SolOceans

However, beyond the sports aspect, the managers of the SolOceans had, from the very beginning, dreamed up the Oceanic One Design^® monohulls as OceanoScientific^® yachts. Therefore, each euro invested in the SolOceans will contribute to the world's scientific discovery and to its preservation to serve humanity.

Worldwide scientists model the climate evolution in order to precisely establish the causes and consequences of the global warming, yet they are really lacking validated scientific data. The satellite observation technology in this field is very helpful thus enabling a synoptic and nearly continuous watch of the oceans. However, the number of such accessible parameters remains limited. In order to validate the accuracy of the instruments that equip the satellites, the obtained satellite data have to be compared to measurements carried out in situ. However, these in situ data are either: very unevenly spread with, notably, few measurements in the southern hemisphere (40% of the SolOceans course), or are not numerous enough, or are not frequent enough.

In this context, a fleet comprised of twelve perfectly identical yachts that will - every two years from 2009 onwards - sail to and fro across the oceans, encountering almost unexplored areas south of the three continental capes, where our climatic future is at stake, can indeed serve humanity to better understand our Earth and thus protect it.

The design and construction of the Oceanic One Design^®'s hull, keel and mast tooling integrate the various scientific sensors. Specialized firms will then perfect the catchment equipment. The marine adaptation of scientific equipment will be carried out with the help of involved engineers, depending on the fields of research. It will be a total automation of the catchment and analysis operations and there will be no need for the solo-sailor to intervene during the race as far as the loaded equipment is concerned. The collected scientific data will then be digitized and satellite transmitted to the OceanoScientific^® international headquarters that will be installed alongside the traditional race headquarters - Media centre.

In collaboration with the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), that helps the OceanoScientific^® Programme team in its approaches, eight surveys are identified to be potentially carried out onboard the Oceanic One Design^® monohulls of the SolOceans, subject to preliminary tests: Real wind - Force and direction; Light - Measurements of the albedo and solar radiations; Air humidity; Atmospheric pressure; Carbon dioxide content of air (CO₂) at + 15 metres; Temperature - Air and sea; Sea water salinity; Carbon dioxide content of sea water (CO₂) at -1.50 metre.

In addition to these equipments which do not require the solo-sailor's intervention during the race, the stern of the Oceanic One Design^® monohulls will be fitted up with a beacon launch equipment. In that case, the collaboration of the solo-sailor will be required to set off the beacon launch. This thirty-centimetre long lancet beacon is the size of a bottle. It is used by scientists: either in a Temperature + Pressure (Xbt) mode, or in a Temperature + Pressure + Salinity (Xctd) mode.

Once released by the solo-sailor, these beacons will sink 1 500 metres deep thanks to the launcher located in the stern of each Oceanic One Design^®. The collected information will then be sent out via satellite. These beacons will be powered in three particular cases, always on request of the scientists who will run the OceanoScientific^® Operation from the international headquarters of the SolOceans: in order to calibrate a satellite with regard to the in situ observations; in order to supplement to the information supplied by the Oceanic One Design^® monohulls that will practically be dealt with in real time ashore via the international headquarters; when in a subantarctic convergence zone.

The OceanoScientific^® Operation led within the framework of the SolOceans envisages to make its contribution to international scientific programmes whose data are shared by researchers worldwide.

For example, the Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS) programme is a permanent global system for observations, modelling and analysis of marine and ocean variables to support operational ocean services worldwide. GOOS provides accurate descriptions of the present state of the oceans, including living resources; continuous forecasts of the future conditions of the sea for as far ahead as possible, and the basis for forecasts of climate change. GOOS is a platform for international cooperation sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and by the International Council for Science (ICSU).

The CORIOLIS European programme undertakes daily analyses of the oceans' temperature and salinity thanks to satellites, ships and drifting or heaving floats of French and American origin.

The scientific information collected by the Oceanic One Design^® is dedicated to expand their databases and help to calibrate of the already existing measuring instruments in the world.

The most fantastic opportunity of the OceanoScientific^® Operation consists in the fact that it will be launched practically at the same time as the SMOS European satellite mission and its American homologue AQUARIUS. The SMOS (Soil Moisture & Ocean Salinity) satellite will provide soil moisture and ocean salinity maps. Ocean salinity and its development indeed helps with the identification, the follow-up and the understanding of the big currents that are key variables in climate monitoring and global warming. Salinity also helps for establishing the role of oceans in carbon cycles. The launch of SMOS is scheduled for 2007 and would be operational in 2009. The Aquarius mission is targeted for launch in 2009 and would be operational in 2011. These satellites will require calibration / validation in situ.

The researchers' general opinion is that the contribution of the scientific data collected by the Oceanic One Design^® within the OceanoScientific^® Programme will be very useful to them.