CPER ObsOcean

The ObsOcean project is funded under the CPER Bretagne 2021-2027.
It aims to strengthen the role of the Brittany region and its partners in the in situ observation of the global ocean, surface-bottom, from the open sea to the coast, from large scale to high resolution. This will involve (1) making the necessary investments to acquire in situ data within the framework of the TGIR Euro Argo and the IR ILICO; (2) making the necessary technological developments to optimise networks, reduce costs and prepare for the observations of tomorrow; and (3) ensuring the appropriate dissemination of observations and derived products via the ODATIS cluster of the IR Système Terre - Data Terra (see CPER 2021-2027 AIDA project).

This project is divided into two parts concerning: (1) the French contribution to the international Argo global ocean observation programme, associated with the TGIR Euro-Argo, (2) the maintenance and reinforcement of the observation of Breton coastal water bodies (ROEC-ILICO), via a contribution to the IR ILICO. In conjunction with the ODATIS pole of the IR Data Terra, the data acquired within the framework of this project will be available in real time when possible and in free access via the reference data centres (CORIOLIS and SISMER for example).

More specifically, the objectives of the Argo component of ObsOcean are to:

•    Set up and consolidate the French contribution to the new Argo mission via the purchase of 25 to 30 standard floats, 15 deep floats (4000m), 15 floats with oxygen sensors, and 2 BGC floats and floats equipped with an innovative NOSS sensor measuring absolute salinity.
•     Make the necessary investments to ensure the quality of the data made available in the databases.

 

This project is carried out in collaboration between Ifremer and the French Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM), with a contribution from the Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO).