Resources

The Southern Ocean Argo Regional Centre is one component of a much broader strategy for sustained observations and developing understanding of the global ocean

The International Argo Programme

The Southern Ocean Argo Regional Centre is one of 5 Argo Regional Centres (ARCs) contributing to ensuring the relaiblity of the Argo dataset. To find out more about the Argo programme visit:

• the international Argo portal, with links to the Argo Project Office, the Argo Information Centre at OceanOPS, access to Argo data, national programmes and other Argo Regional Centres;
• the Argo data management website for Argo user guides and quality control proceedures;
• the Biogeochemical Argo website for information about the development of biogeohemical quality control.

Southern Ocean Observing System

In addition to global Argo programme, the development of ocean observing systems in the Southern Ocean is coordinated through the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS).  The SOOS website includes links to a wide network of Southern Ocean observing systems, partner organisations and research projects - such as the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) and the UK Ocean Regulation of Climate by Heat and Carbon Sequestration and Transports (ORCHESTRA) projects.

SOOS provide the DueSouth field work planning tool as well as centralised data access through SOOSmap.

The Antarctic Treaty System and SCAR

A wide variety of resources about the Antarctic Treaty System are available from the Secreteriat of the Antarctic Treaty including information about the various Antarctic treaties, environmental protection, national contact points, facilities located on or operated around/over Antarctica, and vessel expeditions.

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is charged with initiating, developing and coordinating high quality international scientific research in the Antarctic region (including the Southern Ocean), and on the role of the Antarctic region in the Earth system. In addition to carrying out its scientific role, SCAR also provides objective and independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and other such organizations.

GOOS and POGO

The development of ocean observing systems at a global level is coordinated through the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS).  The Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) provides a forum for leaders of oceanographic institutions around the world to promote global oceanography, particularly the implementation of international and integrated global ocean observing systems.

Global Quality Control Resources

A range of observational programmes and model simulations provide a useful frame of reference for delayed-mode quality control:

• For access to detailed bathymetric data visit the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO).
• Hydrographic plots from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment are available from the WOCE Atlas and eWOCE websites
• Plots from the GEOTRACES international programme, which aims to improve the understanding of biogeochemical cycles and large-scale distribution of trace elements and their isotopes in the marine environment, are available from the eGEOTRACES website

Southern Ocean Quality Control Resources

In addition to global quality control resources, there are resources developed with a focus on the Southern Ocean by SOARC partners or by other institutions working in this area of research.  These include:

• SOARC has a GitHub repository for publicly accessible code that it develops
• A current project to characterise Southern Ocean Argo float profile data into the major Antarctic Circumpolar Current fronts and zones between BODC and the University of Bristol.  Details of progress of this work is in our soarc_floatchar project on GitHub.
• For access to the physical and biogeochemical ECCO model results see the Southern Ocean State Estimate (SOSE)
• The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean is a useful resource for understanding the physical and biogeographical setting of the Southern Ocean