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About Us - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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We are all connected by a global ocean
Image Credit: NASA Johnson
Image Credit: NASA Johnson
Mission:
to provide and support high quality global ocean observations and research to improve our scientific understanding and inform society about the ocean’s role in environmental change.
Vision:
a resilient, innovative, and fully integrated global ocean observing system that benefits scientific research, fosters environmental stewardship and serves society.
Why do we observe the ocean?
Ocean observations are used in climate and weather prediction models and help us understand our changing ocean and its impact on the environment.
Increasing our knowledge of patterns, trends, and the state of the global ocean can help with prediction of hurricanes, interannual events such as El Niño, and even the 10-day weather forecast. Ocean observing research also helps with maritime safety and navigation, coastal planning, farming, and the blue economy. Our research informs policy and it helps improve the livelihood of communities from the Arctic to island nations. Read more about how our research informs
NOAA’s priorities
.
The Impact of our Work
GOMO provides highly impactful ocean observations,
advances new technologies, and expands our capabilities and community engagement that
shapes the ocean observing system of the future.
Our Accomplishments Report highlights some of GOMO’s activities over the past fiscal year and the impact of our
work.
Download the Report
We Support the Advancement of Ocean Science
GOMO provides support for institutions from around the country that foster advancements in understanding and protecting our global oceans. View the research projects that impact people, ecosystems, and the economy.
VIEW FUNDED PROJECTS
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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ABOUT US
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program is the U.S. Federal source and international leader for sustained, in situ global ocean observations and information in support of research, monitoring, and prediction.
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Meet Our Team - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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Meet Our Team
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program is enriched by diverse perspectives, celebrating each other’s unique experience and expertise.
Image Credit: NOAA/PMEL
Our Leadership
David Legler
Director
View Profile
Jessica Snowden
Deputy Director
View Profile
Sandy Lucas
Arctic Program Director
View Profile
Program Managers
David Allen
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Arctic Research, Cruise Coordination
View Profile
Cynthia Garcia
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Arctic Research, Sea Ice, Data Management, Arctic Report Card
View Profile
Emily Smith
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Argo Program, Global Sea Level Observing System Network, Gliders, Ocean Heat Products
View Profile
Melissa Smuck
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Data Strategy
View Profile
Ann-Christine Zinkann
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Ocean Observing, Atlantic observations, Sea Level, Current Systems, Observing System Design
View Profile
Alyse Larkin
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry, Global Sea Level Observing System, and Bio-GO-SHIP
View Profile
Kathy Tedesco
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry, and XBTs
View Profile
Cheyenne Stienbarger
Program Manager
Portfolio:
Ocean Observing, Extreme Events, Tropical Pacific Observing System, Capacity Building, Drifters
View Profile
Communications and Education & Outreach
Jessica Mkitarian
Communications Specialist
View Profile
Melissa Hiatt
Web Developer
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Heather Heenehan
Education and Outreach Specialist
View Profile
Operations & Administration
CDR Brian E. Elliot
Associate Director for Operations
Portfolio:
Vessel Operations, Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array, Ocean Climate Stations
View Profile
Elizabeth Swiney
Program Administrator
View Profile
Tonya Young
Administrative Officer
View Profile
Larry Martin
Budget Analyst
View Profile
Sandra Casseus
Grants Management Specialist
View Profile
Knauss Fellows
Mary Beth Armstrong
Arctic Research Program Knauss Fellow
Portfolio:
Arctic Research, Communications
View Profile
GOMO HEADQUARTERS
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gomo@noaa.gov
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ABOUT US
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program is the U.S. Federal source and international leader for sustained, in situ global ocean observations and information in support of research, monitoring, and prediction.
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Partners - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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Our Partners
GOMO leads the coordination and integration of global ocean observations across research and modeling activities.
Image Credit: Kyla Kelly
Partnerships are vital to deepening our ocean knowledge to benefit all
The ocean observing enterprise includes everyone contributing toward a global ocean observing system, in and outside of GOMO. Partnerships across NOAA and with academic, international, non-governmental and private sector organizations, and other federal agencies are critical for expanding GOMO’s contributions and impact on science and society.
View our partners:
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NOAA Programs  & Labs
International Partners
Working Groups
Programs
Academic Partners & Cooperative Institutes
International and U.S. Leadership
NOAA Programs & Labs
Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML)
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL)
Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML)
NOS U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
Ocean Acidification Program (OAP)
Office of Education
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL)
Weather Program Office (WPO)
NWS National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)
Environmental Modeling Center (EMC)
Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
Ocean Prediction Center (OPC)
NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR)
NESDIS National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI)
International Partners
Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
Badan Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)
French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD)
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)
International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP)
Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST)
Météo France
National Institute for Space Research (INPE)
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
The Ocean Foundation
Pacific Arctic Group (PAG)
The Pacific Community (SPC)
South African Environmental Oceanography Network (SAEON)
Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON)
UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Working Groups
Advisory Group on the Oceans
Boundary Currents Task Team
Carbon Dioxide Removal Task Force
GOOS Observations Coordination Group
Interagency Working Group National Oceanographic Partnership Program
Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification
Interagency Ocean Observing Committee (IOOC)
NOAA Extreme Events Task Team
NOAA Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Technical Team
NOAA Ocean Acidification Working Group (NOAWG)
SOCONET Interim Steering Committee
Tropical Pacific Observing System (TPOS) Scientific Advisory Committee
USGCRP Carbon Cycle Interagency Working Group (CCIWG)
Programs
All Atlantic Ocean Innovation and Research Initiative (AAORIA)
Argo Program
Bio GO-SHIP
Distributed Biological Observatory
eXpendable BathyThermograph (XBT Network)
Global Drifter Program
GOOS (Global Ocean Observing System)
Global Ocean Ship-based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP)
International Arctic Buoy Programme
Ocean Observing Co-Design
(UN Ocean Decade Program)
OASIS (Observing Air-Sea Interactions Strategy)
PIRATA (Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic)
RAMA (Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction
TPOS (Tropical Pacific Observing System)
UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
U.S. GO-SHIP
Academic Partners & Cooperative Institutes
Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University
Mississippi State University
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Rutgers University
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Oregon State University
University of California, Irvine
University of Colorado Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
University of Hawaii Manoa
University of Maryland
University of Miami/Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
University of Southern Mississippi
University of Washington
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
International & U.S. Leadership
David Legler
GOOS Steering Committee Co-Chair
US IOOC Co-Chair
GOOS Ocean Observing Co-Chair
Design program Co-Chair
Jessica Snowden
AtlantOS Chair
Ocean Tracking Network (Canada) Executive Committee member
Ocean Enterprise Initiative Executive Committee member
Alyse Larkin
Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification Member
eDNA Task Team of the Biodiversity Interagency Working Group Member
NOAA Carbon Dioxide Removal Task Force Member
NOAA Ocean Acidification Working Group Member
NOAA ‘Omics Working Group Member
Emily Smith
IOCARIBE GOOS
Working Group member
Cheyenne Stienbarger
Tropical Pacific Observing System Scientific Advisory Committee Secretariat
GOOS Ocean Observing Co-Design Tropical Cyclone Exemplar Co-Chair
U.S. – Korea Joint Project Agreement Ocean Research Panel Project Lead
Kathy Tedesco
IWG-NOPP Member
USGCRP Carbon Cycle Interagency Working Group Member
NOAA Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Technical Team Member
SOCONET Interim Steering Committee Member
Ann-Christine Zinkann
AtlantOS member
Observations Coordination Group member
AMRIT Strategic Advisory Board member
Advisory Group on Ocean Member and Ocean Observing Lead
Ocean Observing Supplement Editorial Board Member
Boundary Currents Exemplar co-chair
GOOS Ocean Observing Co-Design program – ECOP
We Support the Advancement of Ocean Science
GOMO provides support for institutions from around the country that foster advancements in understanding and protecting our global oceans. View the research projects that impact people, ecosystems, and the economy.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
GOMO HEADQUARTERS
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
gomo@noaa.gov
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
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ABOUT US
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program is the U.S. Federal source and international leader for sustained, in situ global ocean observations and information in support of research, monitoring, and prediction.
NOAA LINKS
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Working with GOMO - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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Working with GOMO
Make your contribution towards the global observing system.
Careers
Students
Opportunities
Image Credit: NOAA Fisheries West Coast
Be a part of the ocean observing enterprise
GOMO is dedicated to building a diverse workforce to help us understand and communicate global ocean conditions and its impact on the environment. There are various ways to work with us through federal employment, contract employment, partnerships with cooperative institutes, and student programs.
Careers with GOMO
Federal Employment
Federal employees make up an important part of GOMO’s team. The federal government has a
unique hiring process
to ensure all applicants receive fair and equal opportunity. View current federal employment opportunities within GOMO below under
Current Opportunities
or on the
USA Jobs website
.
Contract Employment
GOMO’s contract employees offer unique expertise to our program. Contractors are affiliated with NOAA through companies and institutions who support the NOAA mission. View current contractor opportunities below under
Current Opportunities
.
Fellowships & Internships
An important part of GOMO’s
educational work
is engaging with students, including undergraduate and graduate students to help train them for careers at NOAA and in related fields. GOMO has hosted postsecondary students in the following programs since 2015 to teach them about NOAA and GOMO’s role within it:
Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program
matches highly-qualified graduate students with positions within Federal agencies for a one-year paid fellowship. This unique educational and professional experience provides an opportunity for GOMO to support Early Career Ocean Professionals.
NOAA Office of Education
offers internship and scholarship programs for undergraduate students including:
Hollings Scholarship Program
Lapenta Internship Program
EPP/MSI Scholarship Program
Shaping the talent and skills of the next generations of ocean experts.
Since 2015 GOMO has had 16 Knauss Fellows and 8 interns. Hear from some of our past fellows and interns about their experience working for GOMO and advice they have for other students considering NOAA internships and fellowships.
"If you're at all considering a NOAA fellowship or internship--apply for it! Working within NOAA is a great way to see how science can be applied for society. It also allows you to explore science-adjacent opportunities in a non-committal way. NOAA has a very diverse portfolio and there is something for everyone!"
Shelby Brunner
Knauss Fellow 2017 and former GOMO employee
"The potential reach and broad implications of the work was the most exciting aspect of working with GOMO. GOMOʻs mission has such a wide impact that there is opportunity to influence scientific discovery, ocean health, public and food safety, and inspire others to be curious and get involved."
