Argo

1
The Argo Project21st Century in-situ Ocean
Observing Systemto update
2

• What is Argo ?
• A new way to collect data from the ocean using
  robot floats
•  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
• Target- a 3 x 3 global array ( 3000 floats)
• 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
Standard Float Cycle

• Drifting Depth 1000 m
• Profiling Depth 2000 m
• 10 Days Cycles

4

• Float Technology complex revolutionary
• Float designs 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 Deployments
• Argos Communications
• Optical, Acoustic, Dissolved Oxygen sensors
• Iridium communications
• Next generation profiling floats (IFREMER,
  JAMSTEC)
• Technological Challenge

5

• Organization
• National programmes contributing to
• GODAE/CLIVAR pilot-project
• A major contribution to GOOS/GCOS
• Endorsed by WMO and IOC
• Argo Steering Team Argo Data Management Team
• Argo Project Office
• Director (J. Gould, CSIRO, Hobart, Australia)
• Coordinator (M.Belbeoch, Argo Information Centre
  - JCOMMOPS, Toulouse, France)

6

• Data Management
• 2 channels of real time distribution
• GTS of WMO - mostly to operational users
• Internet from 2 Global Data Centres (GDACs)
• - available to all
• National Data Centres feed the GTS and 2 GDACs
• Coriolis Server (IFREMER, France)
• GODAE Server (FNMOC, USA)
• Standard Real-Time QC applied
• Delayed-Mode QC being finalized (data available
  from GDACs after delay of 6-12 months)
• Regional Centres being established
• Long Term Archival Centre established _at_ NODC, USA

7
Argo gt Operational Data Distribution - 9
established DACs feed GDACs - 98 of data
delivered in real time to GTS and GDACs (84 of
these within 24h - source MEDS)
DAC / Distribution Channel GTS GDACs
Coriolis (FR) x x
CSIRO (AU) x x
MEDS (CA) x x
JMA (JP) x x
AOML (USA) (SAI) x
BODC (UK) CLS x
METRI/KMA (KOREA) JMA x
INCOIS (INDIA) CLS x
NMDIS (CHINA) CLS x
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
18 45 53 72 84
8
Argo Data System
http//www.coriolis.eu.org
http//usgodae.org/argo/argo.html
9
The Argo Information CentreInternational
Coordination Clearing House, Focal
Point Integrated within JCOMMOPS
Autonomous Information System(Database, GIS,
Charts) Real Time Web based Monitoring
SystemMetadata Centre
http//argo.jcommops.org
10
Argo Status
Yearly Deployments Yearly Deployments Yearly Deployments Yearly Deployments Yearly Deployments
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
116 292 455 667 838
11

• All Argo deployment locations (2004 red)
• Target deployment rate reached in 2004
  (800/year)
• Argo pilot-project feasibility demonstrated
• Southern Ocean still a challenge for Argo

12

• Young network (50 lt 1year) - early floats had
  short life

lt 1 year 799 (48,9)
1-2 years 446 (27,3)
2-3 years 311 (19,0)
3-4 years 36 (2,2)
gt 4 years 43 (2,6)
13

• Fleet of US, French, German and Japanese
  manufactured floats

14
Argo Profiling Depths
(Deepest profiles at high latitude)
15
Argo gt International Project
16
Argo is supported by
ARGENTINA-AUSTRALIA- CANADA- CHILE- CHINA- COOK
ISLANDS- COSTA RICA- DENMARK- EUROPEAN UNION-
FIJI- FRANCE- GERMANY- ICELAND- INDIA- INDONESIA-
IRELAND- JAPAN- KIRIBATI- KOREA (REPUBLIC OF)-
MARSHALL ISLANDS- MAURITIUS- MEXICO- MICRONESIA,
FEDERATED STATES OF- MOZAMBIQUE- NETHERLANDS- NEW
CALEDONIA- NEW ZEALAND- NIUE- NORWAY- PAPUA NEW
GUINEA- RUSSIAN FEDERATION- SAMOA- SOLOMON
ISLANDS- SOUTH AFRICA- SPAIN- TOKELAU- TONGA-
TUVALU- UNITED KINGDOM- UNITED STATES- VANUATU-
EEZ access to complete the array
17
Float Retrieval Procedure

• 1 expected to be retrieved
• 50 of the fleet have labels
• Target is to label all
• Countries responsible for
• retrieval of floats when
• found

18

• Argo Initiatives in South America
• Float Donations to Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico
  value 15,000 /unit Communications -
  Shipping paid by recipient - Deployment
  location choosen using regional expertise
  but adhering to Argo standards
• Invitation to support Argo sent by
  intergovernmental channels (IOC)
• Visit of TC (seminars, training on float
  technology)
• Contacts needed for the Atlantic side
• Goal Finalize these initiatives at a South
  American Argo Workshop (Contacts needed)

19

Courtesy H. Freeland, IOS Canada
20
Argo Dominant source of information in the SO
Courtesy H. Freeland, IOS Canada
21
Examples of Argo data use
Non Argo
With Argo
UK Met Office assimilating salinity in global
model
Forecasting currents around Australia David
Griffin , Bluelink project, Australia
Monitoring monsoon impacts (Ravichandran)
Environmental Impact assessment Gulf of Alaska (H
Freeland Canada)
22
Conclusion

• Almost 1700 operational floats
• Free data distribution and sharing
• Target deployment rate reached in 2004 838
  floats
• Network is young (50 fleet lt 1 year old)
• Deployment failure rate decreased from 8.6
  (2001) to 1.9 (2004)
• 90 of the fleet is profiling deeper than 1000m
• Argo is truly global and international (19
  countries, 50 regional initiatives, more to come)

Argo is doing well !
23

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

24
Thank you
Argo Globe, Courtesy H. Freeland, IOS Canada
Argo Portal www.argo.net