1 The Argo project 21st Century in-situ Ocean Observing System M. Belbeoch, Argo Technical Coordinator with inputs from D. Roemmich, Argo Steering Team chair J. Gould, Argo Project Office Director S. Pouliquen, Argo Data Management Team co-chair and many other Argonauts

2 What is Argo ?  Maintain a global array of 3000 profiling floats by 2006 (3°x3°)  « Take the pulse » of the Ocean’s 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  cycles (4-5 years lifetime)  T/S Profiles down to 2000 dbars  CTD stable: 1 dbar, °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 Data sent ashore in hours Prepare data for distribution Here is the master copy of the data Information about Argo Regional analyses Data collection and certification Long term archive Argo Data System

8 Project Status: 1237 Active Floats (40 %) as of 11/05/2003 R/T Data Publication: ~96% Deployments (target = 800/year) 2000: : : : 666 R/T status and

9 Project Status: Network Age Logistical challenge: deployment opportunities

10 Project Status: 70 % of profiles > 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