Sarah Tucker
Knauss Fellow 2023
"I'm happy I used the experience to explore my other interests in education, capacity building, and communications, and that I got to learn more about the fascinating and critically important field of ocean observing. It opened my eyes to new opportunities that I hadn't considered before, and I am so excited that it led me towards a new direction for my career!"
Jesse Gwinn
Knauss Fellow 2023
"I was highly motivated to work on a project that had a direct, positive impact on vulnerable populations on the front lines of climate change."
Diego Rivera
Hollings Intern 2023
"If you're at all considering a NOAA fellowship or internship--apply for it! Working within NOAA is a great way to see how science can be applied for society. It also allows you to explore science-adjacent opportunities in a non-committal way. NOAA has a very diverse portfolio and there is something for everyone!"
Shelby Brunner
Knauss Fellow 2017 and former GOMO employee
"The potential reach and broad implications of the work was the most exciting aspect of working with GOMO. GOMOʻs mission has such a wide impact that there is opportunity to influence scientific discovery, ocean health, public and food safety, and inspire others to be curious and get involved."
Sarah Tucker
Knauss Fellow 2023
Current Opportunities
We’re Hiring! Two Physical Scientist/Program Manager Positions
NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring & Observing Program (GOMO) is excited to announce openings for two physical scientist positions. Based on the expertise of the successful applicants, these Silver Spring-based positions
Read More >
October 28, 2024
We’re Hiring! Apply to GOMO’s Education & Outreach Specialist Position
NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program is excited to announce a job opening for the program’s first Education & Outreach Specialist (CPAESS Program Specialist II). This position is
Read More >
February 15, 2024
We’re Hiring! Apply to GOMO’s Data Management Specialist position
NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program is hiring a Data Management Specialist (Program Specialist III). This position will provide senior-level program support for the design and development of
Read More >
January 17, 2024
GOMO HEADQUARTERS
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
gomo@noaa.gov
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ABOUT US
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program is the U.S. Federal source and international leader for sustained, in situ global ocean observations and information in support of research, monitoring, and prediction.
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The Ocean - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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The Ocean
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program supports research that studies global ocean conditions which help us understand our changing ocean and its impact on the environment
Image Credit: NOAA
The ocean covers 71% of the Earth’s surface and contains 97% of the Earth’s water.
Global ocean conditions profoundly affect weather, the environment, marine ecosystems, and coastal regions where a large fraction of the global population lives. Observing, monitoring, and understanding the roles of the oceans in weather, seasonal variations, interannual variations (such as El Niño), is a core mission of NOAA. The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program supports research that studies global ocean conditions and variables such as ocean temperature, currents, waves, sea level, salinity, and carbon and oxygen.
What we learn from studying the ocean
GOMO supports research that studies global ocean conditions and variables such as ocean temperature, currents, waves, sea level, salinity, and carbon and oxygen. These observations serve as a foundation for the information our nation needs to reduce risks for its people, businesses, and assets.
Visualization of ocean currents taken from NASA's video Dynamic Earth - Ocean Currents
Ocean Currents and Circulation
Ocean circulation transports heat, freshwater, nutrients, and dissolved gasses around the planet. This plays an important role in variations in weather, climate, sea level, sea-ice, marine ice sheets, and marine ecosystems. Monitoring ocean currents helps us determine climate patterns which can help communities and industries better prepare for extreme events and mitigate impacts on the marine ecosystems that they rely on.
Ocean Heat
The global ocean absorbs up to 91% of the excess solar energy that cannot be reflected back into space. Heat absorbed by the ocean raises ocean temperatures, including sea surface temperatures. Monitoring and observing ocean heat is important for understanding and predicting variations in weather, climate, sea level, sea-ice, and marine ice sheets, as well as environmental changes relevant to marine ecosystems.
Learn More
Image Credit: NOAA Climate Program Office
Image Credit: NOAA PMEL Climate Research
Air-Sea Interactions
The ocean communicates with the atmosphere through exchanges across the ocean surface. Air-sea interactions of heat, water, momentum, and gasses including carbon dioxide and oxygen are tightly linked to ocean variations in temperature, salinity, circulation, carbon, and oxygen. These changes are the link to the atmosphere which impact weather and future environmental variations.
Sea Level
Sea level rise is caused by warming and expansion of ocean water and by the melting and runoff of land-based ice. It is both an impact and a predictor of the Earth’s energy imbalance caused by greenhouse warming. Rising sea levels can affect coastal communities and ecosystems. Monitoring sea level rise provides a sensitive measure of how much heat is sequestered in the ocean as a consequence of climate variability.
Image Credit: NOAA on Unsplash
Image Credit: NOAA/PIFSC/HMSRP
Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry
The ocean absorbs about a quarter of all human-caused carbon dioxide (CO
2
) emissions. While this reduces the accumulation of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and slows the rate of climate change, it also increases the acidity of seawater (ocean acidification), endangering marine organisms and ocean health. Observations are necessary to better understand the role the ocean plays in regulating global climate.
Learn More
Sea Ice
Sea ice variations have strong effects on ecosystems, weather, climate, and navigation by changing the ability for the ocean to exchange heat, water, circulation, and gasses with the atmosphere and by altering surface reflectivity. Monitoring sea ice conditions help improve forecasts for navigation, shipping, and local and Indigenous community activities.
