Tropical atmosphere ocean array-update
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
- Pacific Marine Environmental Lab., Seattle, WA (United States)
Developed as a key component of the recently completed 10-year (1985-1994) international Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) program, the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array expanded in size from seven moorings in early 1985 to 69 moorings upon completion in December 1994. Spanning one-third of the circumference of the globe, surface buoys are moored every 2 to 3 degrees of latitude. The TAO array measures oceanographic and surface meteorological variables critical for improved detection, understanding, and prediction of seasonal to interannual climate variations originating in the tropics, most notably those related to the El Nino/Southern Oscillation. With the completion of TOGA, new national and international research programs have been formulated to build on the successes of TOGA. Continued maintenance of the TAO array and other components of the TOGA observing system is key to the success of these new climate research programs.
- OSTI ID:
- 121428
- Journal Information:
- Sea Technology, Journal Name: Sea Technology Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 36; ISSN 0093-3651; ISSN SEATAD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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