The FP7 project JERICO opens transnational access to key coastal research infrastructures in Europe

The project “JERICO – Towards a Joint European Research Infrastructure network for Coastal Observatories” is an integrated infrastructure initiative, whose main objective is the integration of existing coastal observing systems, promoting a common model for their design, implementation and management, and for data distribution. Through the planned joint research activities, JERICO aims to identify new strategic technologies to develop in the next generation of European coastal observatories. Special attention is paid to the automatic measurements of biochemical parameters, that are presently poorly developed.

JERICO is also the first organized attempt to open to the scientific and technological communities some of the facilities operated by the consortium, by means of two international calls for proposals. CNR leads this activity, managing the access to coastal buoys and platforms, underwater installations (moorings), gliders, ships carrying automatic measurement systems (ferryboxes), and laboratories to calibrate marine sensors.

An expert panel will select the proposed projects and the selected teams will obtain free of charge access to the targeted facilities. The first call is open till April 3^rd for the submission of projects whose implementation is envisaged between June 2012 and March 2013. The next call is planned in the first quarter of 2013.

More details, including descriptions of accessible installations, access rules and eligibility, and the procedure for proposals submission, are found on the JERICO website: http://www.jerico-fp7.eu/tna.