Introduction to FIXO3

The Fixed point Open Ocean Observatory network (FixO³) (http://www.fixo3.eu/) seeks to integrate European open ocean fixed point observatories and to improve access to these key installations for the broader community. These will provide multidisciplinary observations in all parts of the oceans from the air-sea interface to the deep seafloor. The FixO³ network will provide free and open access to in situ fixed point data of the highest quality. It will provide a strong integrated framework of open ocean facilities in the Atlantic from the Arctic to the Antarctic and throughout the Mediterranean, enabling an integrated, regional and multidisciplinary approach to understand natural and anthropogenic change in the ocean.

Coordinated by the National Oceanography Centre, UK, FixO3 is an "I3" (eye-3) research project building on the advances alrady achieved through the FP7 programmes EuroSITES, ESONET and CARBOOCEAN. With a budget of 7 Million Euros over 4 years (starting September 2013) the proposal has 29 partners drawn from academia, research institutions and SME’s.

Requirements gathered