The MedGLOSS programme of sea level monitoring network in the Mediterranean and Black seas was established jointly by CIESM and IOC/UNESCO in 1997, upon a bi-lateral agreement signed by the two organizations in response to the forecasted global climate change and sea level rise. MedGLOSS major objectives are:

·  Detect regional long-term relative and absolute sea-level changes trends and acceleration rates;

·  Determine plate tectonic movements in the domain affecting them, by creation of a densified regional GLOSS subsystem network for long-term sea-level monitoring in the Mediterranean and Black Seas consisting of sea-level monitoring stations already active in GLOSS, strengthened by additional operational sea-level stations in a number of countries along the coasts of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and with new sea-level stations to be installed on the coasts of countries willing to join  MedGLOSS.

·  Facilitate the performance of regional studies regarding sea-level rise, water exchange and tectonic movements by providing standardized quality controlled data of high quality, gathered by the network;

·  Provide assistance, education and training in accordance with the GLOSS-V implementation plan TEMA (Training, Education and Mutual Assistance).

Following an unanimous voting decision at a MedGLOSS workshop held in May 2000 by CIESM and IOC, Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research (IOLR) has been chosen to act as focal center for the MedGLOSS network. The focal center has been maintaining the MedGLOSS web site, the network data gathering of sea-level and additional meteomarine data and the development of data processing and analysis software as well as technical and scientific assistance to MedGLOSS member organizations.

With CIESM support and funds 4 new near real time (NRT) sea level stations were installed and new ones are planned. Since fall 2001 MedGLOSS closely cooperates with the European Sea Level Service (ESEAS) which has very similar objectives.

The MedGLOSS network consists at present of NRT stations and delayed mode stations, summing up to over 43 stations. However, at present only 15 stations are providing NRT data, while the delayed mode stations are expected to provide hourly data updated twice per year.

CIESM and IOC/UNESCO agreed in 1996 to jointly cooperate in the research on sea-level changes in the Mediterranean and Black Sea by establishing a long-term monitoring network system, for systematic sea-level measurements in  Mediterranean and Black Seas.

MedGLOSS programme started in 1997 with a pilot network monitoring system, consisting of 21 stations, planned to be further expanded since then to 43 stations.

A workshop and coordination meeting was held in May 2000 in Haifa. It was attended by representatives of CIESM and IOC and of organizations from 12 countries: Morocco, United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Ukraine, Turkey and Israel. Two additional organizations, from Russia and Bulgaria expressed their commitment to join MedGLOSS. The participants decided unanimously that MedGLOSS network operates from one focal point at IOLR.

CIESM decided to provide financial support for upgrading key sea-level stations in a number of CIESM member countries, namely Romania, Croatia, Malta, Cyprus, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco as these were considered of higher priority in providing sea-level data in areas lacking digital stations for long-term sea-level monitoring by near-real time data transfer. Of these, 4 new modern MedGLOSS stations were installed by IOLR in cooperation with the local organizations at Constantza port (Romania), Split port (Croatia), Portomaso marina (Malta) and Paphos harbour (Cyprus) before 2002. The additional NRT sea-level monitoring station installations planned for Nador (Morocco), Cap Bon (Tunisia) and Alexandria (Egypt) have not been accomplished yet.

All MedGLOSS stations must measure and provide sea level related data according to the international standards defined for GLOSS stations. Minimum data include hourly averaged values of sea-level and atmospheric pressure. In view of the potential tsunami awareness, higher rates will be provided soon (5 minutes averages updated by NRT stations hourly) and perhaps also very fast mode

All near real-time stations should have their reference bench marks monitored by Continuous GPS stations.

Following approval by IOC and CIESM at its 36th Congress, MedGLOSS started close cooperation since 2001 with the European Sea Level Service (ESEAS). As a result MedGLOSS members have been participating jointly with ESEAS members in the EC ESEAS-Research Infrastructures project and MedGLOSS coordinator was appointed ex-officio member of ESEAS Governing Board. ESEAS-RI significant achievments were presented at a workshop in Malta in November 2004, sponsored also by CIESM and IOC.

A new NRT MedGLOSS type station was installed at Kacively, Ukraine as upgrade to the old one with funds from ESEAS-RI project.

Dr. Thorkild Aarup

GLOSS Programme

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO

1, Rue Miollis F-75732 Paris Cedex 15, France,
Tel: +33-1-45 684019; Fax: +33-1-45 685812; email: t.aarup@unesco.org

Assoc. Prof. Dr.  Mehmet Emir Ayhan,

Member, Joint IOC&CIESM Group of Experts on MedGLOSS

General Command of Mapping, Geodesy Department
Tip Fakultesi Cad., TR-06100 Cebeci/Ankara, TURKISH REPUBLIC;
Tel: +90 312 5952250; Fax: +90 312 3201495; e-mail: eayhan@hgk.mil.tr

Dr. Andrew Banks,

Institute of Oceanography, Remote Sensing,

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR-Crete),

Thalassocosmos, Gournes Pediados,

P.O. Box 2214, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece.

