• francisco.machin@ulpgc.es

On this day in history,...

...in 1985, the Tropical Ocean-Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Program officially began, marking the start of a decade-long international research initiative under the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). TOGA was designed to improve the understanding of seasonal to interannual climate variability, with a particular focus on the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and its impacts on global weather patterns.

TOGA

We know that TOGA started in January 1985, but the specific day remains unclear. We have assigned January 2 as a reference date for this milestone, and if anyone has more precise information, we would be happy to update it.

Key Objectives of TOGA:

  • Investigate the role of tropical oceans in driving atmospheric variability.
  • Improve ENSO prediction capabilities by integrating observational networks, models, and climate data.
  • Establish a sustained global ocean observation system, which later became the foundation for modern climate monitoring.

Major Achievements:

  • Development of the TOGA-TAO Buoy Array (1985-1994): a network of 70 moored buoys deployed in the equatorial Pacific, providing real-time oceanographic and meteorological data critical for ENSO prediction.
  • Advancements in Climate Modeling and Prediction: TOGA contributed to the development of dynamical climate models, enabling the first successful real-time ENSO forecasts in the early 1990s.
  • TOGA COARE (Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment, 1992-1993): a major field campaign that enhanced understanding of ocean-atmosphere interactions in the western Pacific warm pool.

TOGA laid the foundation for long-term ocean-climate monitoring and operational ENSO forecasting. Its success led to the establishment of the TOGA Follow-On program, TOGA-TAO, and later the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). The knowledge gained from TOGA continues to inform modern climate studies and operational climate prediction systems.

Sources

Reference date
02 Jan

Ocean Live

Check out the latest snapshots of the ocean! This section gives you a visual take on key ocean variables like sea surface temperature, sea level height, and surface color, among others. Stay up to date with what’s happening in the big blue!