The Argo Program

A global deep-ocean observing system, the Argo Program, was enabled by technology advances and implemented by a multi-national partnership of academic and governmental institutions and scientists, national agencies, and commercial providers. Development of the autonomous profiling float made Argo possible. Formation of key partnerships made it a reality. The Argo Steering Team and Argo Data Management Team coordinate among 25 national Argo Programs for deployment of the globally distributed array, and for uniform data communications, quality control, and data distribution. Deployment of the Argo array began in 1999, achieved 3000 floats in 2007, and has been sustained at about 4000 through the present. Ongoing innovations are expanding the partnerships, with Deep Argo floats profiling to the sea floor and Biogeochemical Argo floats carrying dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, and bio-optical sensors. The Argo partnership has created and sustained an unprecedented observational network for climate assessment, research, education and operational oceanography.