The Argo array is in net decline due to fewer float deployments since 2016 caused by flat budgets and inflation. The current array number stands at roughly 3,600 floats, which is down from 4,000 floats in the array as of January 2020.

The figure below shows how well Argo float deployments in the last 12 months are meeting the worldwide coverage target.  The goal is to have at least 75% of floats deployed in the last year that are needed to satisfy the array’s design and ensure the constant monitoring of our ocean, to provide critical data to understand the ongoing changes in our ocean and accurately predict future warming and sea-level rise.

If fewer floats are deployed, then the coverage goes down.  This figure was produced by OceanOPS and can be found under the ‘KPIs’ in the ‘Metrics’ tab (it is the ‘Intensity KPI‘).