About the Project
The GYROVAGO project (Reference: PID2024-162612NB-I00) is funded under the 2024-2027 State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation, through the State Program for Research and Experimental Development, Subprogram for Generation of Scientific and Technical Knowledge. Running from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2029, the project spans 48 months with a total budget of €278,750. Coordinated by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), GYROVAGO brings together a multidisciplinary consortium including CSIC, University of Cádiz (UCA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), PLOCAN, MØREFORSKING (Norway), Stockholm University (Sweden), University of Southampton (UK), IPN (Mexico), CICESE (Mexico), and FCPCT-ULPGC (Spain), aiming to advance our understanding of oceanographic processes through innovative research and collaboration.
The Eastern North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (ENASG) has been the subject of intense oceanographic research. This can be easily understood because it includes, among other particular oceanographic features, the Canary Upwelling System (CUS), the Azores Current, the latitudinal continental break of the Strait of Gibraltar (source of the basin-scale thermohaline anomaly of Mediterranean Water (MW) in the Atlantic Ocean), and the Macaronesian volcanic archipelagos along with a large number of isolated and chained submarine mountains rising high over abyssal depths.However, there are still many open research questions on ENASG functioning, and there is great uncertainty on how ENASG functioning will evolve in a period of rapid climate change. In this proposal we aim to build over previous research work, including past oceanographic cruises and ESTOC time series, to address some of the ENASG open research questions, namely:
- How do different central and intermediate water masses interact within the ENASG?
- How do mesoscale (eddies, filaments) and submesoscale (fronts, instabilities) processes regulate nutrient transport (vertical and lateral) across the ENASG?
- What are the characteristic timescales of carbon flux dynamics, and how do physical drivers control the efficiency of carbon transport and sequestration?
- How does microbial, zooplankton, and micronekton activity within the mesopelagic layer respond to changes in nutrient fluxes and physical conditions over space and time scales?
- What are the observed impacts of climate change (e.g., warming-driven stratification, altered circulation, deoxygenation) on the physical-mixing ecosystem-carbon coupling in the ENASG?
- How do marine heatwave (MHWs) behave in the ENASG? Is there a long-term trend in MHWs?
- What is the distribution and variability of microplastics in ENASG? How is it related to the different water masses and driven by physical processes?
Our starting hypothesis is that the combined use of existing observational data, reanalysis products, and the ESTOC observational capabilities, along with the performance of a repeated ocean transect along the ENASG using a research vessel and a glider fleet, will provide enough information across space and time scales to advance on the above research questions.
Carrying out simultaneous measurements of physical, biogeochemical, biomass and carbon flux estimation of zooplankton and micronekton, and of microplastic concentrations will contribute to disentangling the interactions between different ocean realms across scales.
Our Mission
This project aims to combine existing historical, in situ, and autonomous observational data with a new specially designed observational effort to investigate multi-scale interactions in the ENASG, revealing the physical drivers of biogeochemical carbon cycling, trophic dynamics, and microplastic contamination variabilities from diurnal to interannual timescales, as well as long-term trends and their spatial patterns.
Specific Objectives
- To create an open ENASG Ocean Data Catalogue comprising all available oceanographic and biogeochemical observational data available in the region.
- Determination of dominant scales of time-space variability in the upper and intermediate layers of ENASG in ocean circulation, hydrographic characteristics (including water masses determination), and mixing and vertical stability from diurnal to long-term trends and from submesoscale to basin scale, including extreme events as MHWs.
- Determination of CO2 surface fluxes and DIC spatial patterns and time variability and the assessment of their physical drivers and biological control across scales.
- Zooplankton and micronekton characterization and determination of spatial patterns and time variability with assessment of the physical drivers and biological carbon pump.
- Characterization of microplastic distribution, pathways, and physical oceanographic controls.
Work Packages (WP)
WP1: Data Compilation and Inventory
This WP involves the use and analysis of all metocean and biogeochemical data sets available in ENASG, including ESTOC, oceanographic stations, glider missions, ARGO floats, and reanalysis products.
- Task 1.1: Compilation of all oceanographic observational data. Milestone: Repository with gathered data.
- Task 1.2: Organization and systematization of datasets. Milestone: Available ENASG Ocean Data Catalogue (EOCD) with compiled historical observations.
- Task 1.3: Inclusion of all project-gathered data into EOCD to ensure data integrity, preservation, and access. Milestone: Updated EOCD available to the scientific community.
