The JGOFS Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) created initially a number of Planning Groups and Task Teams to consider scientific and logistic questions and make recommendations to the SSC. These groups identified the most important processes and variables to study, the regions in which such studies will provide the greatest insight and most useful data, and the best experimental design for the studies. The SSC then set the sequence of events necessary to complete specific tasks, the resources required for the tasks and the level of international co-ordination that is required. Over the duration of the project, some task teams, such as PMTT, disband after delivering their reports; some formed more recently, such as PJTT or GSWG; while others, such as DMTT, are expected to last throughout JGOFS.

During the 13^th meeting of the SSC (Cape Town, South Africa, 1998), the SSC agreed to re-structure the organisation of the Planning Groups into Regional Synthesis and Modelling Groups. This new organisation reflects the end of the fieldwork for several completed Process Studies (e.g., North Atlantic, Equatorial Pacific and Indian Ocean) and the initiation of the synthesis phase within the project. For the Southern Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, the synthesis activities parallel the on-going fieldwork until process study is completed.

In 1999, the SSC approved the formation of the joint JGOFS-GAIM Task Team to facilitate the coordination of modelling activities of OCMIP and JGOFS. Then in 2000, the SSC approuved the formation of the Global Synthesis and Modelling Working Group to coordinate the final global synthesis activities and modelling.

NORTH ATLANTIC Synthesis and Modelling Group

Terms of Reference
as of May 1998

1). The chair of the group will be appointed by the JGOFS SSC. The chair will assemble a group of up to ten people with experience of the observational datasets and modelling activities relevant to the region. The group membership should reflect, but need not be limited to, the countries that have participated in the JGOFS activities in the region and be approved by the executive committee.

2). The main tasks of the group are:

To prepare one or more reports for the SSC that summarise the activities of the group and synthesise the JGOFS science carried out within the region
To present a paper on the results of the group's activities at the Open Science Conferences and other international relevant meetings,
To liaise with the DMTT to encourage the submission of data to the regional/international data centres with the provision of easy access to these data via the internet and CD-ROMs
To continue to encourage synthesis activities in the form of open meetings, special issues of scientific journals, and review articles throughout the remaining period of the JGOFS project

3). Meetings of the group will be funded by JGOFS, funds permitting. The group is encouraged to organise open meetings on regional synthesis but funds from JGOFS for such meetings would necessarily be limited and members might seek funds from their national programmes.

4). Extra terms of reference can be added with JGOFS SSC approuval.

The aims of the North Atlantic Process Study were:

(i) to measure the seasonal and geographical variability of CO₂ exchange between surface water and the atmosphere;
(ii) to estimate the transport of carbon and associated compounds due to the Gulf Stream system;
(iii) to characterise the biological component of the drawdown of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean, and from the surface of the ocean to its interior; and
(iv) to develop basin-wide models that describe and predict the major biogeochemical cycles.

EQUATORIAL PACIFIC Synthesis and Modelling Group

Draft Terms of Reference
as of November 1999

2). The main tasks of the group are:

To prepare one or more reports for the SSC that summarise the activities of the group and synthesise the JGOFS science carried out within the region,
To present reports on the results of the group's activities at the Open Science Conferences and other international relevant meetings,
To liase with the DMTT to encourage the submission of data to the regional/international data centres with the provision of easy access to these data via the internet and CD-ROMs,
To continue to encourage synthesis activities in the form of open meetings, special issues of scientific journals, and review articles throughout the remaining period of the JGOFS project.

4). Extra terms of reference can be added with JGOFS SSC approval.

INDIAN OCEAN Synthesis and Modelling Group

Draft Terms of Reference
as of July 1998

1). The chair of the Indian Ocean Synthesis and Modelling Group, hereafter referred as IOSG is approuved by the JGOFS Scientific Steering Committee. The IOSG chair will assemble a committee whose membership will need to be approved by the JGOFS Executive Committee. In assembling the IOSG membership, the chair should consider national representation along with gender, discipline and experience. Relevant experience includes generation, synthesis and modelling of JGOFS data sets derived from the Arabian Sea.

