BGC Float_SeaBird.jpg

Underwater image of a long cylindrical tube with a sensor on top floating above the water with a ship in the background

Biogeochemical (BGC) profiling floats are free-drifting, battery-powered platforms that measure up to six BGC parameters: pH, oxygen, nitrate, chlorophyll a, suspended particles, and downwelling irradiance. BGC floats typically profile from 2000 meters to the surface every 10 days and operate for 4 to 6 years, contributing significantly to the global ocean observing system. Photo by Christoph Gerigk/Sea-Bird Electronics