MERCATOR OCEAN JOURNA, 
SEPTEMBER 2021 
USER DRIVEN 
DATA PRODUCERS = 
= 
1 
+ 
CENTRAL = 
INFORMATION = 
SYSTEM - 
Stel 
N 
SERVICE EVOLUTION = 
COPERNICUS MARINE OFFER 
ACCESS DATA 
Ocean Products 
Dean Monitoring 
Indicators 
Ocean State Report 
Ocean 
Visualisation 
SERVICES 
3lue Markets 
USER CORNER 
ı er upport 
Collaborative Forur 
Product Quality 
User Leaming 
Use Cases 
Societal Awareness 
Events & Trainina 
USER 
UPTAKE | 
PROGRAM: 
CUAG 
Champion User 
Advisory Group 
OBSERVATIONS/ 
REQUIREMENTS * 
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N 
FEEDBACK 
-igure 1: The Copernicus Marine Service is user and policy driven. User feedbacks are translated into achievable scientific or technical 
avolutions for the Service 
2.2 Strategy 
The Service Evolution Strategy is maintained on the basis 
ofdirect feedback from users, scientific and technical gaps 
analysis of emerging and existing user requirements, and 
the potential to improve the Core Service elements 
The Copernicus Marine Service evolution strategy Is 
defined by Mercator Ocean International (MOi), with 
support from a high-level Scientific and Technical 
Advisory Committee (STAC). The STAC is composed of 
13 independent and internationally recognized scientific 
and technical experts on various thematics of interest 
for the Copernicus Marine Service. STAC members work 
impartially and strict rules are applied to avold any 
conflict of interest. 
[wo reference documents present the Service Evolution 
strategy; both were prepared with support from the STAC. 
The _High-Level Service Evolution Strategy (Mercator 
Ocean, 2016) presents strategic thrusts/goals for an 
evolution of the full scope of the Service Evolution aligned 
with stakeholders and users expectations, together with 
their corresponding lines of action and associated benefits 
zight strategic thrusts were identified: 
- upstream observations, 
data and products, 
information and services, 
- science and technology, 
- service architecture and operations, 
private and public downstream stakeholders and users, 
capability and performance. 
‚he second reference document details the “science and 
technology” evolution overall strategy and objectives. The 
Service Evolution: R&D priorities document (STAC 2018), 
aka the Copernicus Marine Service R&D roadmap, notably 
identifies required developments per R&D thematic areas 
that are spanning the different activities of the Service, 
gathered over five overarching themes: 
ocean circulation, ocean-wave and ocean-ice coupling, 
- biogeochemistry and ecosystems, 
seamless interactions with coastal systems, 
ocean-Atmosphere coupling and climate, 
-cross-cutting developments on observation, 
assimilation and product quality iImprovements. 
The Service R&D roadmap is updated on an annual basis 
and constitutes a key reference document for R&D activities 
performed externally to the production centres (e.g., Tier 2 
and Tier 3 activities), presented in the next section.