PICES XV Oct15, 2006 Japanese Argo Program Nobie Shikama (JAMSTEC)
What is Argo? Argo is a global ocean monitoring network of 3,000 floats which measure T-S profile of upper 2,000m every 10 days and transmit the data to land via satellites. Argo data is distributed to world-wide meteorological agencies within 24 hours via GTS and assembled in GDAC (Global Data Assembly Center). Anyone can Access GDAC via internet and use Argo data without charge. Argo is now executed by 22 nations and EU under the auspices of IOC and WMO. In Japan, Argo has been executed by JAMSTEC, JMA, JCG, JFA in cooperation with several universities, fishery high school, and other institutes.
Mission of an Argo float
Argo Network is close to the target of 3,000 floats Aug. 2006 Japan is the 2 nd largest contributor next to USA
Argo and Argo Equivalent floats deployed by various organizations in Japan From July 1997 to March 2006 JAMSTEC 471 A Japan Meteorological Agency 27 A+E Meteorological Research Institute 27 E Fisheries Research Agency 12 E National Institute of Polar Research 6 E Ocean Research Institute / Univ. of Tokyo 4 E Tohoku University 3 E A (Argo) : funded for Argo E (Argo Equivalent) : funded for other than Argo but data is provided to Argo
JAMSTEC s floats have been deployed in cooperation with; JAMSTEC Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Coast Guard Japan Fisheries Agency National Institute of Polar Research Ocean Research Institute/ Tokyo University Hokkaido University Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Tokai University Misaki Fishery High School Institute of Cetacean Research Total 11 organizations, 98 cruises since 2000. We teach them how to deploy floats. No charge for ship time and deployment service.
Accumulated number of JAMSTEC s floats 500 450 400 dead recovered active As of 2006/ 04/ 01 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Jan- 00 Apr- 00 Jul-00 Oct- 00 Jan- 01 Apr- 01 Jul-01 Oct- 01 Jan- 02 Apr- 02 Jul-02 Oct- 02 Jan- 03 Apr- 03 Jul-03 Oct- 03 Jan- 04 Apr- 04 Jul-04 Oct- 04 Jan- 05 Apr- 05 Jul-05 Oct- 05 Jan- 06 * Including 72 PROVORs Number of Float s
Float launching cruises in FY2005 (Pacific) Other than JAMSTEC s floats, Oshoro deployed 6 Canadian floats, and Mirai 3 Australian floats
Float launching cruises in FY2005 (Indian & Southern Oceans)
Misaki Fishery High School students deployed 20 floats in 3 cruises using the training ship. High school students are joining in Japanese Argo
Launching floats from cruising vessels Float packed in a cardboard box Experiment up to 15 knot was successful
Argo float is needed to ballast prior to deployment High pressure tank at JAMSTEC
Recalibration of Sea-Bird CTD sensors after maker shipment At JAMSTEC the same calibration system as those used at Sea-Bird is operated by technicians trained at Sea-Bird Calibration bath (upper) Five sensors are calibrated at the same time (upper). A sensor is being set in the bath (left).
Float recovery is very useful to examine time-change of CTD sensor and to find out the cause of hardware troubles. JAMSTEC has recovered 7 floats. 5 months after drifting at the sea surface Picking up float
Recalibration of salinity sensor of recovered float ΔS increases nearly in proportion to the operation period rate = 0.004 /year - reducing the surfacing time of floats likely improves S accuracy
POPS (Polar Ocean Profiling System) T. Kikuchi (JAMSTEC) D. Langevin (MetOcean) Ice Platform + Argo float (PROVOR) Ice Platform Subsurface CTD Profiler (PROVOR)
Beginning of the Arctic Argo-POPS
Japanese made NINJA to measure chlorophyl NINJA with chlorophyl sensor Chlorophyl sensor
SLOCUM float-glider Float mission is controlled by Iridium satellites. Not yet deployed in Japan. Shallow Slocum Deep Slocum
Argo Data Flow in Japan Delayed mode dqc PIs Real time mode JAMSTEC Regional Center d 2 QC Mirroring site of GDAC Delayed mode data Users NDAC GDAC rqc Real time data GTS Worldwide Met. Agencies AIC NDAC(National Data Assembly Center) :JMA GDAC(Global Data Assembly Center) :FNMOC & IFREMER AIC : Argo Information Center
Argo Pacific Regional Center JAMSTEC functions as Argo Pacific Regional Center In cooperation with CSIRO and IPRC. The function is monitoring delayed-mode quality control level of all Argo data obtained in the North and South Pacific and inform the Principal Investigators when the quality control level has some doubts. JAMSTEC edited and released new climatological database for Pacific and Indian Oceans to make quality control level much higher. Member nations are; Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Russia,and USA
Regional Center Pacific region in charge JAMSTEC Eq. CSIRO (Australia) JAMSTEC and/or IPRC? 30S 180
Example of T-S profile measured by Argo float Blue: Temp. Red: Sal. Green: Density
Example of product Temperature at 100db
Temperature at 2000db
Salinity at 100db
Salinity at 2000db
Current at 10db
Current at 400db
Sustained and innovative Argo Argo is a major infrastructure of global ocean monitoring, and needs to be a sustained system. Argo has two functions. One is a basic and stable monitoring system of T and S and another an innovative one which actively adopts new technology such as new sensors or new communication system. JAMSTEC is funded to deploy about 90 floats/year until March 2009, and now considering next step along the course above stated.
Beached floats in Mindanao/Philippine Japan 2 US 1 China 2 Korea 3 Green:working Red:dead 5900224(China) was retrieved
Float probably intercepted by a fishing boat Above case happened in March 2004. Gathering information, we gave up recovery operation because of termination of transmission and social disorder at the site. Similar case happened in November 2004, and we are now making contact with Philippine Foreign Ministry.