Image Credit: NOAA Office of Response and Restoration
How GOMO monitors and observes the ocean
Image credit: NOAA
GOMO’s vision is to have resilient, innovative, and fully integrated global ocean observing system that benefits scientific research, fosters environmental stewardship and serves society.
Global ocean observations and research are conducted with an increasing array of innovative tools designed to detect environmental change. GOMO works with partners across NOAA and the Cooperative Institutes, as well as other national and international partners, to collect data and information across the global ocean, and to share that knowledge to serve society.
Our Monitoring Platforms
We Support the Advancement of Ocean Science
GOMO provides support for institutions from around the country that foster advancements in understanding and protecting our global oceans. View the research projects that impact people, ecosystems, and the economy.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
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Monitoring Platforms - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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Monitoring Platforms
We observe the global ocean through a suite of observing and monitoring tools that makes ocean research possible.
Image Credit: NOAA/PMEL
80% of the ocean remains unobserved and unexplored
NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program (GOMO) has the distinct mission of supporting ocean observations to improve our understanding of the ocean’s role in environmental change – which is becoming increasingly important as we study climate change.
Through research supported by GOMO and NOAA, we have made important strides in our understanding of trends in
ocean heat storage
,
carbon dioxide
uptake, the Earth’s energy imbalance and more.
How we study the ocean's role in climate
NOAA supports a suite of ocean observing and monitoring tools (also called instruments or platforms) that allows researchers to study changes in the ocean.
Research Vessels
Research vessels are crucial in getting scientists to sea to deploy and recover ocean observing instruments such as CTD rosettes and XBTs. Programs like
GO-SHIP
,
PIRATA
, and others have been collecting valuable ocean data for years.
Learn More
Argo Floats
Argo floats are robotic profiling floats that measure the temperature and salinity of the upper 2,000 meters (1.2 miles) of the ocean. Argo floats work on a 10-day cycle. After 10 days, the floats rise to the ocean surface and send their data to satellites.
Learn More
Surface Drifters
More than 1,300 satellite-tracked surface drifting buoys currently drift with ocean currents, collecting data on sea surface temperature, currents, atmospheric pressure, winds, waves, and salinity.
Learn More
Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous vehicles such as Saildrones and underwater gliders are remotely-operated vehicles that collect long-term measurements from the ocean and atmosphere.
Learn More
Global Tide Gauges
Tide gauges around the world measure how sea level is rising. Sea level data is useful for coastal protection during extreme events; tide tables for commercial and recreational use; and research into sea level change and ocean circulation.
Learn More
Moored Buoys
Buoys, like the ones in the
OceanSITES
network, are fixed to the seafloor and float at the ocean surface. They feature sensors and gauges that measure precipitation, wind conditions, and more!
Learn More
Latest News
View More
Discrepancies in ocean carbon sink estimates persist, how NOAA is making progress to close the gap
Three ocean observing platforms that are keeping an eye on ocean heat
NOAA research cruise supports key tropical Atlantic observing system
Floating ice, freezing temperatures: Four facts about the I08S GO-SHIP cruise to Antarctica
Tool for tracking research vessels in the Arctic is now live for the 2024 field season
We Support the Advancement of Ocean Science
GOMO provides support for institutions from around the country that foster advancements in understanding and protecting our global oceans. View the research projects that impact people, ecosystems, and the economy.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
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ABOUT US
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Ocean Heat - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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Ocean Heat
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program conducts long-term ocean observations that help us better predict and prepare for the impacts of hotter seas, including rising coastlines, changing fisheries, coral bleaching, and more frequent storms.
Visualization of global sea surface temperatures.
Image Credit: NOAA Climate Program Office
About the Program
The global ocean is getting
warmer
.
NOAA is dedicated to understanding how much and how fast the ocean will warm, and what the ripple effects will be. Measuring changes in ocean conditions, producing datasets and tools that are accessible for a range of users, and improving model projections are a few ways that we are empowering leaders and communities across the globe to make informed marine management decisions.
Time series visualization of of daily average Sea Surface Temperature (click image to expand).
Use the slider to view the 2013 vs. 2024 sea surface temperature anomalies. The colors indicate the temperature difference in degrees Celsius.
Image Credit:
Climatereanalyzer.org
, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine
What happens in the ocean doesn’t stay in the ocean.
Increasing ocean temperatures affect people on land, atmospheric processes, glaciers and ice sheets, and living organisms everywhere.
Image Credit: NOAA
Ocean heat impacts our weather
The ocean and atmosphere exchange gases which affect things like how much heat or moisture the air can hold. This, in turn, influences weather across the globe. Warmer ocean waters are connected to changes in day-to-day weather, stronger storm events, like
hurricanes
, and influence longer-term climate events such as
El Niño and La Niña
.
With the frequency of
billion-dollar weather and climate events
increasing, understanding the role of ocean heat in future storm projections is critical to protect communities and infrastructure.
Ocean heat impacts our coastlines
Polar ice sheets may seem far away, but the response of these frozen masses to increasingly hotter ocean waters impacts us worldwide. As interactions between warming ocean waters and ice shelves (floating extensions of ice on land) drive increased rates of ice melt, more ice moves from land to the ocean and causes global sea level to rise. This sea level change impacts the
nearly 40% of the US population
that lives in a coastal county, where onshore infrastructure loss and
nuisance flooding
are increasingly of concern.
