Access to ocean data is crucial to understanding climate change, but their collection is still limited by technological constraints or sometimes a lack of international coordination. By combining autonomous sensors and artificial intelligence, the new European project GEORGE (2023-2027) aims to improve ocean monitoring by combining essential tools to refine climate models and guide environmental policies.
by Laurie Henry
Cover photo © GEORGE
The ocean absorbs almost a quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activity, playing a crucial role in regulating the climate. However, scientists are still struggling to precisely quantify these CO₂ exchanges between the atmosphere and the ocean. Local variations, the limitations of current sensors and the lack of synchronisation between infrastructures complicate this essential measurement. To improve the monitoring of these carbon flows, the European GEORGE project, funded by Horizon Europe, brings together a consortium of 28 partners, including Ifremer, the University of Exeter and the GEOMAR Institute. By promising the development of new autonomous sensors combined with optimised sampling strategies, this programme aims to make ocean observations more accurate and better integrated.
Autonomous sensors for more accurate ocean monitoring
One of the major challenges in climate research is the accurate measurement of CO₂ in the oceans. To meet this challenge, the new generation of autonomous sensors of the GEORGE project plans to operate on various ocean platforms: drifting floats, fixed buoys and autonomous underwater vehicles. These sensors must measure with high precision the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂) in seawater, a key parameter for understanding how the ocean absorbs and stores atmospheric CO₂.