SIO Private Argo Site

SIO ARGO floats Failure Rate Page

Click here to return to the historical table.

The statistics displayed are based on the following definition of a float failure: If any expected Core Argo function has failed, the float is deemed to not be fulfilling its full mission, so has failed. Examples of failure include, if the float or sensor is greylisted, if the salinity data is deemed bad within DMQC, pressure sensor data is questionable, etc. as well as when transmissions stop being received.

This is a purposely conservative estimate, and should not be directly compared to other failure estimates that use more lax criteria (e.g. failure only when transmissions stop being received).

Links display daily-updated plots and values (table values last updated on January 4,2024)

SOLOII

IDG MRV

Temporal Range &
Float Grouping (Firmware or
Characteristic) Percent Success
(in first 5 years) Effective Lifetime
(years) # Fully
Operational
(Float+CTD) Percent Success
(in first 5 years) Effective Lifetime
(years) # Alive

Sep 2021 - Jan 2023
V2.6 Tadiran
"Covid" Era Float+CTD=80.5
Float=81.3
Float+CTD=1.36
Float=1.38
86/117 -
-
-

Dec 2019 - Jul 2021
V2.6 Tadiran
Post CTD Mfg Mod Float+CTD=91.7
Float=93.2
Float+CTD=3.14
Float=3.20
115/129 -
-
-

Aug 2018 - Jan 2020
V2.6 Tadiran
Pre CTD Mfg Mod Float+CTD=67.9
Float=91.1
Float+CTD=3.34
Float=4.51
49/107 -
-
-

Oct 2016 - Sep 2018
V2.2-V2.5
Tadiran Float+CTD=88.3
Float=97.2
(Final)
Float+CTD=5.27
Float=6.00
98/144 -
-
-
Sep 2015 - Aug 2017
V2.1-V2.4
ElectroChem Float+CTD=88.9
Float=97.1
(Final)
Float+CTD=5.74
Float=6.74
24/92 -
-
-

Jul 2013 - Nov 2015
V1.5 & V2.0 10-day
3 Battery Pack Float+CTD=83.6
Float=90.5
(Final)
Float+CTD=6.05
Float=6.79

11/236 -
-
-

Jan 2014 - Mar 2014
V1.5 Sandy Time-Scaled
3 Battery Pack Float+CTD=87.4
Float=90.4
(Final)
Float+CTD=6.67
Float=7.10
(Final)
0/40 -
-
-

Oct 2012 - Dec 2012
V1.3 2 Battery Pack 80.7 (Final)
4.00 (Final)
0/20 69.8 (Final)
3.45 (Final)
0/20

Feb 2012 - Jun 2012
V1.1 & V1.2
2 Battery Pack 86.8 (Final)
4.38 (Final)
0/30 -
-
-

Aug 2011 - Oct 2011
V1.0 2 Battery Pack 94.9 (Final)
4.74 (Final)
0/30 71.0 (Final)
3.58 (Final)
0/20

Feb 2011 - Apr 2011
V1.0: Discovery 30.3 (Final)
1.50 (Final)
0/15 -
-
-

SOLO

IDG

Deployment Time Range, Float Model, or Ship Percent Success
(in first 5 years) Effective Lifetime
(years) # Fully Operational
V0.5 Iridium SOLO Feb 2013 87.7 (Final) 7.31 (Final) 0/12

V0.5 Iridium SOLO Feb 2012 - Nov 2012 59.1 (Final) 4.36 (Final) 0/16

Format 19 Argos SOLO Feb 2011 - Mar 2012 91.4 (Final) 5.68 (Final) 0/56

Format 19 Argos SOLO Nov 2009 - Dec 2010 89.9 (Final) 5.53 (Final) 0/121

Format 19 Argos SOLO Oct 2007 - Mar 2009
(Microleak Era) 74.7 (Final) 4.40 (Final) 0/163

Format 19 Argos SOLO Aug 2006 - Jul 2007 83.3 (Final) 5.42 (Final) 0/144

Format 19 Argos SOLO Mar 2005 - Mar 2006 84.4 (Final) 4.34 (Final) 0/188

Format 19 Argos SOLO Feb 2004 - Dec 2004 76.8 (Final) 4.05 (Final) 0/128

Format 19 Argos SOLO Oct 2002 - Nov 2003 54.3 (Final) 2.78 (Final) 0/95

Formats 17&18 Argos SOLO Jun 2000 - Feb 2002 25.13 (Final) 1.25 (Final) 0/65

Percent Success is the percentage of cycles completed within first 5 years (any cycles outside first 5 years are not counted)

Effective Lifetime is the average lifetime of floats within the group (counts all cycles)

Graphical representation of SOLO-II float groupings success history. Data in the left panel tracks both float and CTD health. Data in the right panel tracks float success only, ignoring the health of the CTD.

