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Abstract

In recent years, the environmental science community, with the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other funding sources (e.g., National Oceanographic Partnership Program), has successfully conceived, designed, and begun implementing several new observing systems, including the Oceans Observatory Initiative (OOI), the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), the Collaborative Large-scale Engineering Analysis Network for Environmental Research (CLEANER), the Hydrologic Observatory Initiative (HOI), and Earthscope. In addition, seventeen Federal agencies are currently planning an integrated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observation system to address the nation’s critical societal and economic needs. The Integrated Earth Observation System (IEOS) will integrate the data from satellites, ocean buoys, weather stations and in-situ Earth observing instruments into advanced science numerical models and decision support tools that will provide new data products benefiting societies and economies worldwide. These new and visionary projects will enable longer-term sensing of the environment. However, there are significant limitations to current sensor technology and the networks that collect data from them. Present work clearly demonstrates the need for:

• the development of new types of sensors and sensors with new capabilities
• the ability to link sensors to a broader network coordination across various environmental observatories
• coordination across various environmental observatories
• capabilities for long-term autonomous deployment and maintenance

To address these needs, experts from universities, research laboratories, education and outreach activities, international activities, Federal agencies, and industry were invited to attend the workshop Sensors for Environmental Observatories: A Framework for Progress, from November 30 to December 2, 2004, at the University of Washington in Seattle. Attendees focused on identifying opportunities for enhancing existing sensors and sensor systems available for observing systems and on ways to fill current knowledge gaps in sensor technology.

The breadth of professional interests and expertise represented by the participants was a unique aspect of the workshop. Attendees represented a wide range of sciences (oceans, rivers and estuaries, lakes, groundwater, agriculture, terrestrial ecology, and urban pollution); many types of sensor technologies (physical, chemical, biological); and a broad base of experience with sensor deployment in a variety of environmental conditions. Although it is still too early to document specific results, researchers recognized the need for greater collaboration among different communities, discussed opportunities for such collaborations, and recommended that attendees continue to find ways to bring together professionals from across the spectrum of the sensor professions.

Workshop facilitation and report editing and production assistance by WTEC, Inc. (http://www.wtec.org)
Geoffrey M. Holdridge, Principal Investigator
Stephen Gould, Project Manager
Pat Johnson, Paul Lagasse, and Richard Morrison, editors

Cover and book design by Kathy Tresnak of Koncept, Inc.