Welcome to the Virtual Control Room (located at the Collaborative Ocean Observatory Portal) for the Adaptive Sampling and Prediction (ASAP) project. The ASAP virtual control room is used for collaborative adaptive ocean sampling experiments that integrate coordinated and adaptive control of a mobile sensor network with advanced ocean models to most efficiently sample the ocean, assimilate the data into numerical models in real or near-real time, and predict future conditions with minimal error.  ASAP’s major, full-scale, collaborative field experiment is scheduled for August 1-31, 2006 around an upwelling center just northwest of Monterey Bay, California.  This 2006 ASAP field experiment is one of four experiments that comprise the Monterey Bay 2006 experiment.  Many ASAP virtual pilot experiments have already been run; the results and virtual control room activities for these virtual pilot studies (VPS) have been archived and linked to the ASAP virtual control room page.  For the “Observatory” at the top left of the virtual control room page, choose “ASAP” to view the activities from the current experiment or choose “ASAP Virtual” to view the activities from virtual pilot studies.  The link goes to the most recent date of the experiment chosen.  To select any other experiment/study/date select from “Topic” choices.

The ASAP mobile sensor network features a heterogeneous fleet of sensor-equipped autonomous underwater gliders that can be coordinated automatically (without humans in the loop) into motion patterns designed to optimally satisfy ocean science sampling needs.  The fleet includes Spray gliders (see SIO Spray Glider Page) and Slocum gliders (see WHOI Glider Page).  Glider operating conditions and performance can be monitored on the SIO Spray Glider Data Page and the WHOI Glider Data Page.  The Glider Coordinated Control System (GCCS) is used to control (some or all) gliders onto desired glider coordinated trajectories (GCT).  The GCT specifies not only the desired tracks but also the desired relative motion of gliders on those tracks (e.g., relative spacing, relative direction of motion, etc.).  The real-time status of the glider planner, the component of the GCCS that governs glider motion, is updated every minute on the Princeton Glider Planner and Status page (the GCT is also posted there).  The real-time performance of the coordinated glider fleet, illustrated with movies and stills of glider positions, glider estimated flow, and objective analysis mapping error (a measure of glider sampling performance), are updated frequently on the Princeton Glider Planner and Status page.

The data from the gliders and from a number of other moving and stationary sensor platforms (including aircraft, ships, satellites, high-frequency radar, moorings, propelled autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)) are assimilated in real time into three ocean models:  the HOPS model (see Harvard HOPS ASAP Page), the ROMS model (see JPL ROMS ASAP Page) and the NCOM model (see NRL NCON ICON ASAP page).  Their nowcasts and forecasts of ocean fields are updated daily on their web sites.

All observational data and model output are made available in near-real time on a central data server at MBARI (see MB2006 Data Files for the August 2006 ASAP field experiment and ASAP VPS Data Archives on the “Links” pane for data from virtual pilot experiments).  Key comparative plots of observational data and model output are updated every morning on the “Summary” pane of the virtual control room.  These plots provide a concise and informative synopsis of past, present and predicted future state of the ocean as provided by observations and models. Real-time weather forecast products for Monterey Bay are provided on the ASAP Meteorology Page.

Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) in the ROMS forecast flow field can be found at the JPL ROMS ASAP Page (click the LCS/Mangen button). Real-time guidance on forecast uncertainty and adaptive sampling is provided by the University of Miami on the JPL ROMS ASAP Page.   The Harvard HOPS ASAP Page provides data-driven ocean field and uncertainty estimates including volume and heat budget analyses, descriptions of the ocean dynamics and evaluation of model estimates. Suggestions and guidance on adaptive sampling aiming to optimally reduce uncertainties, maintain coverage and sample interesting dynamics are also provided on the Harvard page, using the HOPS-ESSE system. Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) and their uncertainties, computed with MANGEN can be provided.