WP2: Mixing, Turbulence, and Variability
- Task 2.1: Mixing and turbulence; Milestone: Vertical distributions of turbulent energy dissipation rates, mixing, and mixed layer depth.
- Task 2.2: Dynamical stability, vertical diffusivity, biogeochemical fluxes; Milestone: Improved understanding of vertical mixing and nutrient transport.
- Task 2.3: Detection of upper ocean long-term changes and time-space variability; Milestone: Characterization of SSH, SST, SSS, HC, and climate pattern contributions.
- Task 2.4: Regional assessment of MHWs and drivers; Milestone: Baseline dataset for climatology and long-term trends of MHWs.
- Task 2.5: Multiscale variability assessment, long-term trends, and mixing mechanisms; Milestone: Trends in temperature, salinity, oxygen, and high-resolution maps of variability and mixing processes.
WP3: Surface CO2 Fluxes and Ocean DIC Inventory
- Task 3.1: Long-term CO2 evolution; Milestone: Trends of carbonate system variables along the water column.
- Task 3.2: Carbonate system variability in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean; Milestone: Extend ESTOC trends regionally and evaluate anthropogenic carbon budgets.
- Task 3.3: Physical and biological control on CO2 distribution; Milestone: Sensitivity analysis and climate change evidence on carbonate system.
- Task 3.4: Predictive CO2 fluxes evolution; Milestone: Monthly surface pCO2 distribution maps using satellite data and machine learning.
WP4: Zooplankton and Micronekton Characterization and Variability
- Task 4.1: Tracking daily vertical migrations; Milestone: Characterization of shallow and deep scattering layers.
- Task 4.2: Zooplankton and micronekton community characterization; Milestone: Comprehensive analysis of abundance, biomass, and environmental interactions.
- Task 4.3: Contribution to Biological Carbon Pump and trophic niche; Milestone: Understanding zooplankton and micronekton role in epipelagic and mesopelagic ecosystems.
WP5: Microplastics Distribution and Dynamics
- Task 5.1: Microplastic quantification and characterization; Milestone: Baseline abundance, size distribution, and polymer types.
- Task 5.2: Physical oceanographic controls on microplastic distribution; Milestone: Relationship between turbulence and microplastic fate.
- Task 5.3: Seasonal and climatic variability of microplastics; Milestone: Preliminary baseline at ESTOC site and seasonal pattern identification.
Project Team
Dr. Airam N. Sarmiento Lezcano
Principal Investigator (PI1)
Affiliation: Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Spain
Group: EPB
Institute: IEO-COAC
Email: airam.sarmiento@ieo.csic.es
Dr. Alfredo Izquierdo González
Principal Investigator (PI2)
Affiliation: Universidad de Cádiz (INMAR-UCA), Spain
Group: INMAR
Institute: UCA
Email: alfredo.izquierdo@uca.es
Dr. Andrés Cianca
Researcher
Affiliation: Plataforma Oceanica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Spain
Group: -
Institute: PLOCAN
Email: andres.cianca@plocan.es
Dr. Ángel Rodríguez Santana
Researcher
Affiliation: Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
Group: OFYGA
Institute: ECOAQUA-ULPGC
Email: angel.santana@ulpgc.es
Dr. Antonio Juan González Ramos
Researcher
Affiliation: Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
Group: BIOCON
Institute: ECOAQUA-ULPGC
Email: antonio.ramos@ulpgc.es
Dr. Melchor González Dávila
Researcher
Affiliation: Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
Group: QUIMA
Institute: IOCAG-ULPGC
Email: melchor.gonzalez@ulpgc.es
Dr. María Dolores Gelado Caballero
Researcher
Affiliation: Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
Group: TGBA
Institute: ULPGC
Email: maria.gelado@ulpgc.es
Dr. Tomás Fernández Montblanc
Researcher
Affiliation: Universidad de Cádiz (UCA), Spain
Group: INMAR
Institute: INMAR-UCA
Email: tomas.fernandez@uca.es
Dr. Verónica Arnone
Researcher
Affiliation: Plataforma Oceanica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Spain
Group: -
Institute: PLOCAN
Email: veronica.arnone@plocan.eu
Dr. Pablo Fernández Moniz
Researcher
Affiliation: Plataforma Oceanica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Spain
Group: -
Institute: PLOCAN
Email: pablo.fernandez@plocan.eu
Dr. Silvana Meira das Neves
Researcher
Affiliation: Plataforma Oceanica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Spain
