The goal of AFMIS (Advanced Fisheries Management Information System) is to construct, validate and demonstrate a prototype generic AFMIS to operational fishery management for the purpose of allocating size and multispecies fishing effort in space and time.  Construcion, validation and demonstration will be achieved through state-of-the-art multidisciplinary and computational capabilities . This information system will contribute to minimizing waste, and to understanding how the environment affects the distribution of fish and influences recruitment.

The specific objectives of AFMIS are:

1. Synthesize and analyze previously unanalyzed, novel very large data sets with modern statistical techniques.
2. Develop and validate a multidisciplinary, multiscale coupled model set appropriate for northwestern Atlantic shelf.
3. Incorporate state-of-the-art data assimilation techniques, including physical, biological and fisheries data.
4. Utilize modern sensor systems with a focus on satellite-borne remote systems supported by in-site measurements.
5. Design, demonstrate, and validate a prototype system, including in real-time.

LOOPS (Littoral Ocean Observing and Prediction System) is a project for the development of the scientific and technical conceptual basis of an interdisciplinary national littoral laboratory system. The overall goal is to develop the concept of a generic, versatile and portable LOOPS, applicable to multidisciplinary, multiscale generic coastal processes. Intended LOOPS applications include scientific research, coastal zone management and rapid environmental assessment for naval and civilian emergency operations.

The LOOPS advanced systems concept consists of: A modular, scalable structure for linking, with feedbacks, models, observational networks and data assimilation algorithms; and an efficient and robust, integrated and distributed, system software architecture and infrastructure. Research includes: i) development of an Advanced Modular Structural Concept for linking, models and measurements via data assimilation and with adaptive sampling; ii) Observational System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs), for the quantitative design of sampling strategies; and iii) Sea Trials, to demonstrate the concepts of system integration and real time implementation. Two LOOPS sea trials are scheduled for Massachusetts Bay in September-October 1998 (MBST-98) and April-May 1999 (MBST-99).

AOSN

The AOSN is an observational paradigm in which mobile autonomous survey platforms are coupled synergistically with moorings and existing remote sensing assets to provide a long term reactive monitoring capability. The integration of Acoustically Focused Oceanographic Sampling (AFOS) is considered a centerpiece of the AOSN concept. AFOS can be implemented using the same acoustic systems used for navigation and communication within the AOSN. Consequently, most future AOSN deployments in littoral regions will have an AFOS component, aimed at further developing the fundamental understanding of the associated sampling issues, and will demonstrate a full closed-loop adaptive sampling operation, including the use of the AUVs as platforms for moving source tomography.

Harvard Pages

UMass-Dartmouth (CMAST) Pages

MIT AUV Lab Pages

JHU/APL Pages

Additional Pages