A simulation of Argo float distribution in the Southern Ocean

Abstract

Spatial distribution of the Argo floats in the Southern Ocean was simulated based on an output of a high resolution ocean general circulation model.

Giving initial uniform distribution of the floats, numerical simulations were performed for the parking depths of 2000 m and 1000 m, respectively, with and without sea ice. When the sea ice was ignored, the floats were distributed almost uniformly even four years later but generally showed northward shift. Under sea ice condition, most of the floats were lost south of 62°S one year after the float deployment while most of the floats survived north of 53°S if the sea ice concentration was considered as the survival rate of the float in the corresponding region.