Group: -
Institute: PLOCAN
Email: silvana.neves@plocan.eu
Work Team
MSc. Javier Díaz Pérez
Work Team
Affiliation: ULPGC
Group: GOBCAG
Institute: IOCAG
Email: javier.diaz.perez@ulpgc.es
MSc. Nicolás Larrumbide Zúñiga
Work Team
Affiliation: -Univerrsity of A Coruña
Group: -
Institute: -
Email: n.larrumbide.zuniga@udc.es
MSc. Giorgio Leonardi
Work Team
Affiliation: ULPGC
Group: GOBCAG
Institute: IOCAG
MSc. Lorena Martínez Leiva
Work Team
Affiliation: ULPGC
Group: GOBCAG
Institute: IOCAG
MSc. Luis Pablo Valencia Castro
Work Team
Affiliation: ULPGC
Group: OFYGA
Institute: ECOAQUA
MSc. Jacob Stefan Torres Ojeda
Work Team
Affiliation: ULPGC
Group: OFYGA
Institute: ECOAQUA
Email: jacob.torres101@alu.ulpgc.es
Dr. Cristina López Pérez
Work Team
Affiliation: ICM-CSIC
Group: -
Institute: ICM
Email: clopez@icm.csic.es
Dr. Inés Viana González
Work Team
Affiliation: IEO-CSIC
Group: EPB
Institute: IEO-COAC
Email: ines.viana@ieo.csic.es
Dr. Eva García Seoane
Work Team
Affiliation: Moreforsking, Norway
Group: Sustainable Ocean and Coast group
Institute: -
Dr. Rita García Seoane
Work Team
Affiliation: IEO-CSIC
Group: EPB
Institute: IEO-COAC
Email: rita.garcia@ieo.csic.es
Dr. Monika Winder
Work Team
Affiliation: Stockholm University
Group: DEEP
Institute: -
Email: Monika.Winder@su.se
Dr. Clive Trueman
Work Team
Affiliation: University of Southampton1
Group: -
Institute: -
Email: trueman@soton.ac.uk
Dr. Héctor Villalobos Ortiz
Work Team
Affiliation: IPN
Group: -
Institute: CICIMAR
Email: hvillalo@ipn.mx
In Situ Data
These figures show data extracted from COPERNICUS Marine Environment Monitoring Service and allow monitoring oceanographic conditions in the study area (SST, currents, chlorophyll, SSH and mesopelagic biomass).
SST + Geostrophic Flow
Chlorophyll + Geostrophic Flow
SSH + Geostrophic Flow
Temperature Section (from Copernicus)
Salinity Section (from Copernicus)
Oxygen Section (from Copernicus)
Chlorophyll a Section (from Copernicus)
What’s New
Stay up to date with the latest news from the GYROVAGO project. Here we share recent findings, project milestones, field campaign highlights, and upcoming events. Follow our journey as we uncover the hidden life of mesopelagic fishes and advance ocean science in the Canary Islands.
At Sea
The GYROVAGO project includes two 25-day cruises each. The southern transect cruise depart from the Port of Cádiz and end at the Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, or vice versa depending on vessel operational needs (see Figure 1). Maintenance campaigns for the ESTOC station depart from the Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The timing of the cruises is designed to capture periods of highest seasonal variability in the region, coinciding with the maximum development of the mixed layer at the end of winter (February/March) and the period of strongest stratification occurring in September/October. Conducting the campaigns in two different years allows for the assessment of interannual dynamics generated between seasonal conditions (Winter/Autumn).
The two-phase distribution of each cruise, with a six-month interval between phases, ensures more reliable data at the EMSO-ESTOC observatory, thanks to sensor maintenance and replacement to mitigate fouling effects during deployment periods.
Each phase has two main objectives:
- Maintenance of the EMSO-ESTOC observatory: to improve ocean observation and research in the central-eastern Atlantic as part of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and Water Column Observatory (EMSO ERIC), and the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS ERIC).
- Execution of a southern transect: covering a large part of the eastern boundary of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. This transect allows for the acquisition of multidisciplinary oceanographic observations that, combined with historical data, ESTOC time series, and glider missions, will support the studies described in this proposal.
Publications & Data
Access scientific publications, datasets, and resources generated by the GYROVAGO project. This section provides open-access data, including biological measurements, oceanographic parameters, and trophic ecology information. Our goal is to support research, foster collaboration, and advance knowledge.
Download dataset: biomass.csv
