U.S.-India Workshop: Biogeochemical Observations & Modeling in the Indian Ocean, Assessment and Planning for the Future, Goa, India, Spring 2006

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0536861Hood Description: This award supports a U.S.-India Workshop on Biochemical Observations and Modeling in the Indian Ocean that will be held at the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa, India in the spring of 2006. Participants will: 1) assess the state of knowledge and scientific understanding of the biogeochemical dynamics of the Indian Ocean, 2) identify gaps in understanding particularly as they pertain to biogeochemical cycles and carbon cycles, and 3) formulate a plan to implement a biogeochemical observational and modeling research program that leverages and substantially enhances the planned CLIVAR/GOOS (Climate Variability and Predictability component of the World Climate Research Program and Global Ocean Observing System) Indian Ocean observing system. From a biogeochemical perspective the Indian Ocean is one of the least studied and most poorly understood ocean basins in the world and, as such, remains one of the last great frontiers for ocean biogeochemical and carbon cycle research. . Scope: There is strong justification for holding this workshop in light of growing evidence that Indian Ocean (IO) variability has wide-ranging global impacts and that CLIVAR and GOOS have identified the need for an IO observing system. This will improve our understanding of the role played by the IO in the global climate system and build a solid foundation for improving climate prediction. The deployment of this system presents a unique opportunity for carrying out complimentary biological and chemical observations. This award will directly support 8 senior and 7 junior investigators. Input from potentially new IO investigators in the design of future research programs is important since they are likely to be the ones carrying-out such research efforts in the future. Other IO rim countries represented include Australia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Middle Eastern and East African countries, and Sri Lanka and Madagascar.