2). Main tasks of the IOSG are:

To prepare a report of regional synthesis activities for the Scientific Steering Committee annually. This report will also be presented to the Global Synthesis and Modelling Working Group (GSWG) for a global perspective. The IOSG report will be a synthesis of the JGOFS science conducted within the region. The approved report(s) with documentation will be published in the JGOFS Report Series. It is expected that the final publication will be peer-reviewed and published in the open literature,
To present a full report on the modelling and synthesis activities of the group at the Open Science Conferences and other relevant meetings,
To liaise with the Data Management Task Team (DMTT) to encourage the submission of JGOFS data sets to a national ocean data centre with the provision of easy access via the Internet, CD-ROMs and other media,
To enhance synthesis activities, particularly by organising open meetings, and to produce JGOFS Reports and review articles throughout the remaining JGOFS synthesis period.

3). IOSG is encouraged to organise regional synthesis meetings. Funds will be limited for these meetings, which require prior approval from the JGOFS Executive Committee. Members may seek further support from their national programs, host institutions and other sources.

4). IOSG will address the scientific aims of the Arabian Sea Process Study JGOFS Report No 17.

5). Additional Terms of Reference specific to IOSG may be included with SSC approval.

The aims of the Indian Ocean Process Study were:

(i) to investigate the seasonality and magnitude of biogeochemical responses to intense and regularly oscillating physical forcing;
(ii) to quantify the role of the region in the global cycles of carbon and biologically associated elements, including its role as a net source or sink of atmospheric CO₂ and other gases relevant to climate change;
(iii) to quantify primary production and the transformation, flux and fate of carbon;
(iv) to quantify the role of the oxygen minimum at 300-1500 m in biogeochemical cycling; and
(v) to quantify Quaternary monsoon variability in relation to fluctuations in ocean paleo-circulation and paleo-productivity

SOUTHERN OCEAN Synthesis and Modelling Group

Terms of Reference
(as of December 2001)

1). The chair of the SOSG is appointed by the JGOFS SSC.
The group is composed of scientists with experience of the observational datasets and modelling activities relevant to the region.

2). The main task of the group is to contribute to the JGOFS synthesis and modelling phase. This includes:

To identify gaps in our understanding of the present and past carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean and provide this information to the science community through publications and presentations,
To identify feedback mechanisms that may alter the future carbon cycle in the region,
To coordinate data collection (in liaison with DMTT),
To organise and coordinate synthesis activities among the Southern Ocean national groups working on JGOFS-related research, including those not specifically funded by JGOFS,
To facilitate the integration of results of the Southern Ocean synthesis into a global view of the ocean carbon cycle by working with other JGOFS synthesis groups (PJTT) and the Global Synthesis and Modelling Working Group, and with IGBP components (GLOBEC, PAGES, GAIM).

3). Meetings of the group will be funded by JGOFS, funds permitting. The group is encouraged to organise open meetings on regional synthesis, but funds from JGOFS for such meetings would necessarily be limited and members might seek funds from their national programmes.

The aim of the Southern Ocean Process Study was to answer the following questions:

(i) What role does the Southern Ocean play in the present day global carbon flux?
(ii) What is the spatial and temporal pattern of the major processes that determine the net flux in the whole Southern Ocean, and within selected subregions?
(iii) What controls the magnitude and variability of primary production and particle fate?
(iv) What are the major features of spatial and temporal variability in the physical and chemical environment, and in key biotic systems?
(v) What is the effect of sea ice on carbon fluxes in the Southern Ocean?
(vi) How has the role of the Southern Ocean changed in the past?
(vii) How might the role of the Southern Ocean change in the future?

NORTH PACIFIC Synthesis Group

Terms of Reference

1). The primary issues to be addressed by North Pacific Synthesis Group are the quantification of the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and associated elements in the North Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas. Specific objectives are:

To assess the efficiency of physical and biological pumps, and their seasonal changes for different domains of the North Pacific and the adjacent marginal seas, including the effects of sea ice,
To study the formation and spreading of the intermediate water, and its implication for lateral flux of dissolved inorganic, dissolved organic and particulate matter,
To investigate and ultimately to enhance our understanding of air-sea fluxes of CO₂ and other atmospherically reactive gases that leads to predictions of the role of the North Pacific as a source and/or sink of CO₂ in collaboration with IGAC,
To understand the role of iron in maintaining northern North Pacific as a high nutrient-low chlorophyll region, and
To clarify the mechanism(s) controlling the transport of nutrients into the euphotic zone of the subtropical Pacific Ocean.

