WG1: Support for glider deployments and data dissemination

Presently, there is not any glider network in the same sense that there is an XBT network, an ARGO network, an OceanSites network etc. This WG will undertake any general task to make the glider a platform suitable for being networked, such as:

• The definition of operating data flow system, with agreed protocols, to deliver all of the glider network's data in NRT and delayed mode. There has been some discussion of integrating glider data into the ARGO Data Management Systems, but this is work in progress.
• The definition of an international infrastructure (steering team, technical coordinators, data managers, etc) to develop the community consensus, to oversee the planning and implementation of the network and its data system.

As the legislation regarding gliders has not yet been developed nor standardized among different countries, an initial task on this work package will be to asses the legal conditions needed for flying gliders in the national waters or EEZ waters of Action’s participant countries or non participants countries.

Proposed deliverables

• Recommendations for a glider data management and distribution system.
• Recommendations for priority works related to oceanic operations by gliders.
• Legal studies documentation and position papers for possible evolution of the legal/regulation frameworks.
• New operation scenarios beyond those available with state of the art gliders.