SOARC - https://soarc.aq/

Argo supports five Argo Regional Centres (ARCs), which are organised primarily by ocean basin. These centres play an important role in the Argo programme by providing regional oversight of data quality, complementing the work of the Data Assembly Centres (DACs) and Global Data Assembly Centres (GDACs), and offering a broader perspective than individual scientists. ARCs also promote participation and collaboration among countries working within the same ocean region and support the development and provision of regional data products for Argo users.

The UK Argo programme leads the Southern Ocean Argo Regional Centre (SOARC), working in collaboration with international partners. SOARC focuses on improving the quality and scientific use of Argo observations across the Southern Ocean, including regional data quality assessment, developing reference datasets for delayed-mode quality control, and coordinating activities that support the Southern Ocean Argo community. The partnership brings together expertise from several institutions and countries to strengthen regional data management, quality control and the use of Argo observations for Southern Ocean research. The SOARC website: https://soarc.aq/

What are the essential activities of Argo Regional Centres?

  • Conduct regional analyses of Argo data to assess internal consistency and compare Argo observations with recent shipboard CTD measurements.
  • Provide feedback to Principal Investigators (PIs) on the results of regional analyses and identify potential outliers or data quality issues.
  • Support the development and maintenance of regional reference databases for delayed-mode quality control, including the collection and integration of the most recent CTD observations from the region.
  • Prepare and regularly distribute Argo data products. The primary product is a consistent delayed-mode Argo dataset for the region, complemented by other products such as weekly analyses of temperature, salinity and currents derived from Argo float observations. Appropriate documentation should also be provided for all products.

Argo Regional Centres provide an important link between the global data-management infrastructure and regional scientific expertise. While DACs and GDACs provide the core data-management and distribution infrastructure, ARCs assess Argo observations at a regional scale, helping to identify inconsistencies and improve the quality and usability of data across entire ocean basins.

Through BODC's DMQC expertise and leadership of SOARC, we contribute directly to the quality, consistency and continued development of the international Argo data system, helping transform observations collected by individual floats into reliable, globally coordinated datasets for ocean science and climate research.