MOOSE-GE 2021 cruise: five floats deployed and three floats recovered in the Mediterranean Sea

In June and July 2021, thanks to the collaboration between the “Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche", (LOV, France), the "Marine Optics, Remote Sensing & Biogeochemical Applications" research group, (OMTAB, France) and Euro-Argo ERIC, five floats were deployed and three others recovered in the North Western Mediterranean Sea during the MOOSE-GE 2021 campaign.

 

The cruise was performed on board the RV THALASSA from June 9 to July 2. It had the opportunity to deploy two PROVOR-DO and three ARVOR-TS floats. During the 24 days of the cruise, 3 Argo floats were also collected: one APEX near Toulon, one PROVOR-DO near the north of Corsica and finally one BGC-Argo float from EA-RISE between Sardinia and the Balearic Islands.

 

The North Western Mediterranean Sea basin is regularly visited by the MOOSE (CNRS-INSU) oceanographic cruises to acquire hydrological data and to collect chemical and biological samples to observe and understand the impacts of the climate and anthropogenic forcing on marine ecosystems. Since 2010, the MOOSE-GE cruises track the basin from East to West and from North to South during which several Argo floats are deployed. It is also a unique opportunity to collect several floats that drift with the currents and are found at the end of the cycle after several years of deployment. On this occasion, the MOOSE campaigns offer reference data which allow to compare the profiles acquired by the Argo floats at the same location. It provides finally a good opportunity for the Euro-Argo community to refit the floats for a new life.

Deployment of a PROVOR-DO Argo float (on left) and recovery of a PROVOR-BGC Argo float. © Laurent Coppola

Recovery of an APEX Argo float. © Laurent Coppola