CALL FOR IDEAS ON FOCUS TOPICS

Dear Colleague,

In December 2024, The Oceanography Society plans to publish its third supplement to Oceanography magazine on “Ocean Observing.” The first two supplements are available online and in the Oceanography flipbook kiosk. As a first step toward the next publication, we are seeking ideas from the community for specific focus topics to cover within the six-theme overall framework. We are also seeking volunteers who would be interested in serving as guest editors for proposed topics. Guest editors are responsible for reviewing the scientific content of five to six two-page contributions within one chapter. This volunteer effort can also be used as a training opportunity for early career scientists, when paired with a more senior guest editor.

Purpose. The purpose of the supplement is to provide a broadly accessible compendium of short articles that describe the many different ways in which scientists observe the ocean to improve our understanding and support the sustainable management of the ocean and its resources. One aim of the supplement is to help explain the scientific and societal importance and benefits of ocean observing to scientists, policymakers, funders, and the general public. With our flipbooks, we are now able to add videos, gifs, audio files, and photo galleries to enhance the reader experience.

Themes and Topics. For the first supplement, we aligned the first five themes with the priorities of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and encouraged the broadest possible article submissions within each theme. For the second issue, chapter themes remained the same as for the first supplement, though we instead focused on one specific topic within each broad theme. We anticipate doing the same for the 2024 supplement. The six chapter themes, along with a few example topics from the first two supplements in parentheses, include:

1. Ocean-Climate Nexus (e.g., challenges of observing in extreme environments, ocean arrays, deep ocean warming, time-series experiments)
2. Ecosystems and Their Diversity (e.g., deep-sea ecosystems, coral reefs, mangroves)
3. Ocean Resources and the Economy Under Changing Environmental Conditions (e.g., subsistence fishing, food from the ocean, substances, seafloor mining)
4. Pollutants and Contaminants and Their Potential Impacts on Human Health and Ecosystems (e.g., land-ocean interactions, plastics, nutrients, chemicals)
5. Multi-Hazard Warning Systems (storm surges, tsunamis, harmful algae, spills)
6. Technology (e.g., low-cost technologies, artificial intelligence, sensors)

Topic Ideas. Please email a brief description (no more than 250 words) of your suggested ocean observing topic that fits within one of the six chapter themes to Oceanography editor Ellen Kappel ([email protected]) by November 15, 2023. In that email, please indicate two potential experts (ideally one more senior and one more junior) who have agreed to volunteer as guest editors for that topic (self-nominations are specifically encouraged).

Deadlines
• Submission of topic ideas: November 15, 2023
• Letters of interest for short articles: February 15, 2024
• Confirmation of contribution: April 1, 2024
• First Draft: August 15, 2024
• Internal review period: August 15–October 15, 2024
• Expected publication date: December 2024

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Ocean Observing Executive Editor Team
Benoit Pierene (ONC), Joanna Post (IOC/GOOS), Sophie Seeyave (POGO), Ann Zinkann (NOAA/GOMO), and Martin Visbeck (GEOMAR)