Today we deployed ‘Harry’ the first of our five Argo floats. We give
them nicknames, in this case it the name of my youngest son. Compared to other
instruments we deploy, the Argo float is relatively small and possibly one of
the only instruments we are allowed to deploy ourselves. By the way - Harry is
the long yellow cylindrical tube in the above image, not to be mistaken for the
two scientists in yellow hard hats lowering him over the side!
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Caption: Raphael Jaume Catany and
Gerard McCarthy deploying the Argo float ‘Harry’. The insert top right shows the float in the
water soon after deployment.
Argo floats not only float, but they sink as well! As they sink they
measure the temperature and salinity (or saltiness) in the upper 2000m of the
ocean. Hopefully they return to the
surface after about 10 days and tell us what they have measured (within hours
of surfacing!!). Their positions at the surface are also recorded, which we can
use to determine how the upper ocean is moving. The position of ‘Harry’ and the
other 3663 operation Argo floats can
found here. The floats are operational for about 5 years before they
run out of power and sink to the cold-dark ocean floor.
Measurements from little ‘robots’ like Argo help scientists to a
better understanding of the world’s oceans and lead to more reliable climate
models. These models are used to understand (and eventually predict) the planets
long-term climatic changes and it’s natural variability.
Ben Moat
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