Global Ocean Observing Systems Workshop report, September 10-12, 1990, Alexandria, Virginia

A workshop on the topic of Global Ocean Observing Systems (GOOS) was held in Alexandria, Virginia, September 10-12, 1990. Sixty-five scientists from universities, government laboratories and private industry in the United States together with representatives from Canada, Australia, and the U.K. met to consider key scientific issues relevant to the long-term observation ofthe ocean. The workshop was held at the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Navy in recognition of the need for long-term ocean observations to support research and operational requirements. The workshop was aimed at finding scientific consensus on the near-term actions that should be taken by the U.S. to enhance the existing ocean observation system and to identify those promising new techniques that need development and support for future use in an operational system. Participants in the workshop were invited by a steering committee which recruited an interdisciplinary mix of physical, biological, and chemical oceanographers with interests in global and regional studies as well as specialized techniques.