Argo Float Ocean Temperature and Salinity Profiles

Argo Australia provides high-quality measurements of ocean temperature and salinity from the upper 2000 meters, collected by over 3,000 autonomous profiling floats. Each float completes approximately 150 ten-day cycles, transmitting data via satellite after each ascent. The dataset is maintained by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Modeling ocean heat content by analyzing temperature profiles from the upper 2000 meters.
• Tracking changes in ocean salinity patterns using the salinity data recorded during float ascents.
• Studying mid-depth ocean currents using the float drift position data determined by satellite.
• Calibrating satellite sea surface salinity measurements with in-situ salinity profile data.

Strengths

• Data collected by a global network of over 3,000 autonomous floats.
• Each float is designed for approximately 150 measurement cycles, ensuring longitudinal data.
• High-quality measurements focused on temperature and salinity parameters.

Limitations

• Specific row count, geographic bounds, and temporal range for the subset are unknown.
• Available file formats are listed as PNG and HTML, suggesting potential lack of raw structured data files.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network mirror of US Argo server data.

Collection Method

Collected by battery-powered autonomous floats that ascend every 10 days, recording temperature and salinity during a 6-hour rise.

Freshness

Updated regularly; last metadata update was April 2026.

Geography

Oceans surrounding Australia, as part of the global Argo program.