2). The central purpose of the North Pacific Synthesis Group is to coordinate and encourage national and international JGOFS & JGOFS-related programmes that address air-sea exchange, biogeochemical processes, and the role of intermediate water masses in the transfer of biogenic materials in the region. The specific tasks involve developing a structure for co-ordinating the field programmes including satellite remote sensing of ocean colour and the subsequent synthesis and modelling efforts. Those activities include:

To facilitate exchange of information covering the existing programme such as Japanese-Canadian Time Series Observations, International North Pacific Ocean Climate Programme and the Circulation Research of East Asia Marginal Seas in collaboration with CMTT,
To encourage the development of new projects such as Role of the Carbon Cycle in the northern North Pacific on Global Climate Change, Studies on Biogeochemical cycles in the northern North Pacific, and the International Consortium of the Okhotsk Sea Study, and
To maintain close interaction with the North Pacific Marine Science Organisation (PICES) and GLOBEC.

3). The membership of NPSG shall include scientists who are actively working in the North Pacific. The Chair is nominated by the task team concerned, and approuved by the JGOFS Executives. Members of the North Pacific Task Team are approuved by the JGOFS SSC Executives in their personal capacity.

4). It is anticipated that the office will be established in the region.

CONTINENTAL MARGINS Task Team

Terms of Reference
as of October 1998

The overall goal of the task team is to assess the contribution of continental margins and seas to CO₂ sequestration and horizontal flux of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus across the ocean-continental margin boundary.
Specific objectives are:

To identify relevant and appropriate data sets from continental margin studies and investigate their availability to IGBP projects
To develop a conceptual framework to integrate continental margin carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes and to assess anthropogenic influence on the fluxes
To attempt to quantify vertical and horizontal carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes in different types of continental margins, such as:
a. Eastern boundary current
b. Western boundary current
c. Marginal seas
d. Polar margins
e. Tropical coasts
To produce an overall synthesis and assessment of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes on and across continental margins to feed into the IGBP-wide synthesis.
To identify major gaps and uncertainties in the current understanding of continental margin carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes and recommend priority needs for observational and modelling efforts.

PALEO-JGOFS Task Team

Terms of Reference
September 2000

The main tasks of the teams are:

To foster the integration of JGOFS and PAGES-IMAGES activities in order to extend the knowledge of present day ocean ecosystem functions and biogeochemical cycles beyond the scale of direct observation.
To organise workshops, improve the exchange of information and data and stimulate synthesis activities between the scientific communities of JGOFS and PAGES-IMAGES and to publish the results of the joint workshops.
To identify key issues to be addressed by future research programmes and develop a scientific framework with the aim to improve our understanding of the oceans’ reaction and feedback mechanisms to changing environmental conditions in the past and today.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS MEASUREMENTS Task Team

This Task Team was disbanded in 1998.

Terms of Reference
(March 1993)

I). The primary concerns of the Photosynthesis Measurement Task Team are:

To provide estimates of photosynthetic characteristics of phytoplankton necessary to JGOFS synthesis and modelling activities, that would complement the JGOFS core measurement of primary production,
To set guidelines for such measurements under field conditions, so that estimates could be compared between investigators and sites,
To liaise with the JGOFS Synthesis and Modelling Task Team, and
To promote the measurement of photosynthetic characteristics of phytoplankton in JGOFS field studies.

