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John Cortinas, the Director at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, has received the Presidential Rank Award, a prestigious honor for federal career civil servants. Cortinas has made significant contributions to NOAA's ability to provide accurate weather forecasts and warnings, particularly for extreme weather events. He has also been a trailblazer as the first openly gay Senior Executive of Hispanic descent to lead both an OAR program and a national laboratory, serving as a role model for underrepresented communities and advocating for diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has released a Federal Evidence Agenda on LGBTQI+ Equity, aiming to address the data gap on information about LGBTQI+ people collected by federal agencies and providing guidelines for agencies to consider evidence-backed questions while protecting individual privacy, security, and civil rights. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers information on the Next-Generation Technology for Ocean Resource Exploration project that launched in 2014 as part of Japan's Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program. It involve the development of a standalone seafloor observatory, Long-term Ecosystem Monitoring (LEMON) lander for environmental impact assessment in order to protect and preserve the ecosystems and biodiversity on a site of ocean resource exploration and exploitation.

The article discusses the collaboration between formal and informal education to promote ocean literacy in the U.S. This collaboration responds to the call of the U.S. Ocean Action Plan for ocean education and collaboration at all levels. Thus, the Center for Oceanic Sciences Education Excellence Network commits to collaborate with institutions on product and tool development, resource delivery, formal course work and research on building affective collaborations.

The article reports on the completion of the repair of the Strait of Georgia array of the Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) subsea cabled observatory, a part of the Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea (VENUS). A joint team from subsea technology company OceanWorks International Corp., University of Victoria, and submarine communications cable specialist provider Global Marine Systems Ltd. conducted the repair aboard the cable ship (CS) Wave Venture in February 2013.

The article presents a study on the development of a new sensor and signal processing algorithms for seas mine hydrodynamic field analysis. The Research and Development Marine Technology Centre (OBR CTM) has unveiled is hydrodynamic sensor which is designed as signal-processing algorithms ideally for bottom and anchor sea mines. Moreover, the device is aimed at improving the probabilities of detection in difficult environmental conditions, especially during high tides.

The article focuses on the design of a low cost, modular, reconfigurable unmanned platform for unobtrusive recording of deep-sea life, called as Medusa by the University of Queensland (UQ) and Harbor Branch Oceanograhic Institute (HBOI) Inc.. One of its features is that it can be disassembled into small shipping configurations and can be reassembled without any tools. The devices is created with epoxy-encapsulated light-emitting diode (LED) arrays that is undetectable by most of deep-sea fauna.

The article discusses the application of Active Flying Leads (AFL) in seafloor observatories. Topics covered include types of AFL products including extenders, converters and select, Teledyne Oil and Gas' development of Ethernet flying leads in 2005, the deployment of the first version of electrical-to-optical flying lead on the NEPTUNE observatory of Ocean Networks in June 2016, and the capability of AFL to support the collection of complex data in ocean observing and monitoring systems.

The article presents an overview of the progress of installation of the North-East Pacific Time-Series Undersea Networked Experiments (Neptune) Canada. The facility comprises of five subsea observatories will be linked across the northern Juan de Fuca tectonic plate and that by 2014 its U.S portion, comprised of five observatories, will also be installed. Moreover, the facility is considered as the first multi-node regional cabled ocean observatory in the world.

The article announces the awarding of a five-year, 46.6 million U.S. dollars investment to enhance the Canadian government's support of Oceans Network Canada that builds critical ocean observing systems to study plate tectonics, tsunamis, ocean change, fish abundance and deep sea ecosystems.

The article discusses the use of a remote observation system, the East China Sea Seafloor Observatory, to monitor oceanographic data and to serve as test bed for new long-term instrumentation. The observatory is expected to accumulate experience in technology, engineering and test sensors for observation. It is also expected to pave the way for performing scientific projects utilizing the long-term continuous, integrated observation platform.