Tel: +30 2810 337827 /337801; Fax: +30 2810 337822 e-mail: andyb@her.hcmr.gr

Prof. Zdravko Belberov
Institute of Oceanology,Coastal Zone Dynamics Dept.,Bulgarian Academy of Science
Varna 9000, PO Box 152, Bulgaria
Tel:+359 52370493; Fax: +359 52 370 493; e-mail: belberov@io-bas.bg

Dr. Mauro Bencivenga
APAT Maritime Service
Via Curtatone 3, I-00185 Rome, ITALY;
Tel: +39-06- 44442248; Fax: +39-06-4957947; e-mail: mauro.bencivenga@apat.it

Dr. Frederic BRIAND,

Director General, International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea (CIESM), 16, bd de Suisse, 98000  Monte Carlo, Monaco;

Tel: +377 93303879; Fax: +377 92161195; email: ciesm@ciesm.org

Dr. Coskun Demyr

General Command of Mapping, Geodesy Department

TR-06100 Cebeci/ANKARA, TURKISH REPUBLIC;

Tel : +90-312-5952245; Fax: +90-312-3201495; email : cdemir@hgk.mil.tr

Dr. Aldo DRAGO

University of Malta, IOI-Malta Operational Centre and Physical Oceanography Unit, Msida  MSD06 c/o 43/1, Valley Road, Birkirkara, Malta;

Tel: +356 21 440972; Fax: +356 21 440972; email: aldo.drago@um.edu.mt

Dr. Maria-Jesús Garcia

Instituto Español de Oceanografia, Medio Marino,

Corazón de Maria 8, E-28002 Madrid, SPAIN;

Tel:  34 (9)1 3473612, Fax: 34 (9)1 4135597, e-mail: MJesus.garcia@md.ieo.es

Dr. Begoña Pérez Gómez

Área de Medio Físico, Puertos del Estado-CEDEX,

Avda. Del Partenón, 10, E- 28042 Madrid, SPAIN;

Tel: +34 91 5245 500 ext 1430, Fax: +34 91 5245 506, email: bego@puertos.es

Mr. Karim Hilmi

Institut National de Recherche Halieutique,  Department D'Oceanographie,

02, Rue de Tiznit, 20000 Casablanca 01, MAroc;

Tel: +212 022 222090; Fax: +212 022 266967; email: inrh@mail.cbi.net.ma

Dr. Olexandr Kuznetsov
Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Experimental Branch
National Academy of Science of Ukraine
Kaciveli (Simeiz),  Ukraine;

Tel: +380-692-540452; Fax: +380-692-554253, e-mail: vaivanov@alpha.mhi.iuf.net

Dr. Gilles Larnicol

CLS (Collecte, Localisation, Satellites), Space Oceanography Division
8-10 rue Hermes, Parc Technologique du Canal,

31526 Ramonville Saint-Agne, FRANCE;

Tel:  +33 561-394758; Fax: +33 561-751014; email: gilles.larnicol@cls.fr

Dr. Nenad LEDER,

Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia

Zrinsko Frankopanska 161, HR-21000 Split, CROATIA;

Tel: +385 21361840, Fax: +385 21347242, email: nenad.leder@hhi.hr

Mr. Viorel MALCIU            

National Institute of Marine Research-Development "Grigore Antipa"
Mamaia Blvd. 300, RO - 8700 Constantza, ROMANIA;

Tel: +40 41 543288/540870, Fax: +40 41 831274, email: rmri@alpha.rmri.ro

Theodore Kardaras
Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service, Oceanography Division
EL-T.G.N.1040 Athens, Greece;

Tel: +30106442986, Fax: +30106517811, e-mail: Ocean@hnhs.gr

Prof. George S. Metreveli                                                                      
Tbilisi State University,  Department of Meteorology & Oceanology    
73 Prospekt Chavchavadze 1, Tbilisi 380008, Georgia

Tel: +995 99 547930;  Fax: +995 32 253 222; e-mail: gmetreveli@ictsu.tsu.edu.ge

Dr. A. Orbi 
Institut National de Recherche Halieutique, Department D'Oceanographie, 
02, Rue de Tiznit, 20000 Casablanca, MOrocCo;
Tel. +212 2 228534; Fax. +212 26 69 67; email: orbi@inrh.org.ma 

Dr.Fabio Raicich                               

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine, Sezione di Trieste
Viale Romolo Gessi, 2, I-34123 Trieste, Italy;

