Data sources
Argos
The Argos instruments carried on different satellites locate beacons on the Earth's surface (including ocean surfaces)
More information on Argos
More information on oceanographic buoys and beacons located by Argos: :
The Argo network of drifting floats
Altimetry satellites
Altimeters are radar payloads on satellites that measure the height of the ocean.
Today, several operational satellites are used to calculate the maps plotted for Argonautica.
More information on altimeters
Mercator
Mercator Océan develops and operates oceanic forecasting models and distributes the forecasts.
Until October 2005, only data for the North and Tropical Atlantic and the Mediterranean were available. Since then, data are available for all of the oceans (see the Mercator Océan site).
Plus sur :
Mercator (Mercator Océan web site)
Ocean models
Satellites that measure sea surface temperatures
Sea surface temperature is estimated by satellites using the radiance emitted by the ocean's surface; either in infrared wavelengths (very high resolution measurements but sensitive to cloud-cover) or in microwaves (images have lower resolution but are less sensitive to cloud-cover).
More information on sea surface temperature measurements by satellite:
Infrared radiometers
Microwave radiometers
Ocean colour
By observing the oceans with instruments that "see" in the green and blue wave lengths, we can determine the concentration of phytoplankton in the water (actually, the concentration of chlorophyll). These instruments are sensitive to weather: when the sky was overcast, the maps have white zones showing where measurements were blocked by clouds.
More information on the ocean colour and its measurement by satellite:
Optical radiometers
Scatterometers
Scatterometers are radars on satellites that measure ocean surface wind.