SOOS Task Teams

SOOS Task Teams are:

  • developed to produce specific products, organise events, or solve a particular problem

  • made up of a small group of experts

  • aimed to complete its work within weeks or months.

SOOS Capability Working Groups can be formed to address issues requiring a long-term effort (e.g. months to years).


Propose a new Task Team

Task Teams can be SOOS initiated or proposed by the community to address a specific need. If you would like to propose a new Task Team, please contact a relevant member of the Scientific Steering Committee or the SOOS Executive Officer (info[at]soos.aq). 

Current SOOS Task Teams

Name Objective
Polar Technology Developing a Polar Technology group to work on addressing challenges and exploiting synergies in technology targeted at Southern Ocean and Antarctic marine research.

Completed SOOS Task Teams

Year Name Objective
2018-2023 eEOVs Task Team This task team developed ecosystem essential ocean variables for the Southern Ocean ecosystem (eEOVs) and routine delivery of products together with MEASO.
2019-2022 AUV Task Team Based on a 2018 international expert review to align polar AUV science objectives and engineering abilities with deployment capabilities and sensor development across National Antarctic Programs.
2018-2020 Flux Moorings Project This task team is a joint project with SOFLUX and Observing System Design Capability Working Groups.
2017-2018 Observing System Design To advise methods for assessing observing system design for a given quantity of interest (expanded to a CWG after completion).
2015-2017 DueSouth This Task Team coordinated the development of a multi-disciplinary, international field project database to host future voyage and project information to facilitate collaborative field efforts.
2014-2016 Southern Ocean Satellite Data Requirements A joint effort by SOOS and WCRP CliC, to produce a community report on satellite data requirements, compiled from a combination of results from a survey, and requested community input.
2014-2015 Southern Ocean Air-Sea Fluxes Formed to identify a community of researchers and stakeholders interested in Southern Ocean flux observations, and to organise a focussed workshop.
2014 Strategy for Observations Under Ice Formed to organise a workshop and develop an international strategy for observations in the sea-ice zone and sub-ice shelf cavities of the Southern Ocean.
2014 Ross Sea Observations Developed to identify gaps in existing observational activities in the Ross Sea to enable enhanced international efforts and collaboration.
2013-2014 Ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables Developed to organise and run a workshop to identify Ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables (eEOVs), develop a proposal for a SCOR WG, and publish a paper in peer reviewed literature.
2014 Physical Essential Ocean Variables Developed to identify essential ocean variables (EOVs) for physical oceanography.
Last modified: 10/Dec/2023/JB