The article offers information on the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observatory (EMSO), which looks at reducing the cost of installation and maintenance of the cable networks. It states that planners take help of geographic information system (GIS) tools, specially Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) software. It mentions that with the help of bathymetry map, the GRASS algorithm uses a 3-by-3 neighborhood around each cell to determine slopes.

The article focuses on the Baltic Observatory for Oceanographic Monitoring (BOOM), a shallow cabled observatory with near-real-time data transfer based on deep-sea standards. It describes the system architecture of BOOM, and its near-real-time monitoring of biogeochemical data gained from a cold seep environment.

The article features the Aquarius Reef Base, the world's only underwater research station, located off Florida's coast. INSET: U.S. SCIENCE SPENDING.

This article provides information on the function of the Deep-Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) tsunami sensing system. Scientists have made great strides in monitoring and predicting the ongoing threat of tsunamis. One center continuously monitoring seismic events and changes in the tide level is the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii. Tsunamis are detected by open-ocean buoys and coastal tide gauges, which report information to stations within the region. Tide stations measure minute changes in sea level, and seismograph stations record earthquake activity. A tsunami watch goes into effect if a center detects an earthquake at 7.5 or higher on the Richter scale. If a threatening tsunami passes through and registers to the gauge station, a tsunami warning goes out to all potentially affected areas and evacuation procedures begin. The DART uses unique pressure recorders that sit on the ocean bottom--bottom pressure recorders (BPR). These recorders detect slight changes in the overlying water pressure. The DART system is capable of detecting a tsunami as small as a centimeter high above the sea level. The tsunami BPR uses a pressure transducer that includes a very thin quartz crystal beam, electrically induced to vibrate at its lowest resonant mode. INSET: News: U.S. announces improved tsunami sensing system.

Several quizzes are presented related to the topics of articles in the issue including the famous singers of the U.S. Constitution, the underwater science laboratory and the consideration of jumping jack as the state exercise in Missouri.

The article focuses on the experiences of scientist Fabien Cousteau who spent 31 days in an underwater science laboratory called Aquarius located off the coast of the Florida Keys, Florida in July 2014. Cousteau was joined by a team of researchers and filmmakers who studied the effect of pollution on marine life. Photographs of Cousteau and the underwater laboratory are presented.

The article features scientist Fabien Cousteau, a grandson of Jacques Cousteau, one of the first ocean explorers. Topics discussed information on an underwater science laboratory called Aquarius, located 63 feet below the surface, off the coast of the Florida Keys, Fabien's experience of living for 31 days at the Aquarius, and his mission to inspire others to study and help protect life underwater.

This section offers news briefs relevant to environmental monitoring compiled as of September 2016. Topics covered include the U.S. Geological Survey's study of the effects of suspended sediment concentration and colored dissolved organic matter on sensor accuracy and ASL Environmental Sciences Inc.'s supply of Un-Cabled Bioacoustic Sonar Instruments for the Ocean Observatories Initiative Coastal and Global Scale Nodes.

The article discusses the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Undersea Research Centre's (URC) plans to extend its echo repeater research. According to a NURC representative, the organization is testing prototypes of the Echo Repeater and the moored variant which is powered by high-efficiency lithium cells. Also, they are working on an armored utility vehicle (AUV) variant with 15 platforms to be integrated with the repeater.

The article focuses on the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Ocean Sciences. It discusses the support of the agency in research initiatives in ocean technology and education in ocean sciences. An overview of projects launched is presented including launch of the RV Sikuliaq of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System, upgrade to the Alvin Submersible and the construction of the Ocean Observatories Initiatives.

The article offers news briefs related to marine monitoring worldwide. The Northeast Pacific Time-Series Undersea Networked Experiments (NEPTUNE) Canada installation team has completed the world's largest and most advanced cabled ocean observatory in October 2010. According to a research in an online edition of "Geophysical Research Letters," researchers looking at corals in the western tropical Pacific Ocean have found records showing thermocline rise in recent global warming.

