Euro-Argo ERIC – Copernicus In-Situ Workshop: « Argo Data Requirements of Copernicus Entrusted Entities »
A Euro-Argo ERIC – Copernicus In Situ Workshop: “Argo Data Requirements of Copernicus Entrusted Entities” was organised as part of the COINS Specific Contract 3, on 12-13 March 2024 (two half-days). It was hosted by Mercator Ocean International in Toulouse, France.
The aim of the workshop was to initiate a discussion with Copernicus Entrusted entities to:
- assess their requirements in terms of Argo data;
- see how Euro-Argo ERIC could better respond to these requirements in the context of the OneArgo design;
- develop a common strategy to advocate for EU complementary funding.
It gathered 27 participants, about half of them remotely. ECMWF, EUMETSAT and ESA as well as almost all Monitoring and Forecasting Centres (MFCs) and Thematic Assembly Centres (TACs) of the Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS) were represented (although in some cases by implementers of the physics part only). Discussions were very productive and both data users and data providers learnt from each other. The willingness to continue these exchanges was expressed by all participants. In situ ocean observations are crucial for the entrusted Copernicus entities represented at the workshop. All participants valued the importance of achieving a OneArgo implementation by 2030.
The workshop allowed to draw a non-exhaustive list of recommendations that should help Euro-Argo to (i) update its strategy for the implementation of the OneArgo array and (ii) find some complementary fundings needed to achieve the OneArgo design and better serve Copernicus services. These recommendations are detailed in the Workshop report.