opinion
added a cyberinfrastructure engineer, and JOI is close to making an award for an implementing organization for a series of nodes to be located in the Pacific Northwest. The process for the selection of additional implementing organizations is ongoing. All efforts now are focused on the development work and documentation necessary for the preliminary design review scheduled for December. Bad news: The Ocean Observatories Initiative was given an O&M ceiling that necessitated a redesign and reduction in scope of the system. We are working within
that redesign. At the moment, there really is not any bad news. Yes, the observatory will be smaller than envisioned, and we are concerned that further design and costing work will require some further strategic focusing of assets. Our greatest concern is suffering a repeat of the challenges faced by the drill ship as the telecommunications industry awakens from a prolonged slump. Stay tuned. IODP Good news: Plans are progressing for the full incarnation of IODP as a three-platform ocean drilling program beginning calendar year 2008.
The Science Planning Committee has forwarded an ambitious list of drilling programs for scheduling and approval. Proposal pressure continues as the program strives to meet the vision laid out in the Initial Science Plan. Science outcomes from expeditions completed under Phase 1 of the program have repeatedly garnered the attention of the science press with advances in our understanding of sea level and climate history, gas hydrates, deep biosphere and the structure of ocean crust. Bad news: We face severely constrained budgets for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 08) in IODP. Increases
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Marine Technology Reporter 23
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