NOAA-led cruise expands sensor network for climate prediction

The first stop for the PIRATA PNE cruise was in the Caribbean. Credit: NOAA OAR

PIRATA is a collaborative effort between Brazil, France, and the United States to study and improve predictability of ocean-atmosphere interactions in the tropical Atlantic. Air-sea interactions in this region have a large impact on weather and climate variability for surrounding countries and can be a determining factor in the prediction of extreme weather and ocean changes. 

PIRATA Northeast Extension (PNE) is an expansion of PIRATA and is a joint project between AOML and  NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laborator y (PMEL) to expand the set of tropical moored buoys into the northern and northeastern sectors of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. The project is funded by  NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observation program  and is motivated by the societal needs for improved prediction of weather and climate variability. PIRATA buoys provide critical data that are used to develop and improve predictive models of the Atlantic climate system, as well as used for ocean and weather prediction.

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