Note from the editors
After several years of interruption, we are delighted to relaunch the Biogeochemical-Argo newsletter. This 6th edition is marked by optimism and renewal. The year 2022 was characterized by record network performance, the recruitment of a technical coordinator, and the return of in-person meetings. This favorable context should motivate the community to continue its efforts to achieve the set goals and increase the essential contribution of BGC-Argo to the GOOS in an increasingly complex environmental and societal context.
In this edition, you will discover the scientific missions and some scientific and technological advances that have marked the year. It is also the opportunity to announce the upcoming GO-BGC meeting in August.
Feel free to share this newsletter, subscribe to it, and follow Biogeochemical-Argo on Twitter @bgc_argo (which has just reached 1,000 subscribers!).
We also rely on you to send us articles at Mr Orens de Fommervault ( odefommervault@ocean-ops.org) that could appear in the next edition.
Everyone's efforts count! Hervé Claustre & Ken Johnson
co-chairs of the Biogeochemical-Argo program
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Status of the BGC-Argo array
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By the end of 2022, the array was composed of 506 active floats provided by 17 nations. This is an annual record ! Over the past 2 years, the BGC-Argo array increased by 10%. The goal of 1000 floats is still far from being reached but for the first time goes over 50%. After 3 years of low intensity of deployment, the trend has risen again that is a very good signal. In 2022, 183 BGC-Argo floats were deployed to reach 80% of the target. A large contribution of US - exactly 100 BGC floats deployed over the past year- still maintain the network at a good level.
With respect to the array design requirement, the coverage did not significantly change. In particular, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Ocean are still largely under-sampled.
A significant proportion of BGC-Argo floats remains equipped with only a partial suite of sensors (40% of them carry only oxygen as extra sensor). In 2022, there was progress made with approximately 45% of the floats deployed with a complete suite of sensors (5 or 6 BGC sensors). Even if it is still too little, it is encouraging for the community to continue these efforts. Having more comprehensive sensor suites on floats is crucial for BGC-Argo and contributes to the multi-disciplinary capabilities of the network!
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SOCCOM floats in the far south in the Ross Sea
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The SOCCOM project has successfully deployed an array of 5 Apex profiling floats equipped with BGC sensors for oxygen, nitrate, pH, chlorophyll, and optical backscatter on the shelf in the Ross Sea (WMO 7900823 to 7900827). These deployments near the Ross Ice Shelf include a float at latitude 77.8°S. This is the farthest south deployment of a BGC-Argo float, eclipsing the previous record from an Apex float carrying an oxygen sensor at 77.5°S. Water depths at deployment locations are 300 to 500 m and the floats will park on the bottom between profiles at a 5 day cycle time. The data returned by these floats should provide an unparalleled view of biogeochemical processes in the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area across multiple years. Although deployments this far south are very high risk, previous deployments of Apex floats in this area have been successful ( Porter et al., 2019). Initial data returned by the floats show that all sensors are operating as expected. The floats have now gone into ice evasion mode and will not report again until next austral summer. |
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DISSEMINATION
[ Scientific Highlights ]
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29 floats deployed during the Indian Ocean mission
of the Monaco Explorations
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The Indian Ocean expedition
The Indian Ocean expedition is an initiative of the Princely Government of Monaco that is a great supporter of BGC-Argo. Around 150 people representing some twenty nationalities boarded the S.A. Agulhas II for a two months mission (October-November 2022) in the south-west Indian Ocean.
Along a trip of 13,000 km, 29 BGC-Argo floats were deployed by France, Canada and US, in one of the most under sampled area in the world. These deployments mobilized several new generation REFINE floats equipped with hyperspectral sensors and underwater imager. |
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A unique scientific mission
This unique scientific mission also included a diplomatic and educative component. Several international students attended courses given onboard the vessel. 2 floats were also handed over to Seychelles and Mauritius by H.S.H. Prince Albert II and adopted by local schools as part of the Adopt a float educational program. |
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Global BGC-Argo Data now Available for Online Analysis and Visualization
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A new aggregated global BGC-Argo data collection is now available for online analysis and visualization using webODV. The dataset contains 644,437 BGC-Argo profiles for the global ocean covering the period from September 2002 until January 2023. Data for almost 250 million samples and 59 variables are provided. In addition, for all floats there is extensive metadata on platforms, instruments, originating data centers and principal investigators. More information on the dataset and images of usage examples can be found here.