II. Specific tasks of the Photosynthesis Measurement Task Team are:
(1) To review the various possible field measurements of photosynthetic characteristics of phytoplankton (e.g., photosynthesis versus irradiance curves, fluorescence based measurements), and determine which of these offer the best potential for complementing the JGOFS core measurement of primary production, within the context to synthesis and modelling,
(2) To determine, for each type of measurement selected in (II.1) above, the main difficulties that prevent intercomparison of data,
(3) To set, for each type of measurement, a minimum set of experimental criteria and of auxiliary variables necessary for intercomparing field data,
(4) To recommend, for each type of measurement, a standard method for use under field conditions,
(5) To encourage investigators, in the case of measurements already done or when the method they use differs from that in (II.4) above, to provide information on experimental characteristics and auxiliary variables arising from (II.3), and
(6) To promote measurements of photosynthetic characteristics of phytoplankton using the method developed in (II.4), in the various JGOFS field studies.

SCOR/IOC Carbon Advisory Panel (SICAP)

Terms of Reference
as of November 2000

General terms

To advise SCOR/JGOFS, GOOS, LOICZ and OOPC on observations, data management and modelling needed for studies of the global carbon cycle
To provide an international forum for initiatives to promote high-quality observations of CO₂ in the oceans

Specific terms

To identify gaps and weak links in the present carbon cycle observation system that compromise the ability to understand and predict global change,
To identify opportunities that can be used to further develop such an observing system (e.g. collaboration with other global observing systems),
To aid the synthesis of JGOFS and IGBP results with respect to marine CO₂ observations, data management and modelling by:
- Initiating and facilitating the assembly of CO₂ data bases,
- Interacting with ocean modellers to identify the weaknesses and encourage appropriate uses of CO₂ data,
- Encouraging and facilitating the collaborative analysis of CO₂ data sets and supporting data.
To maintain a watching brief to advise IOC and SCOR on CO₂ sequestration in the ocean,
To advise GOOS and OOPC on technology development needed to improve future capacity for carbon cycle monitoring,
To advise GOOS and OOPC on the observational strategies needed to assess, model and predict global ocean CO₂ fluxes.

DATA MANAGEMENT Task Team

Terms of Reference
as of January 1997

The Data Management Task Team agreed that their primary responsibility is :

To develop, test and implement timely data exchange mechanisms between the national groups participating in the JGOFS Process Studies, the Global Survey and the Time Series Stations,
To identify ways in which the management of JGOFS data at the national level may be initiated, encouraged and developed,
To develop mechanisms for the integration of national data management initiatives at the international level,
To develop an integrated JGOFS data inventory at the international level and make this available to the scientific community,
To monitor the international acceptance of, and compliance with, the statement on data submission and access adopted by the JGOFS SSC at its Third Session (September 1989), and to recommend changes to this policy if needed,
To liaise with other international programmes and organisations such as WOCE, IGBP, IOC and appropriate national and international data centres,
To provide advice and direction to the JGOFS data management resources within the International Project Office (IPO), and
To report to the Scientific Steering Committee and implement its recommendations.

GLOBAL SYNTHESIS and MODELLING Working Group

Terms of Reference
as of October 2001

The objective of the GSWG is to review our current knowledge on the fluxes of dissolved and particulate material in the global ocean, and the biogeochemical processes that affect these fluxes. Of particular importance are the comparisons of the different observational and modelling approaches and the identification of controversies, methodological weaknesses and knowledge-gaps. This should influence the planning of future marine research programmes and should lead to the development of new, improved biogeochemical models that make use of the emerging biogeochemical data. Specific goals of the GSWG are:

To compare and evaluate estimates for marine productivity, downward particle fluxes and respiration rates in the water column and the sediment from different observational techniques as well as from modelling.
To foster interactions between observationalists and modellers and to stimulate joint research projects.
To liaise and link GSWS activities with the JGOFS-GAIM and Data Management Task Teams and the regional synthesis groups under JGOFS.
To promote the development of new, improved biogeochemical models that utilize the emerging and diversity of marine biogeochemical data.
To identify potential biogeochemical and physical changes under global warming conditions.
To organize a workshop on the measurement and modelling of global ocean productivity and biogeochemical fluxes.
To promote a joint publication of synthesis papers on marine biogeochemical fluxes.

REMOTE SENSING Task Team

This Task Team was disbanded in 1998.

