Argos System
Encyclopedia
Argos is a satellite
-based system which collects, processes and disseminates environmental data from fixed and mobile platforms worldwide. What makes Argos unique is the ability to geographically locate the source of the data anywhere on the Earth
utilizing the Doppler effect
. Argos was established in 1978 and since that time, it has provided data to environmental research and protection communities that, in many cases, was otherwise unobtainable. The system is fully proven and highly reliable. Many remote automatic weather station
s report via Argos. Argos is a key component of many global research programs including: TOGA
, TOPP, WOCE
, Argo
, and others. Since the late 1980s Argos transmitters have routinely been deployed on a large number of marine mammals and sea turtles and continues to serve as the most important tool for tracking long distance movements of both coastal and oceanic species. Through upload of data from, for example, pressure transducers, it has also been possible to obtain a wealth of knowledge about dive and foraging behavior from unrestrained animals in the wild.
Argos was developed under a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) between the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES, the French space agency), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA, USA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA, USA).
The system utilizes both ground and satellite-based resources to accomplish its mission. These include:
This fully integrated system works to conveniently locate and deliver data from the most remote platforms to the user's desktop, often in near real-time.
Argos is operated by CLS/Argos, based in Toulouse, France. CLS has subsidiaries in the U.S., namely, Service Argos, Inc. and North American CLS. These companies together operate the system and promote its use.
Recent partners in this international cooperative venture are:
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
-based system which collects, processes and disseminates environmental data from fixed and mobile platforms worldwide. What makes Argos unique is the ability to geographically locate the source of the data anywhere on the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
utilizing the Doppler effect
Doppler effect
The Doppler effect , named after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who proposed it in 1842 in Prague, is the change in frequency of a wave for an observer moving relative to the source of the wave. It is commonly heard when a vehicle sounding a siren or horn approaches, passes, and recedes from...
. Argos was established in 1978 and since that time, it has provided data to environmental research and protection communities that, in many cases, was otherwise unobtainable. The system is fully proven and highly reliable. Many remote automatic weather station
Automatic weather station
An automatic weather station is an automated version of the traditional weather station, either to save human labour or to enable measurements from remote areas...
s report via Argos. Argos is a key component of many global research programs including: TOGA
Tropical Ocean-Global Atmosphere program
The Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere program is a component of the World Climate Research Programme aimed specifically at the prediction of climate phenomena on time scales of months to years....
, TOPP, WOCE
World Ocean Circulation Experiment
The World Ocean Circulation Experiment was a component of the international World Climate Research Program, and aimed to establish the role of the World Ocean in the Earth's climate system...
, Argo
Argo (oceanography)
Argo is an observation system for the Earth's oceans that provides real-time data for use in climate, weather, oceanographic and fisheries research. Argo consists of a large collection of small, drifting oceanic robotic probes deployed worldwide. The probes float as deep as 2 km. Once every...
, and others. Since the late 1980s Argos transmitters have routinely been deployed on a large number of marine mammals and sea turtles and continues to serve as the most important tool for tracking long distance movements of both coastal and oceanic species. Through upload of data from, for example, pressure transducers, it has also been possible to obtain a wealth of knowledge about dive and foraging behavior from unrestrained animals in the wild.
Argos was developed under a Memorandum of Understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
(MOU) between the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES, the French space agency), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA, USA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
(NOAA, USA).
The system utilizes both ground and satellite-based resources to accomplish its mission. These include:
- instruments carried aboard the NOAA polar orbitPolar orbitA polar orbit is an orbit in which a satellite passes above or nearly above both poles of the body being orbited on each revolution. It therefore has an inclination of 90 degrees to the equator...
ing environmental satellites (POESPolar Operational Environmental SatellitesThe Polar Operational Environmental Satellite project operates a constellation of weather satellites in polar orbits around the Earth. It is a joint effort between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites...
) and the EUMETSAT MetOpMetOpMetOp is a series of polar orbiting meteorological satellites operated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites. The satellites are all part af the EUMETSAT Polar System. It is intended to replace the soon to be retired TIROS network...
satellites, - receiving stations around the world,
- and major processing facilities in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United States.
This fully integrated system works to conveniently locate and deliver data from the most remote platforms to the user's desktop, often in near real-time.
Argos is operated by CLS/Argos, based in Toulouse, France. CLS has subsidiaries in the U.S., namely, Service Argos, Inc. and North American CLS. These companies together operate the system and promote its use.
Operating Agencies
The Argos satellite-based system was set up by:- the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNESCNESThe is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research...
) - the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
)
Recent partners in this international cooperative venture are:
- the European Meteorological Satellite Organization (EUMETSAT)