The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) Santander observing system

From the last 1980s different initiatives have been carried out by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) at its Oceanographic Centre of Santander to progressively increase its ocean observing system capabilities. From 1991, shelf and slope waters of the Southern Bay of Biscay are regularly sampled in a monthly hydrographic line north of Santander to a maximum depth of 1500m. In 2003, the Santander section was extended 90 miles offshore in the framework of a larger scale hydrographic and circulation monitoring program (VACLAN/COVACLAN projects, www.vaclan-ieo.es (REN 2003-08193-C03-01/MAR; CTM 2007-64600/MAR)). Measurements from the surface to the more than 5000 meters existing in the basin in deep hydrological standard sections are occupied twice a year including CTDO2, nutrients and currents from vessel-mounted ADCP and LADCP. In order to reinforce its contribution to the ocean surface monitoring, the IEO deployed in June 2007 an oceanic-meteorological buoy (AGL Buoy, 43°50.67´ N; 003°46.20´ W, and 40 km offshore, www.boya_agl.st.ieo.es/) in the southern Bay of Biscay. Previously, in August 1998 a satellite reception station was mounted at the IEO Santander Centre to receive SST images. Because of technical problems the station stop working in 2007, but a new reception station has been mounted in 2010, with FEDER funds and SST images of the surroundings areas are now available. Recently, a glider experiment has been performed in December 2010 to study the possibilities to repeat the Santander section using the new technology. All those observations are completed with the Santander tide gauge, operated by IEO since 1943. A complete view of oceanic processes is obtained through the combination of this set of monitoring programs, at the same time that the best way to optimize ocean observation is investigated.