EGI and Euro-Argo ERIC Partner to Enhance Ocean Observation

EGI and Euro-Argo ERIC, the European contribution to the International Argo Programme, have recently signed a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to leverage EGI Services, specifically Cloud Compute, Online Storage, and Check-in. This partnership aims to enhance the capabilities of Euro-Argo's vital ocean observation efforts.

EURO-Argo is a distributed Research Infrastructure that organises and federates the European contribution to the international Argo program for in situ ocean observations. The Argo program deploys a global array of profiling floats that measure temperature and salinity every 10 days throughout the deep global oceans. These measurements are crucial for delivering data, both in real-time and delayed mode, supporting a range of applications, including climate change research and monitoring, as well as operational services such as the Copernicus program. Beyond basic temperature and salinity measurements, Euro-Argo aims to expand the scope of Argo by extending the network to abyssal oceans, incorporating biogeochemical parameters, and covering marginal seas and high latitudes. This expansion will provide a more comprehensive understanding of ocean processes. 

Euro-Argo was established in 2014 following a successful Preparatory Phase project with 7 Members and 2 Observers. Demonstrating its growing importance and reach, by 2018, the EURO-ARGO ERIC had federated 10 Members and 2 Observers, solidifying its role in coordinating European ocean observation efforts within the global Argo framework.

CNRS-IN2P3 IRES, a French cloud provider within the EGI Cloud Federation, will support the SLA. IN2P3-IRES will provide EuroARGO with significant resources, including 50 CPU cores for Cloud Compute and 1TB for Online Storage. This infrastructure support will enable Euro-Argo to efficiently process and manage the large volumes of data generated by the Argo floats, facilitating timely analysis and dissemination of critical oceanographic information.