Terms of Reference

I. The primary issues to be addressed by the Remote Sensing Task Team are:
(1) to recommend procedures for coordinating national and regional JGOFS activities concerned with satellite remote sensing,
(2) to recommend procedures for developing strong links with ESA, NASA and NASDA offices involved with ocean remote sensing to ensure international access to global satellite ocean colour imagery,
(3) to recommend procedures for developing strong links with appropriate national archives of bio-optical, pigment and primary production measurements to facilitate JGOFS access to data required to calibrate and validate satellite imagery,
(4) to promote investigations of important biogeochemical provinces which are presently poorly sampled with respect to pigment and bio-optical measurements, and
(5) to recommend procedures for developing basin-scale and global estimates of the mean and time-varying components of ocean primary production.

II. The specific tasks of the Remote Sensing Task Team are:
(1) to define biogeochemical provinces in conjunction with the respective regional Planning Groups and the Synthesis and Modelling Task Team,
(2) to develop a plan for quantifying the mean and time-varying components of chlorophyll concentration and primary production within each biogeochemical province,
(3) to focus efforts on developing basin to global scale coupled physical and biological models which assimilate satellite data or use satellite imagery to validate model output, and
(4) to inform appropriate ESA, NASA, and NASDA officials of JGOFS needs and requirements for satellite data, including procedures regulating data accessibility and price.

GLOBAL SYNTHESIS AND MODELLING Task Team

This Task Team was disbanded in 1998.

Terms of Reference

I. The primary issues to be addressed by the Global Synthesis and Modelling Task Team are:
(1) to stimulate and coordinate the suite of modelling activities needed in planning, running and synthesizing JGOFS research;
(2) to encourage appropriate individuals to participate in JGOFS modelling activities in fields where the required expertise is insufficient;
(3) to promote integration of modelling into national and regional studies; and
(4) to work towards developing models to synthesize our understanding of the role of the oceans in past and future climate change and to predict future scenarios.

II. The specific tasks of the Global Synthesis and Modelling Task Team are:
(1) to arrange a series of workshops to promote the various types of modelling needed in JGOFS and to spread interest and expertise in these activities;
(2) to promote the development of methods for scaling up from small-scale studies to regional and global scales;
(3) to promote the development and application of inverse methods and data-assimilative methods in JGOFS;
(4) to work towards to development of a JGOFS Community process model to be embedded in physical ocean or coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models;
(5) to promote the application of geochemical box models to JGOFS problems;
(6) to promote the application of flow-analysis and budgeting models to JGOFS problems;
(7) to provide the SSC with an estimated timetable of modelling activities required for planning and synthesizing activities of JGOFS; and
(8) to report to the SSC on progress in the suite of modelling activities, and to identify problems, gaps and shortcomings and their possible solutions.

Regional Synthesis Groups	Task Teams
North Atlantic	Continental Margins (JGOFS-LOICZ)
Equatorial Pacific	Paleo-JGOFS (JGOFS-PAGES)
Indian Ocean	Data Management
Southern Ocean	Photosynthesis Measurements (disbanded)
North Pacific	Global Synthesis and Modelling (disbanded)
	Remote Sensing (disbanded)


Global Synthesis Activities	Liaisons
Ocean Carbon Modelling Task Team (JGOFS-GAIM)	International Ocean Colour Co-ordinating Group (IOCCG)
Global Synthesis and Modelling Working Group	SCOR/IOC Carbon Advisory Panel (SICAP)

Margarita Conkright (Chair)	USA	US National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Brian Griffiths	Australia	CSIRO Marine Research Website of JGOFS (CMR)
Donald Spear	Canada	Marine Environmental Data Service (MEDS) / DFO Canada
Marie-Paule Torre	France	France JGOFS Data Management Office
Joachim Herrmann	Germany	German JGOFS Data Management Office
Jaswant Sarupria	India	Indian National Institute of Oceanography
Satoshi Sato	Japan	Japan JGOFS Data Management Office / Japan JODC
Roy Lowry	UK	British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) / UK NERC
Cyndy Chandler	USA	US JGOFS Data System