Melting glaciers and ice sheets are not the only contribution to sea level rise: as water molecules warm, they expand. This thermal expansion is another driver of sea level rise, and also plays a role in the frequency and severity of hurricanes and tropical storms.
Image Credit: Barbara Taylor NMFS/SWFSC/PRD
Image Credit: Adam Obaza, WCR Protected Resources Division
Ocean heat impacts our ecosystems
From the surface to the seafloor, in the deep ocean and the coasts, marine organisms everywhere are impacted by warming ocean temperatures. Warming oceans are driving changes in the abundance of fish species, like
Pacific salmon
, while also impacting
migration patterns
of many different fish and mammal species, which coastal communities have relied on for generations. Shifting marine ecosystems in response to ocean heat not only affects economies (the US commercial seafood industry is worth
>$6 billion
), but also threatens cultural and spiritual ties to marine life as a means of subsistence.
Microscopic marine life is also responding to warmer waters, and this causes ripple effects up the food chain. Elevated ocean temperatures are linked to overproduction of different species of saltwater algae, some of which are toxic. These
harmful algal bloom
(HABs) events have been reported offshore every coastal state, and the frequency of HABs are
on the rise in places like Alaska
, introducing serious threats to human health and marine economies.
Excess heat is stored by the ocean.
As the concentration of gases like carbon dioxide and methane in Earth’s atmosphere
continues to increase
, predominantly as a result of human activities, so does the amount of solar energy (or heat) trapped by the Earth’s climate system. Much like a greenhouse, the amount of heat that enters into the atmosphere is greater than what
escapes
back out into space, leading to an overall increase in temperatures. The global ocean absorbs
up to 91% of the excess solar energy
that cannot be reflected back into space.
Climbing
sea surface temperatures
receive a lot of attention, but ocean heat does not only stay at the sea surface. Global ocean circulation slowly moves those warm water molecules from the surface to the deep ocean, where slow (but important) warming also takes place. While it takes about a thousand years to move a parcel of water through the entire ocean, this means that greenhouse forcing is reflected at all depths of the ocean, just on different timescales.
Why the Ocean?
It all comes down to two physical phenomena:
albedo
and
specific heat capacity
.
Have you ever chosen to wear a light-colored shirt in the summer instead of a dark one, knowing it would keep you cooler? Dark objects, like your dark t-shirts and the ocean, have a low
albedo
– meaning they retain more heat than they reflect. Not only does ocean water have a low albedo, but it also covers over 70% of our planet, making it a natural storage space for excess heat. Sea ice, or frozen ocean water, is a natural, highly reflective, high-albedo barrier against ocean heat absorption. However, the
steady trend of decreasing Arctic sea-ice
exposes more ocean water and creates a feedback loop of increased warming.
The ocean also requires significantly more energy (over 1000x more!) to warm by one degree Celsius compared to the atmosphere. You can see this phenomenon, called
specific heat capacity
, at work the next time you’re around a gas stove: when you put your hand above the flame, you feel the heat instantly because the air is warmed quickly. However, when you put on a pot of water to boil, the water takes some time before it warms up.
So, what does this all mean? Any measurable change of global ocean temperatures, even a
fraction of a degree
, represents the absorption of a substantial amount of energy over a relatively short amount of time.
Between 1993 and 2022, the amount of heat energy absorbed by the ocean was  more than
800 times
the total electricity consumed by the United States in just 2022 – the year with the
highest energy use
recorded.
Understanding the impacts and drivers of these changes, and improving our predictions of future change, are fundamental in building a
climate-ready nation
. Learn more about how NOAA is leading these efforts through sustained observing and modeling of our global ocean below.
How NOAA is monitoring and predicting impacts of ocean heat.
"The lack of long-term measurements of the global ocean and changes in the observing system over time makes documenting and understanding change in the oceans a difficult challenge."
-IPCC AR5
Image Credit: NOAA Climate Program Office
Measuring the pulse of the ocean
It’s hard to measure how something is changing with only a couple of data points. How can you tell what is “normal”? By maintaining networks of ocean observing systems in each ocean basin over multiple decades, we are checking the pulse for what is “normal,” and can detect when ocean conditions stray from that baseline.
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing program (GOMO) funds a variety of devices that measure ocean temperature, and other important ocean properties like salinity and carbon dioxide, in each of the planet’s ocean basins. These long-term and widespread observations allow us to measure changes in ocean heat and better predict future climate impacts.
Through GOMO, NOAA measures ocean heat using a variety of ocean observing instruments.
Learn more about these in situ,  or in-the-ocean instruments by clicking below:
Ships
Research vessels are crucial in getting scientists to sea to deploy and recover ocean observing instruments. Programs like
GO-SHIP
,
PIRATA
, and others have been collecting valuable ocean data for years. Ships themselves also collect data while they sail!
CTD Rosette
CTD rosettes are deployed from research vessels to measure Conductivity (salinity), Temperature, and Depth (CTD) and collect discrete water samples from the surface to the seafloor. The rosette is equipped with bottles to collect samples throughout the water column.
Argo Floats
Over three million profiles of ocean data have been collected by
autonomous Argo floats
. Since the program’s inception in 1999, Argo float design has advanced to measure the deep ocean (to 6,000m), and feature sensors that take biological and chemical measurements.