Notes:
V2.6 is split between those pre/post Seabird CTD Manufacturing modifications
V2.2 first float group with a significant number of floats with Tadiran battery packs
V1.5 First float group with 3-battery packs (4.5 MJ) and passivation mediation

	IDG			MRV
Temporal Range & Float Grouping (Firmware or Characteristic)	Percent Success (in first 5 years)	Effective Lifetime (years)	# Fully Operational (Float+CTD)	Percent Success (in first 5 years)	Effective Lifetime (years)	# Alive
Sep 2021 - Jan 2023 V2.6 Tadiran "Covid" Era	Float+CTD=80.5 Float=81.3	Float+CTD=1.36 Float=1.38	86/117	-	-	-
Dec 2019 - Jul 2021 V2.6 Tadiran Post CTD Mfg Mod	Float+CTD=91.7 Float=93.2	Float+CTD=3.14 Float=3.20	115/129	-	-	-
Aug 2018 - Jan 2020 V2.6 Tadiran Pre CTD Mfg Mod	Float+CTD=67.9 Float=91.1	Float+CTD=3.34 Float=4.51	49/107	-	-	-
Oct 2016 - Sep 2018 V2.2-V2.5 Tadiran	Float+CTD=88.3 Float=97.2 (Final)	Float+CTD=5.27 Float=6.00	98/144	-	-	-
Sep 2015 - Aug 2017 V2.1-V2.4 ElectroChem	Float+CTD=88.9 Float=97.1 (Final)	Float+CTD=5.74 Float=6.74	24/92	-	-	-
Jul 2013 - Nov 2015 V1.5 & V2.0 10-day 3 Battery Pack	Float+CTD=83.6 Float=90.5 (Final)	Float+CTD=6.05 Float=6.79	11/236	-	-	-
Jan 2014 - Mar 2014 V1.5 Sandy Time-Scaled 3 Battery Pack	Float+CTD=87.4 Float=90.4 (Final)	Float+CTD=6.67 Float=7.10 (Final)	0/40	-	-	-
Oct 2012 - Dec 2012 V1.3 2 Battery Pack	80.7 (Final)	4.00 (Final)	0/20	69.8 (Final)	3.45 (Final)	0/20
Feb 2012 - Jun 2012 V1.1 & V1.2 2 Battery Pack	86.8 (Final)	4.38 (Final)	0/30	-	-	-
Aug 2011 - Oct 2011 V1.0 2 Battery Pack	94.9 (Final)	4.74 (Final)	0/30	71.0 (Final)	3.58 (Final)	0/20
Feb 2011 - Apr 2011 V1.0: Discovery	30.3 (Final)	1.50 (Final)	0/15	-	-	-

	IDG
Deployment Time Range, Float Model, or Ship	Percent Success (in first 5 years)	Effective Lifetime (years)	# Fully Operational
V0.5 Iridium SOLO Feb 2013	87.7 (Final)	7.31 (Final)	0/12
V0.5 Iridium SOLO Feb 2012 - Nov 2012	59.1 (Final)	4.36 (Final)	0/16
Format 19 Argos SOLO Feb 2011 - Mar 2012	91.4 (Final)	5.68 (Final)	0/56
Format 19 Argos SOLO Nov 2009 - Dec 2010	89.9 (Final)	5.53 (Final)	0/121
Format 19 Argos SOLO Oct 2007 - Mar 2009 (Microleak Era)	74.7 (Final)	4.40 (Final)	0/163
Format 19 Argos SOLO Aug 2006 - Jul 2007	83.3 (Final)	5.42 (Final)	0/144
Format 19 Argos SOLO Mar 2005 - Mar 2006	84.4 (Final)	4.34 (Final)	0/188
Format 19 Argos SOLO Feb 2004 - Dec 2004	76.8 (Final)	4.05 (Final)	0/128
Format 19 Argos SOLO Oct 2002 - Nov 2003	54.3 (Final)	2.78 (Final)	0/95
Formats 17&18 Argos SOLO Jun 2000 - Feb 2002	25.13 (Final)	1.25 (Final)	0/65