UK Argo

UK Argo is celebrating 25 years since it launched its first float today! (https://fleetmonitoring.euro-argo.eu/float/49066). The Argo Programme, launched in 2000, has transformed global ocean observing by deploying a fleet of autonomous profiling floats that continuously measure temperature and salinity, and more recently biogeochemical measurements following advancements in sensor technologies, throughout the world’s oceans at various depths. The United Kingdom stands out as one of the Argo programme’s earliest and most committed contributors. UK Argo is a partnership between the National Oceanography Centre and the Met Office (with contributions from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the University of Southampton (UoS) and many other UK scientific institutions over the 25 years), and is responsible for the coordination of UK Argo activity: float preparation, deployment, telecommunications costs and crucially, the data management activity. British Oceanographic Data Centre are responsible for data management in real-time and delayed mode for all UK floats and currently some Irish and EU floats. The UK’s involvement includes over 967 float deployments and ~145,000 profiles collected. UK Argo supports both the core Argo array and its extensions into high‑latitude, biogeochemical, and deep‑ocean domains which has shaped climate science, operational oceanography, and global environmental policy as well as providing real-time data available for ocean and weather forecasters. This data is freely and publicly available to users around the world.

The new array design, OneArgo, is global, full depth and multidisciplinary, a next‑generation system that includes additional use of Deep (to 6,000 m) and Biogeochemical (oxygen, nitrate, pH, chlorophyll, carbon) Argo floats as well as Polar Argo (ice‑capable floats for the Arctic and Southern Ocean). This expansion is considered urgent for improving climate prediction and understanding ocean ecosystem change. UK Argo is actively involved in these developments, continuing its long‑standing leadership role.

Over 25 years, UK Argo has evolved from a pioneering ocean‑monitoring effort into a cornerstone of global climate science. Its contributions, float deployments, data stewardship, scientific innovation, and international collaboration, have helped build one of the most successful environmental observing systems ever created. As the world faces accelerating climate change, the UK’s continued investment in Argo and the transition to OneArgo will remain essential for understanding and protecting the global ocean.
(image credit: https://www.ocean-ops.org/board/?t=argo)

Today saw an exciting UK Argo float deployment from NOC Ambassador James Ketchell's yacht Mindset today! Core Arvor with WMO ID 2901916 was deployed in an Argo-sparse area of the southern-western Indian Ocean (~ 38S, 59E) National Oceanography Centre British Oceanographic Data Centre Met Office
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSC0n0-DSS6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

It was a great pleasure to be able to deploy the Argo Float on behalf of @nocnews that we have been carrying since Cape Town. @most.africa The float measures salinity, temperatures and pressures at different depths to help understand the oceans and improve forecasting models. There are few vessels that go into the South Indian Ocean so really please we could contribute to an amazing program in a small way. I’m proud to be an ambassador for the National Oceanography Centre. #sailing #ocean #oneoceanmindset

https://noc.ac.uk/education/training-course-apart

🌊 New paper!

Deep Argo floats don’t just profile the deep ocean, they now improve global seafloor maps!

📈 Adding Deep Argo data to GEBCO boosts the Seabed 2030 effort.

🔗 https://doi.org/10.1029/2025EA004304

Deep Argo Improves the Accuracy and Resolution of Ocean Bathymetry The close agreement between ocean bathymetry using Deep Argo and multibeam demonstrates the scientific value of the Deep Argo data set Deep Argo-based ocean bathymetry has low horizontal uncertai...

James Ketchell will be deploying an Argo float on his third circumnavigation of the world!

Anchors aweigh! NOC Ambassador James Ketchell has set off on his third circumnavigation of the world! ⛵🌏

After conquering the mammoth journey already by bike in 2013 and aircraft in 2019, he now takes on the high seas in his yacht ‘Mindset’. He could be the first person to ever complete this journey by air, land and sea! 🛩️⛰️🌊

James’ mission is to bring young people on an inspiring virtual tour with him over the next 9 months, so stay tuned for updates!

On his expedition to remote and under sampled waters, he’ll be collecting valuable microplastic samples, supported by a collaboration between the National Oceanography Centre and The International SeaKeepers Society

🛰️He’ll also be deploying Argo floats to add to an existing network of floats worldwide that collect and transmit live ocean data to researchers.

James plans on pit stops in Lanzarote, Cape Town, Melbourne, Punta Del Este in Uruguay, Antigua and New York, before arriving back at Gosport, UK.

You can track his live progress here! Fair winds and following seas, James! https://jamesketchell.net/follow-james-round-the-world-progress-live/

Students from the Young Explorers Program deploy one of UK Argo's floats from OceanXplorer as part of the OceanX and OceanQuest “Around Africa” expedition. National Oceanography Centre Met Office

We've got 2 representatives at the Euro-Argo One kick off meeting in Paris! This exciting project will expand our capability to deliver OneArgo, the next stage of the Argo project where the core, biogeochemical and deep Argo missions are all an important part of increasing our understanding and measurements of the oceans

Euro-Argo ERIC on LinkedIn: #eaone #oneargo #oceanscience #oceanobservation #climateresearch 🚀 Euro-Argo ONE: Kick-Off Meeting in Paris! 🌍🌊 Yesterday marked the official start of the Euro-Argo ONE project ! 23 partner institutions are gathering at Sorbonne Université, Paris, to shape the future of Europe's contribution to global ocean observation. This ambitious initiati...

A lovely sunny Argo deployment in the South Atlantic Gyre from RRS James Cook during Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT31)

Happy birthday Argo! Turning 25 and the UK has been around since the very beginning. Here's to the next 25 years
https://www.noaa.gov/news/argo-crown-jewel-of-ocean-observing-systems-turns-25?fbclid=IwY2xjawHGyp1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHcZpMA3wszqpcvMVkZkz0jNTl_W-BUPKwfxAh9REgNeKhNtDjpOa1YxHzQ_aem_MD1i5coJuX_BMiPOXY8Y0w

Argo, the 'crown jewel' of ocean observing systems, turns 25 Somewhere in the middle of the ocean, a merchant mariner lowers a cylindrical robotic ocean observing instrument from a ship into the sea to record ocean temperature and salinity. Another instrument is deployed from a plane into the eye of a hurricane to take the pulse of the ocean during the storm....

We're excited to see James Ketchell promoting the Argo project as he begins his trip around the world! He'll deploy a float as he leaves Cape Town and will use the regular profiles to support education around the ocean.

NOC ambassador adding ocean science to latest round-the-world challenge | National Oceanography Centre A British adventurer sailing single handed around the world – after first cycling and flying the earth’s circumference – has partnered with the UK’s

It's a landmark day because the 3 millionth Argo profile has been collected, celebrating 20 years of in-situ, real-time, global, multi-disciplinary and free-access ocean data that has been revolutionizing modern oceanography for 20 years! Thanks to Argopy and Guillaume Maze for the image and the announcement! Here's to many more

UK Argo met at the National Oceanography Centre hosted by the British Oceanographic Data Centre to discuss the upcoming float deployments for 2024, technical and data issues, QC and more. Our next biogeochemical float will be deployed from RRS Discovery as part of the project in 2 days time and the data will be publicly available as the profiles come in

We are excited to host the 2-day UK Argo meeting in Liverpool.
We are about to discuss the UK plans and data management aspects

British Antarctic Survey