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    Platforms

    TRICUSO key visual: a research vessel and a racing ship are crossing the letter C representing ocean carbon observation, leaving blue wakes behind and dropping argo floats after themselves for said observations.

    Platforms

    TRICUSO is curating a sensible modern observation system, comprising autonomous platforms, Argo Floats, citizen science platforms (racing yachts, cruise liners and other ships of opportunities) and research vessels, all of which will support trials of technical innovations toward the delivery of high quality data.

    Floats

    Argo Floats

    Argo Floats are profiling instruments fitted with sensors that measure temperature and salinity while drifting in the top 2000 metres of our ocean. There are approximately 4000 Argo Floats currently observing the global ocean and they remain the only way to circumvent observational gaps characteristic of the Southern Ocean, especially during the winter season. In TRICUSO, Biogeochemical (BGC) Argo Floats will be fitted with carbonate system sensors as well as wind and pH sensors and will be used to demonstrate upgrades to the wind sensors that were developed as part of our sister project GEORGE. This will enable us to use real-time measurements of wind speed acquired simultaneously to pCO2 ones, and to evaluate the possible improvement of flux estimates with respect to wind products.

    Wave Glider

    The Wave Glider is an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) with wave powered propulsion, and solar powered sensors, processor and communication. It is produced by Liquid Robotics. In TRICUSO, a Wave Glider will house the upgraded Calibrated pCO2 in Air and Surface Ocean Sensor (CaPASOS) system and will be deployed from the Research Vessel Pharos in the ocean west of the South Georgia Island for three week trials in 2026 and 2027.

    A small vector illustration of a wave.

    Research Vessels (RVs)

    The fishery patrol vessel (FPV) Pharos is operated by the Government of South Georgia and managed by TRICUSO partner South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI). The FPV Pharos will be used for two expeditions.

    Picture taken from aboard Research Vessel Pharos on a blue lake with mountains in the background.
    Are you a RV spotter? Here are some of FPV Pharos' stats:
    • Steel Twin-Screw Diesel Electric, Length O A 79.58m, Beam 14.0m, Draught 4.0m
    • Diesel-electric, through two conventional main propelled aft and gill-jet bow thrusters
    • Service Speed 12 kts, 20 tonne crane, 200 square metre Buoy Working Deck, Helicopter Deck
    • 1993: Built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow, based in Oban for the Northern Light House Board

    Cruise one is planned for October of 2026. A Wave Glider will be deployed and Argo Floats, equipped with wind and oxygen sensors alongside standard CTD sensors, will be deployed to validate the wind sensors against reanalysis products from Copernicus. Water sampling will also be conducted during this cruise.

    Cruise two is planned for October of 2028. A Wave Glider and Biogeochemical (BGC) Argo Floats equipped with new carbonate chemistry sensors will be deployed. Water sampling will also take place during this expedition.

    Map of the Southern Ocean
    A small vector illustration of a wave.

    Ships of Opportunity: Yachts and Cruise Ships

    Racing Yachts

    Racing yachts embark on ‘round the world’ events every other year, traversing the Southern Ocean along the same route during the same seasons, in waters rarely frequented by other maritime ships. Many skippers are already participating in trials testing scientific instruments. Via our partner International Monoclass Open Class Association (IMOCA), TRICUSO will install new instruments (the next generation of previous systems developed by partner SubCtech) on racing yachts and conduct long term trials during these global races. Yachts in the IMOCA fleet are light, fast and strong and many of them feature foils to help them fly above the water.

    Main dimensions of an IMOCA racing yacht. Maximum draft: 4.50m. Maximum hull length: 18.28m (60ft). Maximum length overall: 20.12m (66ft). Maximum air draft: 29m. Wing mast (Mast Rake between 2 and 6°). One Design outriggers. One design keel fin (stainless steel). Keel bulb (weight between 2.2 and 2.85 tonnes). No more than 5 hull appendages (including 2 rudders and 1 mandatory keel). No more than 7 sails onboard.

    The trial will take place during The Ocean Race 2027, during which time we will provide information on how to track the progress of the yachts participating in TRICUSO.

    Cruise Ships

    Cruise ships sail in remote areas of the Southern Ocean that are too costly for scientific vessels to travel to, and many ships are carrying scientific instruments to take measurements in these under-observed regions. However, there are no pCO2 systems installed on any known cruise ship. TRICUSO is working with the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and its community of highly motivated stakeholders who are eager to make systematic contributions to Southern Ocean observing, to determine the size and scope of these possible interactions and to install a trial pCO2 system on one vessel during the project life cycle.

    An illsutration of 2 ships and a long wake going accross the width of the screen, with 3 sensors floating in the wake after getting dropped off.
    Partly negative version of TRICUSO logotype - a half white, half blue logo symbol of wakes and 3 research infrastructure symbols with 'TRICUSO' title underneath.
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    This work was funded by the European Union under grant agreement no. 101188028. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.  

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