To accommodate the wide range of horizontal scales of physical and biological oceanic processes, the NRL NCON ICON ASAP page provides real-time nowcast and forecast products from the hierarchy of different resolution data assimilating models: global, regional California Current System, and two high resolution models around the Monterey Bay area.

The predicted behavior of the coordinated glider fleet (coordinated per the GCT presently used in the water) in each of the three forecast flow fields is computed on a daily basis using the GCCS and displayed on the Princeton Glider Prediction page.  Upon request, alternative (proposed) GCTs can also be tested in the forecast flow fields.  GCTs can be visualized on the Princeton Trajectory Viewer page and locally optimized with respect to the objective analysis mapping error on the Princeton Trajectory Optimizer page. 

The GCT specified for the glider fleet is adapted when warranted by changes in the state of the ocean, changes in uncertainty in ocean models, interruptions or changes in glider operations, etc. The ASAP team determines when and how to adapt the specified GCT and/or to modify operation of other ASAP mobile sensors including propelled AUV operated by MBARI, MIT and Cal Poly and aircraft operated by NPS.  The decision making process is carried out every other day in the virtual control room, and team members can participate from any internet-accessible location. Any team member can make an adaptation proposal using the “Proposals” panel. Discussion and voting follows using the “Discuss” and “Voting” panels, respectively.  The steps of the decision making process are archived so that future implementations can be made more systematic with increased automation.

In total there are six different panes that can be viewed in the virtual control room in four alternative arrangements (see top left of page to select pane arrangement).   On each pane, select from “Summary”, “Links”, “Discuss”,  “Live Docs”, “Proposals”, or “Voting” and click on the corresponding tab at the top of the pane.   The “Summary” pane gets updated daily with announcements on schedule, system status, voting results from previous day, ocean, atmosphere, hardware, adaptive sampling and coordinated control and forecast.  For daily (and in some cases more frequent) summaries of atmosphere, hardware, adaptive sampling and coordinated control, model uncertainty, see the dynamic links on the “Summary” pane or on the “Links” pane; these dynamic links are described above.  Plots of observed and predicted currents, temperature, salinity are updated daily on the “Summary” pane.  These plots are organized in a convenient grid with a link for every plot.

The “Links” pane lists both static links and dynamic links.  The static links include the ASAP home page, the MB2006 Page which links to documents that provide overview and logistics on several field experiments running during the summer of 2006 in Monterey Bay, links to the AOSN (Adaptive Ocean Sampling Network) project and field experiment in Monterey Bay in 2003, other Monterey Bay data, the SIO and WHOI glider pages, activity from Virtual Pilot Studies 2 and 3 which were run using an older version of the virtual control room, and archived data from all virtual pilot studies. The dynamic links are continually updated, and contain additional information that is not included on the primary virtual control room page.  The “Live Docs” pane shows a select number of pictures/plots that have recently been updated on linked pages and give key information, e.g., situational awareness plots.

The “Discuss” pane is used for general discussion as well as discussion focused on the adaptation proposals that team members have made.  Text and attachments can be posted.  There are three buttons at the top of the “Discuss” pane.  Click the “All” button to see all discussion entries from the day in chronological order.  Click the “Main” button to see all discussion except for that dedicated to the proposals.  Click the “Proposal” button and select a proposal to see discussion on a particular proposal.

The “Proposals” pane is where adaptation proposals are made and posted.  Proposals are numbered in order received and can be given a title.  Text and attachments can be posted. Proposing and voting schedules are listed on the “Summary” pane.  The “Voting” pane is used for ASAP participants to vote among the adaptation proposals of the day. Each ASAP participating team has a vote and the vote is submitted as text.  Each participating team can revise their vote as more information comes in and is made available.  Earlier votes can be viewed using the “Previous” link in the “Actions” column of the voting table.

For more information on the ASAP project visit the ASAP Home Page.   The ASAP project is supported by a DoD (ONR) Multi-disciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) grant with additional funding from ONR.  Development of the Virtual Control Room and COOP has been supported by ONR and the Packard Foundation. 

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