Surface Drifters
More than 1,300 satellite-tracked surface drifting buoys currently drift with ocean currents, collecting data on sea surface temperature, currents, atmospheric pressure, winds, waves, and salinity.
Gliders
Autonomous underwater ocean gliders typically operate for a few months per mission, collecting data on temperature, salinity, currents, and biological conditions.
Autonomous Surface Vehicles
Autonomous surface vehicles (e.g. Saildrones) sail across the ocean collecting data such as ocean heat and atmospheric and surface ocean CO
2
measurements.
Moored Buoys
Buoys,  like the ones in the
OceanSITES
network, are fixed to the seafloor and float at the ocean surface. They feature sensors and gauges that measure precipitation, wind conditions, and more!
Tide Gauges
Tide gauges around the world measure how sea level is rising, which is often a direct impact of ocean warming. Through the
Global Sea Level Observing System
, GOMO funds 50+ tide gauges across the world!
eXpendable BathyThermographs (XBTs)
Beginning in the 1960s, XBTs have been deployed from research vessels and Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) to collect temperature observations of the upper 1km of the global ocean. Currently approximately 10,000 XBTs are deployed annually.
We Support the Advancement of Ocean Science
GOMO provides support for institutions from around the country that foster advancements in understanding and protecting our global oceans. View the research projects that impact people, ecosystems, and the economy.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
GOMO HEADQUARTERS
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Silver Spring, MD 20910
gomo@noaa.gov
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ABOUT US
The Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program is the U.S. Federal source and international leader for sustained, in situ global ocean observations and information in support of research, monitoring, and prediction.
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Glider Network - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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GLIDER NETWORK
Underwater gliders provide a small long-range autonomous platform for long-term ocean measurements. Gliders generally operate for several months at a time. During these missions, the glider collects data using its instruments, including CTD sensors (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth), fluorometers, ADPs (Acoustic Doppler Profiler), backscatter sensors, ISUS (Nitrate) units, altimeters and acoustic modems for communicating with subsurface moorings. See the real time paths of
California’s Underwater Glider Network
by clicking the map on the left.
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Arctic Research Program - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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The Arctic Research Program
The Arctic Research Program (ARP) sponsors sustained ocean observations, modeling, and marine ecosystem studies to characterize the Alaska and Arctic regions and the impacts of ongoing climate change in this region. Our research focuses predominantly in the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. In addition to sponsoring research, our team serves in leadership and coordination roles to address concerns and needs across the Arctic Circle. We seek to provide observations, climate information, and decision-making tools to researchers, forecasters, and other users to inform and promote community resiliency.
A National Priority
ARP's Role
Sustained Observations
Data
Model Development
Arctic Report Card
A changing Arctic is a national priority.
The Arctic is warming up to 4x faster
than the rest of the planet. Increasing air and ocean temperatures, thawing permafrost, loss of sea ice, and shifts in ecosystems are evidence of widespread and dramatic ongoing change.
Changes happening in the Arctic impact the Earth’s climate and the way ecosystems function around the globe.
As a result of a changing Arctic, critical environmental, economic, and national security issues are emerging, many of which have significant impacts on human lives, livelihoods, and coastal communities.
The Arctic is defined as the lands and waters above the red line, according to the Arctic Research and Policy Act (Credit: NOAA’s Arctic Vision and Strategy).
Engaging, Coordinating, and Leading
The Arctic region is a complex system involving the atmosphere, ocean, ice, and land across international boundaries. Partnerships are essential for gathering observations, engaging and collaborating with Local and Indigenous Peoples, and integrating data into useful services and effective management decisions.
The Arctic Research Program partners with several NOAA laboratories including the
Earth System Research Laboratories
, the
Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
, the
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
, and the
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
. We also strive to develop partnerships across agencies and with national and international institutions to facilitate the development of a comprehensive Arctic Observing Network.
We provide coordination and leadership with the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (
IARPC
), US Arctic Observing Network (
US AON
), the Global Ocean Observing System (
GOOS
),
NOAA’s Arctic Action Team and Executive Committee
, in addition to others.
Read the
Arctic Research Program Strategy (2022-2026)
NOAA Research’s Arctic Forum coordinated by ARP in 2019 (Credit: NOAA OAR).
Understanding climate change impacts requires long-term observations.
Long-term observations and data provide the foundational knowledge for understanding how climate change is affecting the Arctic. These observations allow us to detect changes and document the speed of these changes. The addition of new observations helps to fill large spatial and temporal data gaps in order to improve our ability to provide robust services in Alaska and beyond and make informed management decisions.
Arctic observing technologies & platforms
ARP aims to expand and maintain a suite of climate observing networks (ocean, sea ice, and atmosphere) in the Arctic. We fund the  deployment of instruments such as moorings and buoys, robotic vehicles such as gliders, and autonomous surface vehicles to collect data across the vast Arctic. We support innovative
technology development
like the prawler mooring system, the RISE buoy, and Arctic Argo.
Research cruises to the Arctic and surrounding seas are another important way for our funded scientists to collect samples of water, plankton, fish and other animals, and bottom sediments, which are all important for studying ecosystem changes.
Combining these data with the observations and knowledge systems of Local and Indigenous communities provides vital insights into understanding and building resiliency to ongoing change.
Cumulatively, these observations support the interagency
U.S. Arctic Observing Network
and the international
Sustained Arctic Observing Network
.
