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What is the Argo Project Office?

The Argo Project Office (APO) provides support and infastructure that is independent of the national programs that is needed to keep a project as big as Argo functioning smoothly. The APO has two components: the Argo Director and the Argo Technical Coordinator

Argo Director

The previous Argo Director (AD) was Dr. John Gould, but currently the Argo Director position is unfilled. The Argo Director position is supported by contributions from various countries with the USA portion comprising half of the total.

The Argo Director's responsibilities include:

  • Running the APO and its finances so as to enable the Argo array to be completed and maintained.
  • Close collaboration with, and direction of the work of the Argo Technical Coordinator.
  • Regular communication with the (co-) chairs of the IAST and Argo Data Management Team (ADMT) and the execution of activities requested by them.
  • Ensuring that the APO is an effective communications hub and information source for Argo.
  • Planning and preparation for meetings of the IAST and for other meetings organized by Argo.
  • Oversight of the completion of action items from the IAST.
  • Stimulating regular and effective communication between all parties and countries involved in Argo.
  • Producing material and giving presentations to enhance a wider recognition of the progress made and opportunities presented by Argo.

Argo Technical Coordinator

The Argo Technical Coordinator (ATC) is presently Mathieu Belbeoch who runs the Argo Information Centre (AIC) as part of JCOMMOPS in Toulouse, France. The ATC post is supported by financial contributions from Australia, Canada, France UK and USA.

The AIC was established in 2002 specifically to monitor the development of the Argo float array so as to implement Resolution XX-6 of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO relating to the notification of floats likely to enter a country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The AIC and ATC also fulfill a wider monitoring and information-gathering function for Argo.

The Argo Technical Coordinator's responsibilities include:

  • Running the AIC which involves:
    • Coordinating technical information on Argo
    • Collecting and assembling technical information in a structured manner
    • Responding to technical enquiries
  • Informing IOC member states about deployment of floats which might drift into their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) according to IOC resolution XX-6
  • Developing and maintaining a web based float monitoring system that can be used to alert IOC member states in real time on the status of floats entering their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and to inform them of the requirement of Argo to keep such floats operational.
  • Providing general support to the Argo project under the direction of the AD in matters included in the remit of the APO and AD and as directed by the IAST.