Argo-O2 Floats in the Polar Seas - Autonomous Observation of Biogeochemical Processes at High Latitudes

Abstract

The establishment of the Argo float network few years ago represents an observational milestone in physical oceanography, while dissolved oxygen is the most widely measured chemical parameter of sea water with a historic background of more than a century. We present examples of their synthesis: The extension of the Argo core mission to regions above 60° N/S and the deployment of reliable oxygen sensors on floats to study seasonal and interannual biogeochemical processes. First measurements from the Norwegian Sea and the Weddell Sea are shown alongside the steps necessary to establish a sound oxygen data source