Ecosystem monitoring
Through collaboration with NOAA Fisheries, ARP supports the Ecosystems and Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (
EcoFOCI
) Program, which has collected data in Alaska and Arctic waters for 20+ years. In addition to documenting changes to sea-ice formation, EcoFOCI data
directly influence decision-making
by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
ARP also supports the Distributed Biological Observatory (
DBO
), an international effort spanning six countries, including Canada, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States, and many agencies within those countries. DBO sampling focuses on areas of high productivity, biodiversity, and rates of biological changes to understand how the biological communities of the Arctic are changing.
Sea-Ice
ARP co-funds the US portion of the
International Arctic Buoy Programme,
a joint effort between multiple international agencies to deploy and maintain Arctic buoys in the Pacific Arctic region for the purpose of collecting oceanic and meteorological data. These buoys provide data that are used for weather predictions and ice charting in the Arctic Ocean.
Summer buoy deployments by ship. USCGC Healy and R/V Polarstern at the North Pole. (Credit: Ignatius Rigor )
EcoFOCI scientist identifies larval fish using a microscope (Credit: NOAA PMEL).
Arctic Report Card Editor Matthew Druckenmiller meets with Bering Sea Elders to develop chapter for the 2019 Arctic Report Card (Credit: Matthew Druckenmiller).
Transparent and accessible data standards advance research and amplify societal benefits.
The Arctic Research Program is committed to fostering greater access and collaboration in Arctic scientific research, following FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) Principles. By fostering a collaborative and open research environment, the Arctic Research Program aims to enhance our collective understanding of the Arctic and its pivotal role in our global ecosystem.
The project-specific landing pages provide a comprehensive gateway to a wide range of ARP-funded datasets, tools, and publications. Learn about ongoing and completed projects, grant recipients, and contact information of our thriving research community. Access these landing pages below.
For further information or assistance accessing these datasets, please contact (cynthia.garcia@noaa.gov).
Polar bear on sea ice (Credit: Pablo Clemente Colon).
Data management services to streamline data archival and improve FAIR compliance
PI(s):
Kevin O'Brien
Florence Fetterer
Eugene Burger
Ann Windnagel
Fiscal Year: 2024
View Project
Augmented Seasonal Ice Mass Balance Buoys
PI(s):
Don Perovich
Renee Y. Brown
Fiscal Year: 2024
View Project
Travel Support for Alaskan Indigenous Delegation to the 2nd Cross-Pacific Indigenous Exchange
PI(s):
Carolina Behe
Fiscal Year: 2024
View Project
View All Arctic Research Projects
Model development enhances knowledge and decision-making.
Modeling efforts enable forecasts and predictions on different time scales (e.g. days, weeks, months, years, decades) that help scientists understand and predict changes in the ecosystem. We support the development of products, forecasts, and services that advance science and inform the public and decision-makers.
We support models that help improve the understanding of ocean heat and freshwater and their sources and pathways into and out of the Arctic region. These models provide insight into how Arctic warming will impact global ocean circulation and the stability of the global climate system.
In particular, we are supporting the
Coupled Arctic Forecast System (CAFS)
and the GLERL-CIGLR Arctic Sea Routes Nowcast/Forecast System (GCAS) that aims to improve ice and snow forecasts, which are critical to coastal communities, shipping, and safe navigation. We also support modeling to understand the how changes in polar climates impacts mid-latitude weather patterns in the continental US.
The CAFS model provides seven-day forecasts for the Arctic Ocean north of Alaska to the North Pole. Arrows show the direction of surface winds. The longer the arrow, the stronger the winds. The winds can move ice, creating areas where it's pulled apart or compressed (Credit: NOAA ESRL).
The Arctic Report Card bridges scientific and public audiences.
One impactful scientific and communication product the Arctic Research Program coordinates is the annual creation of the
Arctic Report Card
. Since 2006, the Arctic Report Card has provided a peer-reviewed chapters series characterizing the current state of the Arctic. The Arctic Report Card release in 2022 was covered by 870 media outlets across 10 countries with an estimated publicity value of $35.8M.
The Report Card is intended for a wide audience, including scientists, teachers, decision-makers, and the general public. Multiple products are developed each year through ARP coordination including the Report Card and complementary videos, press releases, webpages, graphics, articles, and Congressional briefing materials.
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Global Drifter Program - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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GLOBAL DRIFTER PROGRAM
The Global Drifter Program is the largest component of the Global Surface Drifting Buoy Array, a branch of NOAA’s
Global Ocean Observing System
(GOOS), and a scientific project of the
Data Buoy Cooperation Panel
(DBCP). Its objectives are to:
1. Maintain a global array of more than 1300 satellite-tracked surface drifting buoys to meet the need for an accurate and globally dense set of in-situ observations of mixed layer currents, sea surface temperature, atmospheric pressure, winds and salinity, and
2. Provide a data processing system for scientific use of these data.
Relevant Links
NOAA AOML Global Drifter Program
Scripps Lagrangian Drifter Lab
Data
GDP Drifter Data
News From the Global Drifter Program:
Drifting Buoys Track Hurricane Michael in the Gulf of Mexico
GOMO HEADQUARTERS
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Argo Program - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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Argo Program
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Program Partners
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Argo is now the
dominant source
of subsurface ocean data and has a
critical role
in the Global Ocean Observing System
The Argo Program was developed in 1999 and today supports a global array of almost 4,000 robotic profiling floats that measure the temperature and salinity of the upper 2,000 meters (1.2 miles) of the ocean. The Argo Program has an international reach with participation from close to 30 countries. This partnership allows, for the first time, constant monitoring of the temperature, salinity, and currents of the upper ocean.
