ABSTRACT OF THE PRESENTATION MADE AT THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM "DYNAMICS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN; PERSPECTIVE AND RETROSPECTIVE" (30 NOV-04 DEC 2015, GOA, INDIA) TO COMMEMORATE THE COMPLETION OF 50 YEARS OF IIOE-1
Title of Abstract
UK plans for science contributing to IIOE-2
Authors
Karen Heywood**
Abstract
I will highlight some of the UK plans for activities contributing to IIOE-2. Some activities are already underway; some are funded; others are seeking funding; and others are in the planning stage. We welcome collaborations with other nations and especially welcome interest in developing collaborations and sharing expertise with Indian Ocean rim countries. The scientific activities being undertaken and/or planned by UK scientists include observational campaigns in the Gulf, Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and around the Chagos Islands. The UK has held two workshops or open meetings to stimulate interest in IIOE-2; this process is ongoing. A report was prepared for the Royal Society and is available. We identified the following topics that are timely and conducive to innovative oceanographic research in the Indian Ocean: upper ocean processes and the Indian Ocean climate system; Madagascar bloom dynamics; heat transfer to deep-waters of the Arabian Sea; the Bay of Bengal system; deep-water mixing in the Indian Ocean; biogeochemistry and ecosystem dynamics of oxygen-depleted environments; a longitudinal transect geochemistry study; understanding the microbial biogeochemistry of the oligotrophic southern Indian gyre; and the Chagos Archipelago ecosystem. Many topics would build on on-going international programmes such as GEOTRACES and SIBER. Almost all topics involve a strategic, multidisciplinary approach and all require ship-time and/or the use of autonomous vehicles such as ocean gliders. The UK is well placed to contribute expertise in both marine and atmospheric autonomous vehicles to IIOE-2.
