OOI Team Recovers UK BGC-Argo Float During Transit

During transit to the Irminger Array, the crew of the R/V Revelle and the OOI Coastal and Global Scale Nodes (CGSN) team successfully recovered a BGC-Argo float on behalf of the UK National Oceanography Centre (UK NOC).

The float, deployed in 2024, had been collecting biogeochemical profiles focused on the biological carbon pump, along with camera imagery of plankton and particles in the water column. Ahead of the cruise, the OOI-CGSN team coordinated with UK NOC to monitor the float’s drift and plan for a possible recovery.

When the float’s position aligned with the ship’s planned track, the team made a short detour to retrieve it. The operation went smoothly and the float was recovered in good condition.

The recovery not only preserved a high-value scientific instrument but also ensured that months of critical biological and biogeochemical data will be returned for analysis.

Credit: Rebecca Travis, WHOI

Credit: Rebecca Travis, WHOI

Credit: Rebecca Travis, WHOI