Two new types of Argo floats are now being tested to dive down to a depth of 6,000 meters (3.7 miles) and to have additional sensors on them to collect information about the biology and the chemistry (oxygen, pH, nitrate, suspended particles, and downwelling irradiance) of the global ocean. Argo floats work on a 10-day cycle (see diagram). After 10 days, the floats rise to the ocean surface and send their data to satellites. This data is publicly available within hours after collection and used in research and forecasting across the globe.
Fun Fact:
The Argo Program is named after the Greek mythical ship Argo (captained by Jason) to emphasize the complementary relationship of Argo with the Jason satellite altimeters. Image Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Understanding the Ocean’s Role in Earth’s Climate
Argo helps us observe our changing climate
Argo provides scientists with measurements of the evolving state of the upper ocean by collecting temperature and salinity profiles from the surface to 2,000 meters depth.
Real-time Argo data improves weather and climate forecasts through the assimilation of Argo data in ocean and coupled (ocean and atmosphere) forecast models.
Using Argo measurements, scientists can calculate how and where ocean heat content is changing. Since seawater expands as it warms, its contribution to sea level rise can also be estimated.
The Argo Program: Revolutionizing Global Ocean Science
NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program is a leader in the international Argo Program and currently supports new investments to develop floats that can measure the deep ocean and ocean chemistry, helping us better assess ocean health globally. The Argo Program has revolutionized our ability to track changes in the ocean with a global array of autonomous profiling floats, providing nearly four times the ocean information as all other observing tools combined.
Extreme Event Forecasting
GOMO supports observations and data collected from Argo floats and other ocean monitoring devices to improve extreme event forecast accuracy.
Supporting Innovation
GOMO has led NOAA to sponsor tests of new ocean observing technologies such as deep Argo floats to better understand important ocean changes like increasing heat content.
International Partnerships
Through international partnerships, GOMO supports capacity building workshops that train scientists in monitoring local ocean conditions, improving forecasts of tropical storms and saving lives.
Visualizing Argo Data
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography provides a list of Argo data sources. Data is collected and freely distributed by the International Argo Program and national programs that contribute to it. Click the link below to learn more.
View Data Sources
Meet Our U.S. Argo Program Partners
NOAA Program Offices
Academic Partners & Universities
Argo Program News & Resources
Celebrating 25 years of Argo, the ‘crown jewel’ of ocean observing systems
December 13, 2024
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On December 11th at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, a crowd gathered at the…
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Biden-Harris Administration, NOAA invest $1.8 million to expand critical ice and ocean observations in the Arctic
October 1, 2024
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Expanded infrastructure could ‘revolutionize’ research in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. This is a…
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Floating ice, freezing temperatures: Four facts about the I08S GO-SHIP cruise to Antarctica
May 6, 2024
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This is a repost of NOAA AOML’s original story published May 2, 2024. Floating ice, freezing…
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Biden-Harris Administration invests $2.7 million to improve ocean observations with new robotic floats through Investing in America agenda
April 10, 2024
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Funding will support expansion of the Argo ocean observing system This is a repost of…
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From Mississippi to Australia: 3 Research Cruises Depart to Improve Understanding of the Atlantic and Southern Ocean
February 16, 2024
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This is a repost of NOAA AOML’s original story published February 13, 2024. Scientists at…
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New Education Resource: “Keeping An Eye On Earth’s Oceans With Argo Robots”
October 17, 2023
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GOMO-funded tech highlighted in Frontiers for Young Minds A new article was released in the…
Read More >
Do Your Part in Advancing Ocean Science
We support innovative research  from institutions from around the country that foster advancements in understanding and protecting our global oceans. See how you can get involved by viewing our current funding opportunities.
Current Funding Opportunities
GOMO HEADQUARTERS
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ABOUT US
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Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array - Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing

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GLOBAL TROPICAL MOORED BUOY ARRAY
Relevant Links
GTMBA Website
RAMA News
Data
The Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array Program is an international effort to provide data in real-time for climate research and forecasting. Major components include the
TAO/TRITON
array in the Pacific,
PIRATA
in the Atlantic, and
RAMA
in the Indian Ocean.
The Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array Program is a contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (
GOOS
), Global Climate Observing System (
GCOS
), and the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (
GEOSS
).
PIRATA
The Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (
PIRATA
) Northeast Extension (
PNE
) is an extension of the original PIRATA array that was designed to study ocean-atmosphere interactions in the tropical Atlantic that affect regional weather and climate variability on seasonal, interannual and longer time scales.
RAMA
The Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (
RAMA
) was designed to study the Indian Ocean’s role in monsoons. One third of the world population depends on monsoon driven rainfall for agricultural production, so improving our understanding and ability to predict the monsoons has been a longstanding objective of the international scientific community. RAMA, the newest tropical buoy array, was initiated in the
traditionally data sparse Indian Ocean in 2004 following deployment of successful pilot scale arrays by Japan and India. RAMA has since grown through the formation of new partnerships that at present include Indonesia, China, the USA, and the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) program.
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