This is the starting project approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology for the implement of the China Argo Program since the official reply, “Our country may join Argo global ocean observation array program” made by the State Council.

       In this project new advanced profiling floats (Argo float) will be imported and deployed in the Northwestern Pacific to form China’s ocean observation array within the new generation real-time ocean observing system (Argo), at the same time to get to know the performance and characteristics of the new observing technology, develop real-time data receiving and processing method and procedure and carry out test application study of the data in oceanographic and climatological fields. In the implementation of the project, activities of the international Argo program will be participated in or hosted and the right and obligation to share the global Argo data will be sought. The project is going to provide data service for the marine and meteorological society of our country to carry relative research project and to enrich the database of the marine environment of China.

       The project is entrusted by the Department of Basic Research of the Ministry of Science and Technology, backed by the Department of Science and Technology, SOA, and undertaken by the Chinese Institute of Meteorological Science, National Marine Information Center, Institute of South China Sea Oceanography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, the First, Second and Third Institutes of Oceanography, the Institute of Ocean Technology and the South China Sea Branch, SOA, with the Second Institute of Oceanography and the state key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics (formally the key laboratory of Ocean Dynamic Process and Satellite Oceanography of SOA) in the lead.. It formally started in 2002, and research contents and objectives are as follows:

Research Contents

       1. Reliability test and deployment of Argo floats

       Using devices such as up-going signal receiver to test the performance of the float and to make sure it is in good working condition before deployment so as to avoid unnecessary loss of the float.

       2. Comparative observation of Argo float and conventional hydrographic instruments (quasi real-time)

       Using conventional instruments such as CTD, ADCP and laboratory salinity indicator to make comparative measurements before and after the deployment of the float to collect first hand data for testing and correcting the data from the floats thus to guarantee correctness and accuracy of the data.

       3. Testing, correction and processing of the data

       Argo profiling float makes use of cycling observation technology and the accuracy of the data can not be guaranteed because of the seawater corrosion and bioadhesion on the sensor. That is why adequate method should be developed to test and correct the data. According to different use of the data real-time quality control (QC) and delayed mode quality control (DMQC) system should be developed to guarantee the real-time data and to provide high quality data for the scientists.

       4. Application of real-time Argo data in the operational ocean forecasting

       Argo data will be used in the objective analysis of ocean temperature initial field to increase the accuracy of the field and thus the numerical forecasting level of ocean temperature. Argo data will be combined with the remote sensing data of the surface temperature to make three dimensional diagnostic and forecasting of ocean temperature with an aim to increase the diagnostic and forecasting accuracy of the parameters of the mixed layer and transition layer.

       5. Application of real-time Argo data in operational weather forecasting

       Based on the global Argo assimilated database a new ocean initial field is to be formed and using the improved air-sea coupling operational forecasting model of the tropical Pacific region and the global air-sea coupling model to carry out long-term weather forecasting test and short-term climate predicting test without changing the dynamic framework of the original models, so as to raise the ability of predicting global climate variability of the original models.

       6. Argo data assimilation technology

       To avoid the shortcomings that the initialized data introduction error exceeds the data error in numerical analysis and operational forecasting, which is resulted from transforming irregular inhomogeneous data from measurement stations into gridded data need by model calculation, it is necessary to introduce optimum-control-theory based accompanying assimilation data method and other assimilation techniques to assimilate Argo data alone or together with common temperature and salinity data into the numerical model, so as to enrich the data source and improve the accuracy of ocean and weather forecasting, and also to build up Argo float assimilation database of our own.

       7. Application of Argo data in regional/ocean circulation model

       Combined with the development of Argo data assimilation technology, study on regional/ocean simulation will be done to improve utilization technology of Argo data and simulating technology of circulation. At the same time assimilation technology such as accompanying assimilation data method will be used to optimize the initial field, parameter estimation, open boundary condition and outside forced field of the model MOM3, so as to improve the understanding of the flow field and temperature salinity field distribution of the Pacific Ocean.

       8. Management and service network of Argo data

       To build up network link with Argo data receiving system and the ability of operational collection of Argo data; to develop series products of ocean background field data and visual products of Argo data; To build up network service system of Argo data using website of marine information to issue Argo data and products and provide service.

Objectives

       1. Deploy 16 deep-water Argo profiling floats in the Western Pacific Ocean to form an observation network of the area as a part of the new generation ocean real-time observation array of China (first stage), and thus to lay a foundation for the second stage of the array (100 – 150 deep-water Argo floats) and for the construction of coastal observation network.

       2. Through comparisons of Argo data with in situ observations by common observation devices such as CTD and ADCP, combined with comparison and analysis of historical data, the performance of the float and the accuracy and reliability of the data will be tested. To study and develop process and method for receiving and processing real-time Argo data and formulate scientific and reasonable standards and processes to test the quality of profile data.

       3. To set up China Argo information web site and data management and service network of Argo floats.

       4. To set up Argo database and corresponding historical data sets and ocean environment database of the warm pool area and experimental area of the Pacific Ocean.

       5. To develop assimilation technology of the Argo data and set up Argo float assimilation database of our country.

       6. To provide SST operational numerical forecasting products and set up MOM3 ocean circulation model of the tropical Pacific Ocean with 1/4 x 1/4 degree resolution.

       7. Using global Argo data to improve our existing air-sea coupling forecasting model of the tropical Pacific region and the ocean parameter and initial field in the global air-sea coupling model, and to increase the forecasting accuracy of the existing models for long-term weather and short-term climate.

       8. To join the International Argo Program and be an important member of the program, that has the right and obligation of sharing the data of 3000 Argo floats.