Argo Australia aims to undertake real time monitoring of the broad ocean state around Australia by maintaining an array of profiling (Argo) floats that measure temperature and salinity down to 2000m every 10 days in real time. This provides the essential and dominant in situ data stream for ocean and climate research and prediction/re-analyses.

To ensure 50% of the minimum design coverage of 1 float every 3 x3 degrees of latitude/longitude in the Australian region (i.e. between 90oE to 18oE, equator to Antarctic) requires deployment of 60 floats per year with the balance derived from international partners. The NCRIS investment along with currently identified Australian partners will provide for ~ 75 % of this requirement with further opportunities for co-investment.

There is an option to equip 30 floats per annum with oxygen sensors to address carbon cycle and biogeochemical cycling (BGC) variability in the Southern Ocean which is a significant component of the world climate and carbon cycling system. Additional investment would be required for this to occur.

See the Argo Australia Fact Sheet (pdf)