Tel. +39 040 305 617, Fax. +39 040 308 941, email: fabio.raicich@ts.ismar.cnr.it

Mr. Dov S. rOSEN,

MedGLOSS Programme Coordinator,

Chairman, Joint IOC & CIESM Group of Experts on MedGLOSS

Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Department of Marine Geology & Coastal Processes,

Tel Shikmona, POBox 8030, Haifa 31080, ISRAEL;

Tel: +972-4-8565241; Fax: +972-4-8511911; email: rosen@ocean.org.il

Dr. Bernard Simon                                  

Etablissement Principal du Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine (EPSHOM), 1EPSHOM, Section Geodesie-Geophysique, 3 Rue de Chatellier,

BP 30316 29603 BREST CEDEX, France;

Tel: +33 2 98 22 18 68, Fax : +33 2 98 22 08 99, email: simon@shom.fr

Pierre-Yves Le Traon 

Member, Joint IOC&CIESM Group of Experts on MedGLOSS

CLS (Collecte, Localisation, Satellites), Space Oceanography Division
8-10, rue Hermès, Parc Technologique du Canal,
31526 Ramonville Saint-Agne Cedex FRANCE;
Tel: +33 561 394 700; Fax: +33 561 751014; email: letraon@cls.cnes.fr

Prof. Suzanna Zerbini

Member, Joint IOC&CIESM Group of Experts on MedGLOSS

University of Bologna,  Department of Physics, Sector of Geophysics,
Viale Berti Pichat  8, I-40127 Bologna, ITALY;

Tel:  +39 051 209 5019, Fax: +39 051 2095058, email: zerbini@df.unibo.it

Dr. George Zodiatis
Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Oceanography Centre
Aeolou 13, 1416 Nicosia, Cyprus;
Tel: +357-22892681; Fax: +357-22892679; e-mail: gzodiac@ucy.ac.cy

Prof. Philip Woodworth,

Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory,

Bidston Observatory, Boundary Road, Prenton

UK-CH43 7RA Birkenhead, Merseyside, United  Kingdom;

Tel: +44 - 151 - 653 8633, Fax: +44 - 151 - 653 6269, email: plw@pol.ac.uk

MedGLOSS main activities in the period December 2001 through March 2005 have been dedicated to the following issues:

·  Development, operation and further improvement of the MedGLOSS Internet web site which has been further upgraded in September 2003;

·  Development and upgrading of data gathering, data transmission and data analyses software (LEVELGRAPH, TIDETASKS for WINDOWS (previous WINTASK2000, etc.);

·  Data provision to international centers (PSMSL, Hawaii Fast Mode Global Sea Level Center) and web data access for all members of MedGLOSS, CIESM, ESEAS and GLOSS.

·  Provision of technical and software information and/or assistance to the MedGLOSS NRT stations in Split, Portomaso, Paphos,Constanta and Kacively and also to some potential candidates for upgrading sea level stations in Bulgaria, Slovenia, Georgia, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia.

·  Provision of temporary sensors for replacement during recalibration period (Paroscientific Intelligent Digiquartz 8000 by rotation).

·  Participation in the ESEAS-RI project and inclusion of non-EU MedGLOSS members in the project, while other EU members participates directly.

·  Digitization of old hourly sea level data at a number of MedGLOSS stations with ESEAS-RI funds.

·  Installation of new modern sea level stations and CGPS at/near a number of MedGLOSS stations with funds from ESEAS-RI project.

·  Upon agreement with GAVDOS Consortium of the satellite altimetry calibration sea level station, and reinstallation of the GAVDOS station in May 2005, NRT sea level data from this site will be also presented on MedGLOSS web site.

Rosen D.S., 1997, Launching of the pilot phase of MedGLOSS Network, Joint IOC/UNESCO & CIESM Group of Experts on MedGLOSS Meeting, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO, Paris, January 1997, 8pp.

Rosen D.S., 2001, An Overview of the MedGLOSS 2000 Coordination Meeting and Progress Update, Proc. 36th CIESM Congress, pp. 93-94, Monte Carlo, Monaco, September 2001.

Rosen D.S. and Thorkild A., editors, 2002, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission & International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea MedGLOSS Pilot Network Workshop and Coordination Meeting, Haifa, 15-17 May 2000, IOC/UNESCO Report 176, 120pp.

Fenoglio-Marc L. and  Rosen D.S., 2004, Comparison of sea level changes in the last decade in the Mediterranean sea using satellite altimetry vs tide gauge data, Proc. 37^th CIESM Congress (Barcelona, 7-11 June 2004)

Rosen D.S., Lunin I., Tsehtik Y., Gertman I., 2004, WINTASK - a WINDOWS interface for POL’S TASK software for tide analysis and forecasting, Abstracts ESEAS-RI Workshop on Sea Level Observation and Interpretation, Malta 1-3 November 2004.