EGU2020-5978
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-5978
EGU General Assembly 2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Argo Beyond 2020: Towards a global, full-depth multidisciplinary array

Susan Wijffels1, Toshio Suga2, Dean Roemmich3, and the Argo Steering Team*
Susan Wijffels et al.
  • 1Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Physical Oceanography, United States of America (swijffels@whoi.edu)
  • 2Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
  • 3Scripps Institution of Oceangraphy, San Diego, United States of America
  • *A full list of authors appears at the end of the abstract

Starting in 2000, Argo reached global coverage in 2007 and has sustained a globally distributed array of ~ 3000 profiling floats for almost two decades. This Argo array delivers ocean temperature and salinity profiles from the sea surface to 2000 dbar roughly 300km apart every 10 days in realtime. Just as the present Argo array originated from an opportunistic mix of developments in both technology and data management, a new step-change in global ocean observing is now possible. Advances in platform and sensor technologies presents a new opportunity to (i) improve Argo’s global reach and value beyond the original design, (ii) extend Argo to span the full ocean depth, (iii) add biogeochemical sensors for improved understanding of oceanic cycles of carbon, nutrients, and ecosystems – all within the context of a comprehensive Argo data system. Each of these enhancements are evolving along a path from experimental deployments to regional pilot arrays to global implementation.The ultimate objective is to implement a fully global, top-to-bottom, dynamically complete, and multidisciplinary Argo Program that will integrate seamlessly with satellite and with other in situ elements of the Global Ocean Observing System. The integrated system will deliver enhanced operational reanalysis and forecasting capability, and assessment of the state and variability of the climate system with respect to physical, biogeochemical, and ecosystems parameters. It will enable basic research of unprecedented breadth and magnitude, and a wealth of ocean-education and outreach opportunities.

Argo Steering Team:

Ariel Troisi, Servício de Hídrografia Naval (SHN), Argentina; Breck Owens, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA; Mathieu Belbéoch, JCOMMOPS, France; Peter Oke, CSIRO, Marine and Atmospheric Research, Australia; Herve Claustre, CNRS-Sorbonne Université, LOPS, France; Kenneth Johnson, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, USA; Blair Greenan, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada; Jianping Xu, Second Institute of Oceanography, China; Sylvie Pouliquen, IFREMER, France; Megan Scanderbeg, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA; Pierre-Yves LeTraon, IFREMER/CNRS , France; Guillaume Maze, IFREMER, France; Birgit Klein, BSH (Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency), Germany; Rama Rao Pattabhi, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service, India; Diarmuid Ó Conchubhair, Irish Marine Institute, Ireland; Pierre-Marie Poulain, OGS (Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale), Italy; Ki-Ryong Kang, KMA, Korea; Andreas Sterl, KNMI, Netherlands Philip Sutton, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand Kjell Arne Mork, Institute of Marine Research, Norway Waldemar Walczowski, Polish Academy of Sciences,Poland Pedro Joaquín Vélez Belchi, Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Spain Tammy Morris, Marine Research Unit-South African Weather Service,South Africa Fiona Carse, UK MetOffice, U.K.; Brian King, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, U.K.; Jon Turton, UK MetOffice, U.K.; Molly Baringer, NOAA-Atlantic Ocean Marine Laboratory, USA; Steve Jayne, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, U.S.A.; Gregory Johnson, NOAA- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, U.S.A.; Steve Riser, University of Washington, U.S.A.

How to cite: Wijffels, S., Suga, T., and Roemmich, D. and the Argo Steering Team: Argo Beyond 2020: Towards a global, full-depth multidisciplinary array, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-5978, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-5978, 2020