Argo

1
The Argo project21st Century in-situ Ocean
Observing System M. Belbeoch, Argo Technical
Coordinator with inputs fromD. Roemmich, Argo
Steering Team chairJ. Gould, Argo Project Office
DirectorS. Pouliquen, Argo Data Management Team
co-chairand many other Argonauts
http//www.argo.ucsd.eduhttp//argo.jcommops.org
2

• What is Argo ?
• Maintain a global array of 3000 profiling floats
  by 2006 (3x3)
•  Take the pulse  of the Oceans upper layer in
  real-time
• Complement to satellite and other in-situ
  observing systems
• Access to data is free and unrestricted
• Benefits
• Improve Ocean and Climate forecasting
• Understand ocean-atmosphere interactions
• Predict seasonal to decadal climate variability
• Wide range of applications for high-quality
  global ocean analyses is anticipated

3
Float Cycle
4

• Float Technology complex revolutionary
• APEX, PROVOR, SOLO, NINJA, COPEX, NEMO
• 150-200 cycles (4-5 years lifetime)
• T/S Profiles down to 2000 dbars
• CTD stable 1 dbar, 0.001 C, 0.01 Psu
• Air/Ship Deployment
• Argos Communications
• Optical, Acoustic, Dissolved Oxygen sensors
• Iridium
• Technological Challenge path to operational

5

• Organization
• GODAE/CLIVAR pilot-project
• A major contribution to GOOS/GCOS
• Endorsed by WMO and IOC
• Argo Steering Team
• Argo Project Office
• Argo Information Centre
• Argo Data Management Team

6

• Data Management
• 2 channels of distributions GTS of WMO and
  Internet
• National Data Centres feeding GTS and Global Data
  Centers
• Coriolis Server (IFREMER, France)
• GODAE Server (FNMOC, USA)
• Real-Time standard QC applied
• Delayed-Mode standard QC being finalized
• Regional Centres
• Long Term Archival Centre (NODC, USA)

7
http//www.coriolis.eu.org
http//usgodae1.fnmoc.navy.mil/argo/argo.html
Argo Data System
8
Project Status 1237 Active Floats (40 ) as of
11/05/2003R/T Data Publication 96
Deployments(target 800/year) 2000 1162001
292 2002 455 2003 666
R/T status and statistics_at_http//argo.jcommops.o
rg
9
Project Status Network Age
Logistical challenge deployment opportunities
10
Project Status 70 of profiles gt 1000
dbars Argo deep profiling
11
Project Status Participating countries
Mozambique, Pacific Islands, Netherlands
12
International Issues EEZ access to complete the
array
Float retrieval (1)
Argo label (40)
13

• Challenge
• Sustain the funding long enough to complete the
  global array and demonstrate its value.

14

• Challenge
• Sustain the funding long enough to complete the
  global array and demonstrate its value.
• Continuous interactions between Research
  Operational communities

15

• Thank You
• http//www.argo.ucsd.edu
• http//argo.jcommops.org