To use the dataset, visit the EGI-ACE webODV, login with your institutional or social media account, navigate to “Ocean > Biogeochemistry > Argo”, click on “BGC-Argo Global Profiles 2002-2023” and choose the “Data Exploration” service. This will open an ODV-online session in your web browser. Previous ODV users will feel at home instantly, new users can find instructions on how to use the interface under Help or Docs. |
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Float-based imaging systems reveal particle sinking patterns across multiple size classes
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Underwater Vision Profiler Version 6
The first BGC-Argo float equipped with the Underwater Vision Profiler ( UVP6) was deployed in December 2020 south of Tasmania, as part of the Southern Ocean Large Areal Carbon Export ( SOLACE) voyage. The UVP6 is a miniaturized camera that captures images of marine snow and zooplankton evolving in the water column, from which particle size spectra can be derived.
The quasi-Lagrangian nature of this BGC-Argo float allowed us to track in time the sinking of particles, distributed into 14 size classes ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 mm, throughout the mesopelagic at temporal scales from days to months. Particle sinking rates are a key currency needed to understand, quantify and model the ocean’s Biological Gravitational Pump. In addition, such dataset will bring new insights into particle dynamics (e.g. aggregation/fragmentation processes), carbon flux attenuation and carbon sequestration (e.g. size-differentiated penetration depth of particles). |
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Are you interested in ocean observing outreach and educational activities? Have a look at the Ocean Observers platform!
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Born in 2017, Ocean Observers is an international network of scientists, educators, teachers, marine communicators, and ocean science-lovers, involved in marine science education and outreach activities. This initiative is jointly led by OceanOPS and Euro-Argo ERIC.
A key focus of Ocean Observers is to gather and share experience on educational activities related to in situ ocean observations to assemble all materials in a unique, freely accessible multi-language repository to build a global ocean observing learning platform. Surfing on the platform, you can find and download many educational resources such as coloring sheets, books, and hands-on experiment videos, classified by age and scientific topics. Ten thematic sheets will help you present the various ocean observing networks and instruments used for collecting important oceanographic and meteorological data.
It's your move to raise awareness about observation systems, such as BGC-Argo, among both young minds and the general public!
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GO-BGC Float Data Workshop at UMass Boston
on August 21-23, 2023
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GO-BGC Float Data Workshop
The format of the workshop will be a hands-on exercise with open practices, inclusive participation, and thoughtful problem exploration. Attendees will generate research ideas utilizing BGC-Argo float data and start working on projects as teams. This will be an active experience designed to familiarize participants with float data analysis techniques, illustrate scientific applications of float data, facilitate collaboration among diverse participants, and develop new tools for data analysis.
Workshop participants will be staying in the student dorms at UMass Boston. Rooms will be single occupancy with private bathrooms. Your room, breakfast and lunch for the workshop will be covered as part of the GO-BGC NSF Grant. Some travel awards are available for domestic travel to and from the workshop with a focus on early career participants. The workshop is designed for in-person participation due to the collaborative nature of the projects. Some content will be recorded.
GO-BGC organizers: David Nicholson (WHOI), Yui Takeshita (MBARI), Alison Gray (UW).
Sign up at the link below to be notified when registration opens. More information is coming.
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Focus on BGC-Argo Webpages
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Recent floats deployed
Via the home page, the recently deployed float with their main characteristic (sensors, WMO, location) are accessible (Green button at the lower left corner). This table also lists the whole deployment history over the last 21 years. This archive corresponds to the updated map.
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BGC-Argo profiles on April 2023
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Active Sensors
In addition to the number of profiles per year, the number of BGC-Argo core sensors/variables that have been or are still active for the present year is is available in the footer of the entire site. See below.
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