ARGO: INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR UNDERSTANDING SUBSURFACE OCEAN OBSERVATIONS OFF NIGERIA AND THE GULF OF GUINEA

By Regina Folorunsho STUDY AREA

„ Approximately bet. lat 3oS and 8oN and long 7oW - 8oE.

„ Coastline: 2,519km from Cape Palmas to the Cameroon

„ Major countries: Cote d' Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe SOCIO-ECONOMICS:

¾ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL & HUMAN RESOURCES

¾OIL AND GAS DEPOSITS

¾EXTENSIVE WETLANDS

¾FISHERIES RESOURCES ¾CLIMATE

¾SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE

¾SEA SURFACE SALINITY

¾OCEAN CURRENTS

¾UPWELLING GLOBAL OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA AND THE GOG WOCE

THE WOCE LINE AX-14 (LAGOS TO RIO) IMPLEMENTED BY NIOMR IN NIGERIA COLLECTED SEA TEMPERATURE AND SEA SALINITY DATA OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN 1992 TO 1993. THE GOG WAS HOWEVER POORLY COVERED BY THIS PROGRAMME. PIRATA

• ONE STATION (00 - 00) IN THE GOG

• DATA COLLECTED USED IN UNDERSTANDING REGIONAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY. CLIVAR

1. Aimed at the understanding of the process, nature of forcing and the coupling of Ocean-Atmosphere in the Tropical Atlantic Variability (TAV). Several cruises, deployment and recovery of moorings carried out in the Atlantic. RESULTS? ARGO

ARGO PROJECT IS AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT THAT WILL DEPLOY A GLOBAL ARRAY OF 3000 PROFILING CTD FLOATS FOR A BROAD RANGE OF OPERATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS (Ref.) Yves Desaubies and Silvia L. Garzoli (2001 OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPLOYMENTS: DESCRIBE THE SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF REGIONAL OCEAN SIGNALS THAT ARE CORRELATED WITH ATMOSPHERIC SIGNALS ON SEASONAL TO INTER-ANNUAL TIME SCALES. ¾INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DYNAMICS OF THESE MODES OF OCEAN VARIABILITY; ¾CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF THE TEMPERATURE, SALINITY, AND VELOCITY OF THE UPPER OCEAN.

¾DATA RELAYED TO BE MADE PUBLIC WITHIN HOURS AFTER COLLECTION .

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I A TH V FO O P C EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARGO

HUMAN CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT

ARGO technology, calibration, launching, retrieval and data transmission

Analyses and interpretation of data. Physical Infrastructures

FAST COMPUTERS, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND OTHER PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE Communication

Effective Internet services Awareness Creation

POLICY MAKERS SCIENTISTS STAKEHOLDERS AWARENESS ACTIVITY IN THE REGION COULD HELP IMPROVE NATIONAL PARTICIPATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT. CONCLUSION

Gulf of Guinea is one of the least studied oceans in the world. It is hoped that ARGO programme in the region will address the vital elements of climate variability and climate change, which has not been fully comprehended, by scientist, Governments and stakeholders in the region.