Measurement Technologies: Measure What, Where, Why, and How?

Grand challenges in the coastal zone include addressing the threats from global climate change and sustainable environmental management to maintain a balance between exploitation and conservation. Both require models that are able to differentiate and predict the impact of man’s activities from natural variability. Continued development of scientific understanding is necessary to formulate and interpret modeling simulations and to reconcile disparate findings from the diverse range of coastal environments. Systematic marine monitoring programs are vital for such development, involving combinations of remote sensing, moorings, and coastal stations. This chapter aims to provide a background for designing relevant measurement programs, together with an assessment of the capabilities and limitations of associated measurement technologies. The scope is generally limited to dynamics, mixing, and sedimentation with limited coverage of biological and chemical parameters.