDEA) is a biogeographic/taxonomic database of marine species in the Western Indian Ocean/East Africa. The database was originally developed by Edward Vanden Berghe while working as project manager of the RECOSCIX-WIO project in Mombasa, and now maintained as a collaborative venture between the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute and VLIZ.
• Marine Environmental Data Inventory (MEDI) is a global inventory of information about marine related datasets developed within the framework of the IOC's International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) system. The objectives of MEDI are to maintain a global inventory of data holdings held in the IOC Member States. The MEDI directory has been developed to provide a reference point for locating marine and coastal datasets and will be populated with metadata descriptions of marine datasets from IOC member states. Within the framework of ODINAFRICA all participating data centres in Africa are developing national meta databases describing the data available in their country.
• Harmful Algal Blooms in Southern Africa This website is intended as a resource for information and data related to harmful algal blooms in the Benguela system. It is a joint effort between the University of Cape Town, Marine and Coastal Management and the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) programme.
• Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme (BCLME) State of the Ecosystem Information System (SEIS) aims to provide up-to-date information about the state of the natural environment, the state of living marine resources, the impacts of mining, drilling activities and pollution and the present health of the ecosystem in the Benguela Large Marine Ecosystem region. This project is funded by the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) Programme, as part of a multi-sectoral initiative by Angola, Namibia and South Africa to facilitate the integrated management, sustainable development and protection of the ecosystem.
• Remote Sensing Server for Marine Sciences a public resource for marine remote sensing data and imagery for the southern African region. This trial server is jointly funded by BCLME, ACEP, and BCRE, and is operated by the University of Cape Town, Marine and Coastal Management, NatMirc and BENEFIT.
• Alticore Africa is a research programme involving a consortium of six teams from Europe, Russia and Azerbaijan and is a follow-on from the ALBICOCCA (ALtimeter-Based Investigations in COrsica, Capraia and Contiguous Areas) initiative. The ALTICORE Research Project is funded for a period of two years, beginning 1 December 2006, by INTAS, an independent association supported by the European Community and the European Union member states.
• ChloroGIN Africa The Chlorophyll Global Integrated Network (ChloroGIN) project aims to promote in situ measurement of chlorophyll in combination with satellite derived estimates.
• Africa Center for Climate and Earth Systems Science (ACCESS) offers educational programmes that include workshops and advanced seminars, coordinates research projects that include computer modeling of the atmosphere and ocean, makes available operational products related to environmental conditions, and provides information concerning future global warming. This is done from an African perspective which regards global warming not only as an imminent threat that calls for adaptation and mitigation, but also as a splendid opportunity to promote education at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary.
• The Marine Remote Sensing Unit - University of Cape Town - Sea Surface Temperature (1km/ 4 km), MODIS AQUA, Chlorophyll.
• ARGO Information Center A source of information on the progress of the Argo project and a component of JCOMMOPS, JCOMM in-situ Observing Platform Support Centre. Data available for 3292 active floats.