228 Allan R. Robinson and Jurgen Sellschopp
issues. There is, however, no need for software protection. Essentially all software
required for the management of a distributed network can be obtained from the
public domain. The same is true for browsers, image viewers, document readers
and geographic information system client software. As a precondition, originators
of REA products must avoid the delivery of files that would require not freely
available proprietary software for ingestion.
It is not suggested to publicly disseminate the entirety of information that is
exchanged between participants of an REA operation because of the preliminary
and provisional character of partial results. It is however a good idea to prepare a
few pages with selected and possibly updated results on the unrestricted Internet
for mitigation of the public that might be interested or have environmental concerns.
A visitors page on the Internet is also apt to gain credibility ofthe scientific community. Regular presentations of results demonstrate that REA is more than a
vision. Scientific and logistic state of the art includes the competence for rapid
assessment of the ocean environment.
11.8 Summary, conclusions and prospects
In this chapter we have presented the concept of rapid assessment of coastal
ocean regions for the purpose of providing detailed synoptic environmental nowcasts and forecasts in support of a variety of naval and other operations. The general concept was illustrated and specific research and operational issues were
identified and explored in the context ofthe NATO REA Rapid Response exercises
1996-7-8. The REA Ocean Observing and Prediction System requirements include
importantly portability, flexibility, rapid relocateability, inclusivity with respect to
coastal processes, and scalability with respect to hardware and software. Operational and system integration issues with respect to data acquisition and management and product design and dissemination have been discussed.
Scientific research areas which impact REA and provide the fundamental bases
for advancement of the concept and capability include interdisciplinary coastal
ocean science, ocean forecast science, ocean engineering sciences and information
and complex system sciences. AII of these sciences are evolving and growing rapidly and novel interdisciplinary interactions among them are being identified and
researched. Rapid progress in rapid assessment of alI regions of the global coastal
ocean must be anticipated.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Mr. Wayne G. Leslie for essential input to the preparation of
this manuscript and thank Ms. Gioia Sweetland for help in its production. The
Rapid Response forecasts were carried out by a dedicated group of colIaborative
issues. There is, however, no need for software protection. Essentially all software
required for the management of a distributed network can be obtained from the
public domain. The same is true for browsers, image viewers, document readers
and geographic information system client software. As a precondition, originators
of REA products must avoid the delivery of files that would require not freely
available proprietary software for ingestion.
It is not suggested to publicly disseminate the entirety of information that is
exchanged between participants of an REA operation because of the preliminary
and provisional character of partial results. It is however a good idea to prepare a
few pages with selected and possibly updated results on the unrestricted Internet
for mitigation of the public that might be interested or have environmental concerns.
A visitors page on the Internet is also apt to gain credibility ofthe scientific community. Regular presentations of results demonstrate that REA is more than a
vision. Scientific and logistic state of the art includes the competence for rapid
assessment of the ocean environment.
11.8 Summary, conclusions and prospects
In this chapter we have presented the concept of rapid assessment of coastal
ocean regions for the purpose of providing detailed synoptic environmental nowcasts and forecasts in support of a variety of naval and other operations. The general concept was illustrated and specific research and operational issues were
identified and explored in the context ofthe NATO REA Rapid Response exercises
1996-7-8. The REA Ocean Observing and Prediction System requirements include
importantly portability, flexibility, rapid relocateability, inclusivity with respect to
coastal processes, and scalability with respect to hardware and software. Operational and system integration issues with respect to data acquisition and management and product design and dissemination have been discussed.
Scientific research areas which impact REA and provide the fundamental bases
for advancement of the concept and capability include interdisciplinary coastal
ocean science, ocean forecast science, ocean engineering sciences and information
and complex system sciences. AII of these sciences are evolving and growing rapidly and novel interdisciplinary interactions among them are being identified and
researched. Rapid progress in rapid assessment of alI regions of the global coastal
ocean must be anticipated.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Mr. Wayne G. Leslie for essential input to the preparation of
this manuscript and thank Ms. Gioia Sweetland for help in its production. The
Rapid Response forecasts were carried out by a dedicated group of colIaborative