Argo Steering Team - Terms of Reference

(This group was the Argo Science Team prior to March 2004)

GODAE and CLIVAR UOP* jointly convened a Workshop in July 1998 to set the scientific and technical foundations for a global profiling project, now known as Argo. A Prospectus was drafted and the general specifications and implementation strategy agreed upon. The Workshop recommended the establishment of an Argo Science Team, jointly sponsored by GODAE and the CLIVAR UOP, to oversee the drafting of a detailed initial Implementation Plan and to provide continuing scientific and technical guidance. GODAE and CLIVAR UOP have agreed to form an Argo Science Team with the following Terms of Reference:
  • Develop an Implementation Plan for a global network of profiling (temperature and salinity) floats, using the GODAE/UOP Prospectus and Workshop Report as representative of the CLIVAR and GODAE requirements.
  • Provide scientific guidance to, and receive advice from, the Upper Ocean Panel of CLIVAR and the International GODAE Steering Team on the scientific and technical issues associated with the implementation of the profiling float contribution to the sustained (ocean) observing system of CLIVAR and the global ocean climate observing system of GODAE and GOOS/GCOS.
  • Develop an international consortium, to undertake the implementation and maintenance of the global network, and provide advice to the consortium as necessary.
  • Promote and evaluate observing system studies to guide the initial Argo sampling design and to guide the long-term development and evolution.
  • Provide advice and guidance technical innovations relevant to the float array.
  • Liaise as appropriate with other groups associated with the (sustained) global ocean observing system, including the ship-of-opportunity program, the tropical atmosphere-ocean array, and remote sensing program such as Topex/Poseidon and Jason.
  • Provide regular reports on progress to the GODAE and CLIVAR International Project Offices.

* The CLIVAR UOP (Upper Ocean Panel) has now become the CLIVAR Global Synthesis and Observations Panel that was formed in 2004.

Last modified: 12 May 2004