Biogeochemical Argo floats have monitored the global ocean since 2002, with the first Australian deployments occurring in the East Australia Current in September 2019. The data includes profiles from 2000 meters depth to the sea surface, collected approximately every 10 days by floats with an average mission life of around 3.7 to 5 years. This collection is provided by the Australian Ocean Data Network and includes measurements of dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, and chlorophyll fluorescence.
Use Cases
- Modeling ocean carbon cycles based on pH and dissolved oxygen measurements.
- Tracking phytoplankton biomass dynamics based on chlorophyll fluorescence data.
- Analyzing nutrient distribution in ocean currents based on dissolved nitrate profiles.
- Studying float mission longevity and data collection patterns based on the described 10-day cycle and 5-year average lifespan.
Strengths
- Data collection began in 2002, providing a multi-decade time series.
- Profiles cover from 2000 meters depth to the sea surface, offering a vertical water column perspective.
- Floats are deployed with lithium and alkaline battery packs, which the description states extends their lifetime to around 5 years.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- The description notes data is provided for only the first 4 of 6 mentioned sensor variables (dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, chlorophyll fluorescence).
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) via the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).
- Collection Method
- Data collected by autonomous Biogeochemical Argo profiling floats that ascend through the water column and transmit via satellite.
- Time Range
- Since 2002.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-07-09 23:20:46.441386; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Worldwide oceans, with a focus on Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone, surrounding seas, and the Southern Ocean.