SOCIB lagrangian experiment in the Balearic Sea

SOCIB team onboard RV SOCIB carried out a lagrangian experiment in South Palma Bay and Mallorca Channel on March 12th 2020 releasing two Argo profilers and two surface drifters. The main objective will be to provide in situ real-time data in the Mediterranean Sea for oceanography, meteorology and climate studies. 
More specifically:

  1. SOCIB launched a T/S Argo profiling float (Arvor-I) in the South of Palma Bay within the Euro-Argo RISE project framework and, in particular, in the WP6 (Extension to Marginal Seas, Task 6.1 dedicated to Mediterranean Sea). This deployment will help to investigate the potential of profiling floats in coastal areas from different points of view: instrumental, mission configuration, human resources, monitoring tools and alert systems. This profiling float cycles between the surface and 100 dbar every day and it drifts at a parking depth of 100 dbar. To maintain it in a shallow water area, technical parameters will be changed continuously to control the float. WMOP model (Western Mediterranean OPerational forecasting system) will provide the forecast to predict its movement in daily basis.
  2. The onboard crew deployed a Spanish T/S Argo profiling float (Arvor-I) in the Mallorca Channel, as part of the Spanish contribution to the Euro Argo Program. It cycles between the surface and 1000/2000 dbar every 5 days and it drifts at the parking depth of 1000 dbar. 
  3. At the launching point of both profilers, SOCIB team did CTD casts to compare with the data obtained from the first cycle of the profilers to check possible sensor drifts and offsets in salinity and temperature.
  4. SOCIB also deployed two surface drifters in the Mallorca Channel within the framework of the Global Drifter Program (NOAA). These drifters are SVP-B designed with a drogue of 15-m nominal depth and they measure surface currents, temperature and air pressure.

We would like to thank the SOCIB team, the support from the partners within the Euro Argo RISE projectEuro Argo SpainGlobal Drifter Program and CLS telemetry that plays a key role providing the Iridium transmission for the Instrumentation.

More information

  • Cruise Report (PDF)
  • Photo album (link)