Virgin Islands CaRA

1. Virgin Islands CaRA • Research and Monitoring • Mesonet weather monitoring • Coastal Ocean Data Buoy monitoring • Ocean and Coastal Modeling • Outreach and Education • Provide services to the Virgin Islands community • Provide resources for environmental education

2. Providing data and analysis for alternative energy potential • As the Hovensa oil refinery facility shuts down, the Virgin Islands needs to seriously think of diversifying its sources of energy. • Mesonet wind data • Buoy data on currents • Ocean state predictions • Who has benefitted from CariCOOS data? • National Renewable Energy Laboratory • Amerigo Offshore, LLC • Local VI start ups, e.g., Roy Benjamin

3. Marine Renewable Energy a) Offshore wind b) Wave energy c) Tidal and Current energy d) Ocean Thermal Energy

5. VI Data Buoy

6. State-of-the-Art Ocean Modeling a) Computer models of the oceans b) Ocean measurements from sensors on satellites and platforms c) Input data about winds, air temperature etc. d) Algorithm to use measurements to combine with models and get the best estimate e) Powerful computers to run these models Wave height, wave period and wave direction Swell height, swell period and swell direction Sea Level 3D Current Speed and direction Temperature, Salinity and density Nutrients-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton

7. Aid to Ship Routing This initial ship route opposes strong currents (black line). The red line is the route recommended by CLS (in red) taking full advantage of the MERCATOR-OCEAN current forecast to ensure that ship travel is with strong currents rather than against strong currents. The ship captain thus saved 5 hours out of the 100 hour trip, thus saving 5% in fuel and ship time.

8. High Resolution ROMSNortheastern Caribbean • The parent grid domain includes eastern Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, US and British Virgin Islands and some Leeward Islands. • Currently developing the assimilation method for nowcasting-forecasting simulations. • Simulation output coverage is from January 2007 to December 2010. • Horizontal resolution: • parent grid = 3 km2 • 1st child grid = 970 m2 • 2nd child grid = 325 m2

9. ROMS simulation: Vieques and Virgin Passages

10. Promoting use of CariCOOS products, services & capabilities Navigators -helping to identify and prioritize stakeholders’ needs for future assets Emergency managers -- matching CariCOOS assets & capabilities to post-disaster responses Offering existing services Identifying needed new assets National Federation of Regional Associations activities Monthly telephone conferences Gaps analysis & Build-Out Planning Member, NFRA Fall Meeting Planning Committee Member, Finance Committee Capitol Hill briefings Input to certification criteria Member, ICOOS Act reauthorization team Planning to accommodate budget cuts Identifying/informing/recruiting potential stakeholders Sharing Expertise Tropical Shipping-CCAA Disaster Management Workshops St Vincent Dominica Puerto Rico Partnerships in Education Sea Grant/VIMAS Marine Action Group UVI Science 100 FUTURE: Outreach to the BVI H Lavity Stout CC Jost van Dyke Preservation Soc CaRA-VI Outreach & Governance Activities

11. MAG’s goal is to expose and promote training and employment of local Virgin Islanders to careers in the marine and related industries. • MAG is presently embarking on a marine networking project geared towards involving private-public partner ventures. • To expose junior high and high school students to the marine environment through boating excursions with UVI marine research scientists. • To train students with ocean and meteorological observational data collected by CariCOOS assets. • To mentor and guide students interested in pursuing career paths in the marine sciences and industry.