Red ACOMAR: Real-time networking activities in the Macaronesian region as a contribution to the Coastal Ocean Observations Panel (COOP)

Abstract

Since To detect and predict changes in coastal and open-ocean ecosystems is a huge requirement monitoring in detail and real-time their baseline physical, geological and chemical properties. In these regards and following the trends and general objectives established by GOOS (Global Ocean Observing System) through its coastal ecosystems module COOP (Coastal Ocean Observations Panel), the present paper describes the design, first development stages and some derived results of a monitoring network, named Red ACOMAR Canarias (Red de Alerta, Control y Observacion MARina de Canarias, in English: Network for Marine Surveillance, Control and Observation in the Canaries) developed in the Macaronesia region. Since 1999, the Red ACOMAR is based in a core project supported throughout several proposals at the same time, developed in the coastal and open-ocean areas around the Canary Islands archipelago. The network integrates a wide group of devices and monitoring systems (moored and drifting buoys, gliders, remote sensing, turtles, land based meteorological stations, research vessels, ...) working in real-time. The network has a control centre that manages communications and data processing, and provides real-time information in a functional form to end-users from socio-economic important sectors, which make an exhaustive use of the coastal area in the region. The access to the information by the users is done through a web site. The Red ACOMAR is nowadays directly linked with other similar proposals existing in the area, mainly from scientist groups in Azores and Madeira archipelagos, as well as from other European countries, working all together with the aim to bring out a regional contribution in Operational Oceanography to the end-users requirements.