BIO-Surface Water and Ocean Topography

The objective of the BIO-SWOT project is the scientific exploitation of the very first observations from the SWOT satellite (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) beyond physical oceanography, focusing in particular on current biophysical issues. The SWOT satellite is scheduled to be launched in 2022 and researchers from the international BioSWOT Adopt A Cross Over consortium are planning a series of oceanographic cruises at several sites in the global ocean to develop multidisciplinary in situ experiments to study the fine-scale dynamics of ocean currents and their role in structuring marine biodiversity.

The BIOSWOT-Med campaign, planned for Spring 2023, aims at exploiting SWOT observations for unveiling the drivers of phytoplankton diversity in the Western Mediterranean. The western Mediterranean Sea is characterized by high plankton diversity, low nutrient concentration, and weak oceanic circulation. Here, finescale features, even if weak and short-lived, can strongly modulate the microbial community structure. The Phys group will contribute to BIOSWOT-Med by deploying 20 drifters (10 CODE and 10 SVP) and three Argo-floats (2 DO and 1 BCG).