Report on Argo User’s Workshop at INCOIS July 20-22, 2008 M. Ravichandran Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Sciences Hyderabad, India

Why National Argo science workshop? To know and understand What are the different applications using Argo data in Indian Ocean? What we have learned from Argo and what we need to learn? What are the efforts in assimilating Argo in OGCM? Whether spatial, temporal and vertical sampling is adequate for such applications? What are the products required for other applications from argo? Requirement of new parameters from Argo such as Oxygen, chlorophyll, etc

Objective To take stock of utilization of Argo floats data by Indian Scientists To understand the requirement and/or modification in temporal and spatial distribution of floats and need of additional sensors. To motivate University students to use Argo data for different applications /studies

Participating Institutions: 63 Participants from 17 Institutions/University Andhra University, Vishakapatnam Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune Indian Navy INCOIS, Hyderabad Ministry of Earth Sciences, New Delhi Nansen Environmental Research Center, Kochi National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa National Centre for Medium Range Forecast, New Delhi National Institute of Oceanography, Goa National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad. Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, Kochi Naval Operational Data Processing and Analysis Center, Kochi Space Application Centre, ISRO, Ahmedabad University of Hyderbad, Hyderbad + Prof. Stephen Riser, University of Washington

Sessions Inaugural session Status of Argo project (Global & India) Indian Ocean Process studies Indian Ocean dynamics and validation of models New sensor requirement Indian Ocean Dipole and Monsoon 26 contributed paper + 5 Invited talks

Invited talk Role of Argo data in monitoring climate change together with Coupled climate models – Prof. J. Srininivasan, IISc Broad features of the Indian Ocean dynamics and thermodynamics, and some of the outstanding challenging problems – Dr. R R Rao, NPOL The historical measurements of salinity in the Indian Ocean – Dr. S. R. Shetye, NIO Development of Argo floats since 1950 interms of Technology - Prof. Stephen Riser, UW, USA Air-sea interaction over Indian Ocean with special emphasis on Indian Ocean dipole – Prof. B. N. Goswami, IITM

Indian Ocean process studies Buoyancy flux changes in the Bay of Bengal Upper ocean response of T & S to local atmospheric forcing Mixed layer variability in Arabian Sea Delineating upwelling zones, Role salinity in thermal inversion in Arabian sea Validation of sonic layer depth Contribution of halo-steric height in dynamic height …..

Indian Ocean dynamics and validation of models Impact of summer monsoon ISO in tropical Indian ocean using Argo and OGCM Surface currents from Argo, altimeter and scatterometer Validation of OGCM using Argo observations Analysed Ocean state using Argo and OGCM

Indian Ocean dipole and monsoon Generation and termination of IOD mechanism Impact of IOD on SSS revealed from Argo, Role of subsurface Temp anomalies in the SW Indian Ocean during 2006 dipole event Indian Oean – Monsoon interactions and drought over India in relation to Indian ocean sub-surface features

Recommendations & Suggestions Argo data has been widely utilized to understand the Indian Ocean dynamics, especially Dipole event, understanding the monsoon system in relation to heat content, buoyancy flux of the Indian Ocean and for validation of OGCM. Studies need to be initiated to assimilate Argo floats in OGCM In the Bay of Bengal, Argo floats with 5 days cycling period need to be deployed. These observations are to be sustained over a long period by deploying new floats as and when required. These observations are required for studying the intra-seasonal variations of thermo-haline structure. New Iridium floats with an additional high-resolution CTD are to be deployed in the Bay of Bengal. This additional CTD sensors measures P, T, S at very fine resolution (2 m) from 200 m upto the surface. Quality control methods followed by various institutions need to be pooled. All such Institutes to provide feedback on quality of data to INCOIS.

(Signed by AST co-chairs) Presented a certificate to ORV Sagarkanya for deploying 100 floats Indian ocean (Signed by AST co-chairs)

Thank you for your kind attention