8 
Sy, A. et al. (2002): Upper Ocean Climate Ship-of-Opportunity Programme of BSH - A Status Report 
Table. 1: Status of existing SOOP lines operated continuously by BSH 
TWI # 
AX-3 
AX-11 
Start of operation 
May 88 
1981/June 90 
Co-operating vessels 
Köln Express/Bonn 
Cap Finisterre 
Call sign 
Express/Gauss 
9VBL/DGNB/DBBX 
DACF 
Mode 
high density (HDX) 
frequently repeated (FRX) 
Frequency (sections) 
8/year 
7/year 
Density (drops) 
12/day 
6/day 
Probe type 
Sippican Fast Deep/T-5 
Sippican Deep Blue 
Equipment 
SEAS IV, MK-12 
SEAS IV, MK-12 
Real-time data transmission 
METEOSAT 
METEOSAT 
Agency 
BSH, Hamburg 
BSH, Hamburg 
Programme 
GOOS/CLIVAR 
GOOS 
QC of delayed mode data 
yes 
yes 
Sections 2000/2001/2002 
8 117 
6 7 9 
Profiles 2000/2001/2002 
595 737 510 
309 395 510 
GTS Input 2000/2001/2002 
435 717 505 
301 378 508 
Sections planned in 2003 
8 
6 
Problems 2000/2001/2002 
none 
10.99-04.2000: 
Remarks 
1 XCTD section in 2000 
2 CTD sections (hydr. box) 
each in 1998, 2000, 2002 
by RV Gauss 
bad probe quality 
Fig. 3: Number of XBT profiles obtained along AX-3 and AX-11 from 1988 until 2002. 
The decrease for AX-3 in 1999 and AX-11 in 2000 is caused by wire related 
probe failures.