Integrated global Earth observations
Argos is strategically positioned to monitor Earth processes in the 21st century. Satellite-based location and data collection systems are vital for studying and protecting our planet.
SEA-U Project : Fast detection and warning of oil slick at sea
A major outcome of the project was the design and demonstration by CLS of an innovative monitoring system for oil spill threats to wildlife, via the first prototyping of an Early Warning System (EWS) and the generation of risk assessment maps.
Argos wildlife users and more generally the wildlife community are unanimous on the usefulness of such a system as it will bring a timely and effective tool as part of an oil pollution response plan.
The top image is a web interface showing SAR-based detected oil spill, oil drifting results, along with Natura 2000 areas off French Brittany coast.
On the bottom, you can see an xxample of a risk map in the English Channel showing indicators of probability for oil spill to impact the shoreline.
Sea of Okhotsk - Beluga Whales: Seasonal movements and habitat use
A lot of places in the Russian Arctic and the Far East are extremely difficult – if not impossible – to access due to logistics. Moreover aerial abundance surveys are expensive and also cannot cover the entire beluga range. However, a combination of satellite telemetry, aerial surveys and radar imagery can be very helpful in understanding the seasonal migrations of beluga and their adaptation to climate change. Sea surface currents (vectors) are superimposed on a sea surface temperature map via the environmental database Themis. Beluga whale positions are superimposed over the corresponding processed radar image. The radar image clearly shows ice forming along the coastline.
Superposition of beluga tracks with these data and the radar images combined all together provides a comprehensive view of the beluga whale habitat use throughout different seasons. The ongoing analysis must help in understanding the factors determining beluga whale seasonal movements and distribution. This knowledge is extremely important for prediction of beluga movements in the areas where tracking is impossible and for prognosis of its adaptive distribution shifts in changing climate conditions.
SIDARUS project: Sea-ice monitoring helps scientists understand and predict climate change
The overall objective of SIDARUS is to develop and implement a set of sea ice downstream services in the area of climate research, marine safety and environmental monitoring.
SIDARUS will extend the present Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) services with new satellite-derived sea ice products, ice forecasting from regional models and validation of sea ice products using non-satellite data. An example of integration of Argos data with the products from SIDARUS for sea ice habitat.
An example of integration of Argos data with the products from SIDARUS for sea ice habitat. In October-November 2010, 3 female polar bears have been tagged with Russian collars at the Franz-Joseph Archipelago. The ARGOS tracks for one polar bear have been correlated with sea ice concentration maps. There is a strong correlation between sea ice pattern and bears’ location. When the sea starts freezing in the beginning of November around Franz Joseph Archipelagoes, the bears drift southward. Then they continuously stay nearby the marginal zone until they start to come back on Mid-February.
Buoy Guard, AIS-Argos transmitters to monitor moored buoys for oil & gas offshore
CLS and its partner Current Expertise have developed an Argos-AIS beacon to help the oil & gas industry manage the security of offshore rigs.
The robust case is fixed to the large moored buoys used by the oil & gas industry to mark the anchors prior rig arrival, and houses an Argos PMT, an AIS transmitter, an electronic interface card and batteries.
The main function is to ensure the safety of maritime traffic thanks to the AIS signal (anti-collision) that is communicated to all nearby vessels. Argos is used to monitor the moored buoys position, and an alarm is sent if the buoy leaves its watch circle. In addition, the Argos transceiver is used to remotely verify the AIS transmitters functions.
