China's real-time global ocean observation network established

BEIJING - Chinese research vessel Kexue, or Science, recently placed the 400th profiling float in the northwest Pacific Ocean since the country joined the forefront ocean monitoring plan Argo in 2002.

It signals the establishment of the first global real-time ocean observation network in China, according to China Science Daily.

So far the network covers regions in the northwest Pacific Ocean, the mid and north Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, a co-operational initiative proposed by China.

Argo is an international maritime plan committed to continuously monitoring the temperature, salinity, and velocity of the upper ocean via float array, in order to tackle climate change and enhance ocean-atmosphere forecasting.

China was the ninth country to join the revolutionary plan in ocean observation, following countries like the United States, France, and Japan.

During the past 16 years, China has become a crucial member of Argo, has built and maintained the 100-float-unit Argo ocean observing network, with 204 active floats at its peak, and collected more than 1.8 million pieces of observational data.

The China Argo Real-time Data Center is the hub of data transmission and management. As well as data sharing with other Argo partners across the world, it is also able to exchange its data with the World Meteorological Organization members within 24 hours.

China is building an ocean monitoring network consisting of 100 to 150 floats in the Pacific and the Indian ocean regions to advance its ocean research, development, and management.

In the future, China will deploy more floats equipped with the self-developed BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, China Science Daily said.

This will alter the dominance in satellite float technology by several Western countries, and allow China to build a more independent ocean observation network along the Maritime Silk Road as well as provide more maritime public goods.