The article offers updates related to environmental monitoring. It states that scientists from the Columbia University confirm the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as the largest marine oil accident in the history of the U.S. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) launched the Community Earth System Model (CESM) for scientists to study climate change. It also states that an international team of scientists resurfaced after installing two observatories in the ocean floor.

The article offers news briefs related to hydrography in the U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke cited 40 million dollars for hydrographic survey and chart projects. Commercial fisherman, mariners and coastal communities asked government officials to protect jobs and fisheries from ocean acidification. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership agreed to support the construction and operation of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).

The article reports on the completion of the first phase of installation of the new Northeast Pacific Time-series Undersea Networked Experiments (NEPTUNE) Canada ocean observatory in the western coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. NEPTUNE is the world's first regional cabled ocean observatory led by the University of Victoria. It will transmit data to shore, where they will be relayed to researchers, educational institutions and the public via the Internet.

The article reports on the arrival of scientists and first responders at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Maui, Hawaii in November 2012 for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The article looks at a research project launched by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Mid-Atlantic Ridge Microbiology Expedition to use Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kit (CORK) undersea observatories for the study of microbes located in the sub-seafloor ocean crust.

The article looks at Sensorbots, the robotic deep-sea geochemical monitoring platforms designed by researchers at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute, with particular focus on their use in research including the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's undersea observation project.

The article offers news briefs in the U.S. related to contract. Teledyne Webb Research contract to offer Open Ocean Slocum G2 gliders to assist the Ocean Observatories Initiatives. Cargotec Corp. contract to provide more than 20 million dollars worth of MacGregor RoRo equipment. AXYS Technologies Inc. contract to render a WatchMate data bouy.

The article reports on the start of the construction of the Monterey Accelerated Research System, first deep-sea ocean observatory offshore the continental U.S. It states that the observatory will allow marine scientists to monitor deep sea. It adds that it will also serve as a research center for the study regarding the effects of ocean acidification on seafloor animals.

The article offers information related to the history in the sea technology in the U.S. In the year 1983, scientists at Lockheed Engineering and Management Services Co. Inc. experimented a technology to use a narrow band of infrared frequencies as a means of communication on seagoing vessel. A long-term climate research station was dedicated by the U.S. Department of Energy in 1998 in the Pacific Ocean.

The author focuses on the promotion of the concept of ocean observatories. He states that the concept of ocean observatories are still under discussion and the notion of it confused with long term stations. He emphasizes that though ocean observatory is still in the planning stage, people have already gain from it. Moreover, he suggests that one should hope that the development in ocean observatories would continue to serve the needs of society in a more direct way.

The article reports that the designs for the new Spanish Antarctic Research Station created by consultant Faber Maunsell Ltd. and Hugh Broughton Architects was already revealed. It states that the new design will supposed to replace the Spanish Science and Innovation ministry in Livingstone Island, West Antarctica. It also mentions that the new base will be made stronger for extreme weather conditions in the area.

The author reflects on the expectation to have a reliable and sustainable ocean observing system in the future. He suggests that ocean observatories will have to design and build reliably suited for the harshest environments on Earth. He suggests obtaining long-term data on the detrimental effects to the system so that a replacement schedule is effective, and assuring that equipment replacement is done so that sustainability is not compromised by component failures.

The article reports that the Joint Oceanographic Institutions have awarded an agreement to an academic collaboration headed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). The contract will support the design, construction and initial operation of the global and coastal parts of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) of the U.S. National Science Foundation.

The author comments on the hurdles to the development, deployment and use of modern ocean observing networks. These include systematic under-investment in oceans and stakeholders who are passive users. He also discusses the need to develop and foster mechanisms to allow for the effective transfer of technologies and collaboration between the numerous international networks, as well as to train the new generation of operational oceanographers if the ocean observatories are deployed.