National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
United States Department of Commerce

Global Observations of Biogeochemistry and Ocean Physics

Float deployment from the T/S Golden Bear with a rainbow in the background (photo by John Polling)

Argo profiling float deployment

https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/gobop

https://oceans.pmel.noaa.gov

The Global Observations of Biogeochemistry and Ocean Physics group works to increase vertical resolution and profiling depth of Argo floats to improve their usefulness for ocean analyses. They started deploying high vertical resolution Iridium floats in 2009. They are a strong proponent of ”Deep Argo,” an expansion of Argo’s capabilities to depths of up to six kilometers. The group monitors and studies the distribution and variations in ocean temperature, salinity, oxygen, carbon, nutrients, and currents and their relations to climate, ocean dynamics, and ecosystems, using data from the global Argo floats collected since 2000, as well as deep hydrographic profiles along oceanographic transects occupied by GO-SHIP, together with historical and satellite ocean observations. They also study the distribution and variations in ocean salinity, oxygen, and currents – and their relations to climate and ocean dynamics.