Preface

This document started out as the Implementation Plan for the U.S. JGOFS program. It was designed to build upon the broad scientific objectives laid out in the U.S. JGOFS Science Plan (May, 1990). That plan defined the elements of the research necessary to achieve a major step forward in our understanding of the oceanic carbon cycle and its relationship with climate change.

It has been developed and shaped by the U.S. JGOFS Scientific Steering Committee and represents its consensus view of how the science goals can be prioritized and met. This is, in effect, the outcome of a scientific debate over how to best meet the objectives of JGOFS. The various sections of the document were developed, under the overall direction of the Chairman of the Steering Committee, Otis Brown, RSMAS, University of Miami, by sub-groups of the Steering Committee headed by Section Leaders. These were:

Executive Summary
Otis B. Brown, RSMAS, University of Miami
Synthesis and Modeling
Jorge L. Sarmiento, AOS Program, Princeton University
Global Survey
Frank J. Millero, RSMAS, University of Miami
Time-Series
David M. Karl, Dept. of Oceanography, University of Hawaii
Anthony H. Knap, Bermuda Biological Stn. for Research
Process Studies
Hugh W. Ducklow, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Data Management
Glenn R. Flierl, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The membership of the various sections is listed in each section. The considerable time and effort that these many busy people donated to the creation of this document is greatly appreciated. Thanks to the dedication of this group, the direction and scope of the U.S. JGOFS program has been defined and charted.

During the development of the document, the Steering Committee recognized the need to build a well thought out synthesis component to the U.S. JGOFS program. Over the life of the program, there will have been a relatively massive investment of resources, both financial and intellectual. The scientific return on this investment can only be realized if the knowledge and data gained during the program are skillfully woven together, in conjunction with appropriate models. The scientific product will then be solidly based as the foundation for the next generation of ocean carbon study. Accordingly, the thread of synthesis runs through the document, and will ultimately tie the program together.

As a plan for implementing U.S. JGOFS science, it was always recognized that various iterations or updates to this document would be required - as the program matures in the light of new knowledge. This version is no exception. However, the appearance of new technologies such as the Internet and the World Wide Web have offered an ideal platform on which to lay out such a document. This opportunity prompted the decision to place this document on the U.S. JGOFS Home Page. This, then, is a true Living Document, which will be updated on-line regularly in response to reassessments made by the Steering Committee.

Comments and questions to this plan should be sent to

U.S. JGOFS Planning and Implementation Office
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, MA 02543

Individual addresses and phone numbers can be found on the U.S. JGOFS Planning and Implementation Office page on our World Wide Web server.

The U.S. JGOFS Steering Committee wishes to thank the many people who have contributed to the writing and publication of this Mid-Program Strategy for U.S. JGOFS. Their efforts and dedication made this happen and are sincerely and gratefully acknowledged.

U.S. JGOFS Scientific Steering Committee
October 1995