A Scientific Strategy for U.S. Participation in the GOALS (Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System) Component of the CLIVAR (Climate Variability and Predictability) Programme (1998)

Summary: The impetus for GOALS stemmed from the success of TOGA, the Tropical Oceans and Global Atmosphere program, which established the existence of "predictability" on seasonal-to-interannual time scales in the Pacific Ocean for equatorial sea surface temperature (SST) and for precipitation around the tropical Pacific and in some regions far removed. Much of this predictability is attributed to ocean—atmosphere coupled processes in the Pacific Ocean basin. More exhaustive research is considered necessary to explore the possibility of recognizable interactive processes occurring within or between other components of the Earth system. The principal purpose of this document is to provide a strategy for U.S. participation in GOALS/CLIVAR, which should endure for the 15-year duration of the program. At the same time, it is realized that during a program of such length, an evolution of emphases and priorities will occur with advances of knowledge and new discoveries.