Ocean Observing Awareness Campaign
Part 1: Euro-Argo

The first segment of the campaign focuses on Euro-Argo, the European contribution to the International Argo Programme. Started as a project in 2008, in 2014 Euro-Argo became a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC). Today, Euro-Argo is composed of 12 European member states and represents a joint effort of 30 science institutes. Making up 25% of the international Argo float network, Euro-Argo continues to cultivate the power of science institutes across Europe to grow and upgrade the Argo floats array, a game-changing ocean observation infrastructure transforming ocean research and improving our understanding of the ocean and its changing state.

Thanks to a collaborative effort between the EU4OceanObs team at Mercator Ocean International, Euro-Argo and INUA PROD, this first part of the campaign features a series of videos and articles, highlighting Euro-Argo’s unique contribution to the European and global ocean observing landscape, societal impacts, new extensions including Biogeochemical Argo and Deep Argo, challenges and future needs and much more. The materials produced seek to also illustrate the importance of generational diversity and exchange of knowledge by promoting the vision and role of both experienced and early-career professionals.

Videos

Taking advantage of the gathering at the 7th Euro-Argo Science Workshop in October in 2022, a series of interviews were conducted including participants from Euro-Argo and the larger ocean observing ecosystem, including EuroGOOS, OceanOps, Copernicus Marine, EMODnet, and the European Commission. The videos set out to explore what is Euro-Argo, its uniqueness and capacity to respond to research and societal challenges, its recent extensions (Biogeochemical and Deep Argo), how it is contributing to the European and international ocean observing landscape and supporting European policy and international objectives, how data is made available and what some of the challenges and future needs faced in sustaining in situ ocean observations.

How Euro-Argo is Transforming Ocean Observing

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Euro-Argo’s contribution to the European Global Ocean Observing System

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Euro-Argo: Future Needs and Challenges

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Compilation video of parts 1, 2 & 3

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Articles

The campaign produced 10 articles on various aspects of Euro-Argo and how it contributes to the global ocean observing ecosystem. The articles seek to capture the human faces and diversity of profiles driving Euro-Argo, with quotes and viewpoints from different experts in the Euro-Argo community and the broader ocean observing European landscape. Scientific journalist – Anh-Hoa Truong interviewed various experts and scientists in the Euro-Argo community and the European ocean observing landscape, including EuroGOOS, Copernicus Marine, EMODnet, European Commission and the international community (International Argo, OceanOps).

Click on the titles below to access the PDF of each article.

Since 2014, the Euro-Argo European Research Infrastructure Consortium has been cultivating the power of dozens of science institutes across Europe to grow and upgrade the Argo floats array, a game-changing ocean observation infrastructure, transforming ocean research.

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The Argo floats have already revolutionised physical oceanography. Now, a new wave of floats equipped with biogeochemical sensors will do the same for marine ecology.

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With a new generation of floats that can reach the bottom of the sea, scientists could soon close the global ocean’s heat budget.

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By unifying their ocean observation capability within Euro-Argo, European countries have a real impact on the international scene.

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Argo floats’ data go through a sophisticated network of processing and management systems that certify its quality and make it easily accessible.

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As they organise procurement, test, coordinate deployment and monitor floats, operational engineers play an essential role in the Argo programme.

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Argo floats benefit our societies in multiple ways: from enhancing weather and climate forecasts to retrieving lost cargo or helping the fishing industry.

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The Argo floats and the ocean observing system provide an unprecedented opportunity to raise public awareness about our seas and the crises they endure.

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Although the Argo programme has become a necessity for ocean and climate monitoring, forecasting and study, it still lacks a sustainable funding system and a long-term commitment from governments.

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The Argo programme has been built on a unique collaborative and problem-solving culture. These values are being passed on to young experts joining the programme today.

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Photo Gallery

Euro-Argo float (c) Olivier Dugornay - IFREMER

Argo floats ready to be tested at the IFREMER facility. © Olivier Dugornay/IFREMER

Argo float deployment (c) Thomas Jessin

Biogeochemcal floats tested at the IFREMER facility. © Olivier Dugornay/IFREMER

Testing of Argo floats at IFREMER facility (c) Olivier Dugornay - IFREMER

Sylvie Pouliquen, Former Euro-Argo ERIC program manager

Deployment of a biogeochemical Argo float © Philip Kulisev/Monaco Explorations

A Deep Argo float at the Ifremer facility. © Olivier Dugornay/Ifremer

Victor Turpin, Technical Coordinator and Emanuela Rusciano Science and Communications Officer at OceanOPS © Thomas d'Aram - INUA Prod

7th Argo Science Workshop, October 2022

European Argo float contribution as of Dec 2022 (c) OceanOps

7th Argo Science Workshop, October 2022 (c) Thomas d'Aram - INUA Prod

Euro-Argo ERIC headquarters, Brest, France (c) Thomas d'Aram - INUA Prod

One of the two Global Data Assembly Centres at IFREMER, France © Thomas d'Aram - INUA Prod

Virginie Thierry and Damien Desbruyères, oceanographers at IFREMER, Argo France/Euro-Argo ERIC (c) Thomas d'Aram - INUA Prod

One of the two Global Data Assembly Centres at Ifremer, France © Thomas d'Aram - INUA Prod

Deployment of an Argo float in the Arctic. © Nicolas Kolodziejczyk

The international Argo Data Management Team, Villefranche-sur-mer, France © IMEV

Argo float deployment © Lauren O’Dell/Amundsen Science

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Acknowledgements

The campaign was funded by the European Union through the EU4OceanObs Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI) Action. Coordinated by EU4OceanObs in close collaboration with Euro-Argo, the communication materials were produced by INUA Prod, with contribution of photos and video footage provided by Olivier Dugornay from Ifremer. We would like to thank everyone who participated in the campaign, and agreed to be interviewed and advise the project along the way – all the scientists, engineers and experts from the Euro-Argo ERIC, OceanOps, EMODnet, Copernicus Marine, Mercator Ocean International, EuroGOOS and the European Commission.

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