MERCATOR OCEAN JOURNA: 
SEPTEMBER 2021 
4.3 Tier-" 
Achievements from production centres, including 
scientific and technical improvements of their products 
over 2015-2021, are described in the production centres 
individual papers in this Special Issue. A synthesis of R&D 
achievements by production centres during 2015-2017 
can also be found in Le Traon et al. (2017) and Le Traon et 
al. (2019). 
An illustration of the transfer from research conducted 
in Tier-2 R&D projects to the Copernicus Marine Service 
operations is provided here for two projects (Figure 4). 
The first example project, INCREASE, laid the necessary 
foundations to prepare the integration of existing European 
high-frequency radar (HFR) operational systems into the 
Copernicus Marine Service portfolio. This technical project 
provided quality-controlled real-time HFR observations, 
set the basis for the management of historical data and 
enabled an HFR operational node to acquire data from 
partners, quality control and distribute them operationally. 
In the wake of the project, Copernicus Marine Service In Situ 
Thematic Assembly Centre (TAC) progressively ingested 
and distributed HFR data (Figure 4), in collaboration with 
zZMODnet and EuroG0O0S. 
The second example project, TOSCA, developed the 
scientific and technical capability of the Copernicus Marine 
Service to produce a new satellite ocean-colour product 
for Plankton Functional Types (PFTs, i.e., categories of 
Chlorophyll) and assimilate them into a marine ecosystem 
model to enhance the monitoring and simulation of 
biogeochemical indicators of the health of European 
shelf-sea (Figure 4). In the wake of the project, satellite- 
derived PFTs were operationally produced and distributed 
by Ocean Colour TAC, and the ocean biogeochemical 
reanalysis covering the EU NWS now assimilates these 
data instead of total Chlorophyll to refine estimates of the 
biogeochemical ocean state. 
4.4 Communications 
Short-, mid- and long-term R&D outcomes from Copernicus 
Marine Service have been presented and disseminated to 
a wider scientific audience In numerous conferences and 
aublications in international peer-reviewed Journals. For 
instance, more than 43 articles (resp. 47 articles) were 
aublished in international peer-reviewed journals from the 
1st batch (resp. 2nd batch) of Tier 2 R&D Service Evolution 
projects. 
Since 2017, a Copernicus Marine Service session has been 
organized at the European Geophysical Union (EGU) General 
Assembly. The session includes contributions from other 
lines of activities than the R&D Service Evolution, such as 
the User Uptake programme (Durand et al., this issue) 
external initiatives relevant for the Service, development 
of upstream data, etc. A special issue on Copernicus 
Marine Service scientific advances during its first phase of 
implementation (2015-2018) was also published in Ocean 
Science. 24 scientific articles were gathered in this speciaı 
ISSUE, Covering various topics related to the different MFCs 
and TACs and to improve scientific ocean knowledge. 
5. CONCLUSIO:K 
To remain a state-of-the-art, world leading service 
addressing more user and policy needs, the Copernicus 
Marine Service has organized R&D Service Evolutior 
activities. The Service Evolution R&D programme tackles 
short-, mid- and long-term R&D needs through different 
actors and frameworks, from producers, R&D open 
calls for tenders, to external national and European 
projects (e.g., H2020). These activities also expand the 
Copernicus Marine Service scientific community and link 
it with production centres in order to foster transfers from. 
research to operations. 
Over the first implementation phase of the Copernicus 
Marine Service, the R&D Service Evolution programme led 
to major and continuous improvements of the Service, with 
a large uptake. This includes the addition of new products, 
a better scientific understanding of ocean dynamics, the 
upgrade or preparation of the next generation of systems 
aperated in the Copernicus Marine Service, and the 
development of enhanced or new service lines. The R&D 
Service Evolution programme and its short- and mid-term 
activities covered the various thematics addressed by the 
Service, from the blue, green, white ocean to models anc 
2bservations, quality assessment of the products, etc. The 
uptake of R&D developments in the Service will continue 
aver the coming years. 
As the Copernicus Marine Service enters a new phase over 
2021-2027, Service Evolution R&D (Tier 2 and especially Tier 
3) will contribute to pave the way for future key evolutions 
for potential enhanced or new service lines envisioned for 
the Service. These include a coastal ocean core monitoring, 
step-change monitoring of the marine biology going up to 
high-trophic levels (exploited and protected species), step- 
change monitoring of the Arctic Ocean, climate projections 
aver the 21st century dedicated to the marine environment 
‘incl. coastal zones and ecosystems), but also 20th century 
ocean reanalyses, ensemble forecasts, higher-resolution 
products and improved CO, air-sea fluxes monitoring.