MSFD and Copernicus

The development of cost-effective, in-situ, re-locatable and sustained monitoring technologies for obtaining meaningful information on the environmental descriptors is required to fully implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).

Gliders are autonomous and easy to operate, with a long endurance at sea and can implement an ecosystem-based management and document the environmental impact of ocean-related industrial activity. Networking of autonomous platforms also represents an efficient and effective approach to synoptic sampling of large ocean regions. The Deep and UltraDeep Explorers will enhance present observational capabilities of the water column and the bottom, increasing our understanding of its physical, biogeochemical and biological processes. They will also improve the present operational oceanography products by reducing the uncertainty of ocean forecasts through the standardized collection of in situ data (in line with Copernicus objectives).

BRIDGES will detail the requirements in the monitoring programs generated by the MSFD and Copernicus marine services implementation by EU member states, with respect to what ocean parameters should be measured from gliders and on what time/space scales, with what quality assurance, and how data should be provided. Glider configurations and missions will be designed to fulfill part of the needs of these monitoring programs.