El Ni ˜
no and Ocean Observations
91
the program ended (National Research Council, 1990). Thus, in order for TOGA to
meet its goals, enhanced in situ wind measurements would be needed in the Pacific.
It was against this backdrop of parallel developments in observing systems,
theory, modeling, and forecasting that Stan Hayes boldly proposed a more than threefold increase in the size of the ATLAS mooring array in the tropical Pacific during
the second half of TOGA. Several factors made it possible to conceive of such a
large-scale array: the technical success of early ATLAS deployments, the ability to
measure both winds and ocean temperatures from the same mooring platform, the
real-time telemetry of the data via satellite relay, and the much lower cost and longer
design lifetime of the ATLAS mooring relative to traditional current meter moorings.
Ocean general circulation model simulations and analysis of historical data provided
specific design criteria for surface wind measurements that helped to justify the array
(Harrison, 1989; Harrison and Luther, 1990). Stan astutely redefined the acronym
from Thermal Array in the Ocean (TAO) to Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array
to capture the sense of expanded measurement priorities (Hayes et al., 1991).
Both the U.S. and international TOGA scientific communities endorsed the
concept of an expanded ATLAS array to address seasonal-to-interannual time scale
climate studies (National Research Council, 1990; WCRP, 1991). At my first meeting
as a new member of the International TOGA Scientific Steering Group in 1991, I can
still recall the sense of excitement surrounding discussion of this plan. TAO was
relatively big by the standards of previous in situ measurement programs undertaken
in TOGA, but the community embraced this new idea with a surprising degree of
unanimity and enthusiasm.
COMPLETION OF THE TAO ARRAY
In mid-1985, Stan had encouraged me to apply for a position recently vacated by Dave
Halpern to lead the current meter mooring effort at PMEL. Despite the lack of prior
experience in mooring programs, and the skepticism of one colleague who remarked
that it was too much of a “right turn” in my career, I submitted an application, was
ultimately selected, and joined PMEL in July 1986. While continuing to work on
the then still apparently viable drifting thermistor chain project and other activities,
I began a close and productive association with Stan that involved tight coordination
of our ATLAS and current meter mooring programs. We also collaborated on nine
journal articles over a period of 5 years making use of the moored data sets we
collected. Stan was not only an excellent scientist and an effective leader, but also a
pleasure to interact with on a personal level. Tragically, he passed away in 1992 at
the age of 46 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
With TAO unfinished and Stan gone, Eddie Bernard, Director of PMEL, asked
me to assume responsibility for both the ATLAS and the current meter mooring programs. I was sufficiently familiar with the scientific objectives, operating procedures,
and management structure that Stan had established, having worked with him for
no and Ocean Observations
91
the program ended (National Research Council, 1990). Thus, in order for TOGA to
meet its goals, enhanced in situ wind measurements would be needed in the Pacific.
It was against this backdrop of parallel developments in observing systems,
theory, modeling, and forecasting that Stan Hayes boldly proposed a more than threefold increase in the size of the ATLAS mooring array in the tropical Pacific during
the second half of TOGA. Several factors made it possible to conceive of such a
large-scale array: the technical success of early ATLAS deployments, the ability to
measure both winds and ocean temperatures from the same mooring platform, the
real-time telemetry of the data via satellite relay, and the much lower cost and longer
design lifetime of the ATLAS mooring relative to traditional current meter moorings.
Ocean general circulation model simulations and analysis of historical data provided
specific design criteria for surface wind measurements that helped to justify the array
(Harrison, 1989; Harrison and Luther, 1990). Stan astutely redefined the acronym
from Thermal Array in the Ocean (TAO) to Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array
to capture the sense of expanded measurement priorities (Hayes et al., 1991).
Both the U.S. and international TOGA scientific communities endorsed the
concept of an expanded ATLAS array to address seasonal-to-interannual time scale
climate studies (National Research Council, 1990; WCRP, 1991). At my first meeting
as a new member of the International TOGA Scientific Steering Group in 1991, I can
still recall the sense of excitement surrounding discussion of this plan. TAO was
relatively big by the standards of previous in situ measurement programs undertaken
in TOGA, but the community embraced this new idea with a surprising degree of
unanimity and enthusiasm.
COMPLETION OF THE TAO ARRAY
In mid-1985, Stan had encouraged me to apply for a position recently vacated by Dave
Halpern to lead the current meter mooring effort at PMEL. Despite the lack of prior
experience in mooring programs, and the skepticism of one colleague who remarked
that it was too much of a “right turn” in my career, I submitted an application, was
ultimately selected, and joined PMEL in July 1986. While continuing to work on
the then still apparently viable drifting thermistor chain project and other activities,
I began a close and productive association with Stan that involved tight coordination
of our ATLAS and current meter mooring programs. We also collaborated on nine
journal articles over a period of 5 years making use of the moored data sets we
collected. Stan was not only an excellent scientist and an effective leader, but also a
pleasure to interact with on a personal level. Tragically, he passed away in 1992 at
the age of 46 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
With TAO unfinished and Stan gone, Eddie Bernard, Director of PMEL, asked
me to assume responsibility for both the ATLAS and the current meter mooring programs. I was sufficiently familiar with the scientific objectives, operating procedures,
and management structure that Stan had established, having worked with him for