Australian researchers and scientists have achieved a major milestone in the Argo ocean-monitoring program after completing one million profiles of ocean observations in the program.

 

Federal Minister for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, congratulated the CSIRO and Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing  System (IMOS) on the milestone.

"Our involvement in the Argo project puts Australian scientists are at the forefront of climate and marine science," Senator Evans said.

 

"Argo is providing vital research that is shedding new light on changes in the world's oceans.

 

For example, data from the Argo floats has confirmed that the global water cycle has intensified and that in the future, higher rainfall regions will get wetter and drier regions drier.

 

"Australia is the second largest contributor to the Argo array and our contribution to planning, testing and deployments in the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans is now generating important scientific outcomes.

 

"CSIRO and Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System have made a long-term investment for Australia in this program and the value of its data is already being realised in scientific findings with more than 1,000 scientific papers published internationally so far."

 

CSIRO conducted the initial Argo pilot program in the Indian Ocean north-west of Australia in 1999, and currently shares leadership of the science steering group, coordinating the activities of the participating 28 countries.