MARVOS is a multicycle subsurface RAFOS type float developed by IFREME
R, in partnership with Tekelec. The first 20 serial MARVOR floats were
launched in February 1994, in the Brazil basin for 30 2-month cycles
at 800 m depth, within the framework of the SAMBA experiment. This exp
eriment will use a total of 100 MARVOR floats over a 5-year period wit
h the objective to obtain a description and possibly an understanding
of Antarctic Intermediate Water general circulation in the Brazil basi
n. For their first 60-day cycle at 800 m the 20 MARVOR floats presentl
y at sea have worked well. They show a general westward motion south o
f 21-degrees-S, weaker mean motions but stronger turbulence north of 2
1-degrees-S and evidence of a strong western boundary current along th
e coast north of Salvador da Bahia.