profiling floats

Profiling floats are autonomous devices that drift through the ocean, collecting data on temperature, salinity, and other properties at various depths. They periodically change their buoyancy to move vertically, gathering detailed, high-resolution measurements as they ascend and descend. This data helps scientists understand ocean circulation, climate change, and marine ecosystems. After completing a profiling cycle, the floats transmit the collected information via satellite and then repeat the process, providing continuous, widespread ocean observations crucial for improving weather forecasts and climate models.