Aim MINERVE program (Mesures à l'INterface Eau-aiR de la Variabilité des Echanges de CO2), which is pressed on valorization campaigns of transit, is to observe and to understand seasonal variabilities of the pressure partial of CO2 (pCO2) and Total Inorganic Carbon in surface water in partnership with hydrological measurements and biogeochemical in-situ and with the assistance of satellite data (temperature, color of the sea). Logistic courses of Astrolabe, make it possible to reach zones very little studied and to document them in order to include/understand the processes which explain the variations space-time of pCO2 with average scale in the southern oceanic areas. Data collected during these programs will be used as a basis to make estimates of the interannual variability and average variation (tendency) of flow Net of CO2 to the interface ocean-atmosphere; an extention of this program was required (realization of some hydrographic stations average depths during one of rotations), which will make it possible to apprehend calculation by various methods of the CO2 signal anthropic which penetrates in the ocean in this southern sector. By identifying and quantifying CO2 sources and sinks, observations collected at the time of campaigns MINERVE are also used to other teams to force atmospheric models and to validate biogeochemical models based on models of oceanic circulation general which try to simulate the cycle of oceanic carbon in the medium and long term.

In accordance with INDIVAT program (1985-87, on board Marion-Dufresne), MINERVE program began in 1990: an instrumentation was placed at station on Marion-Dufresne, which made it possible of 1990 to 1997 to carry out 40 valorization campaigns of transit, majority in western part of Indian Ocean and Indian the Antarctic sector, areas where very few observations had been done before 1990. Severals campaigns were coupled with oceanographical campaigns (WOCE, JGOFS). The whole of measurements MINERVE 90-97 were analyzed and published (cf publications). Since 2002 equipment was modified and installed on the Astrolabe and was adapted to the extremes conditions of measurement met on the ways Hobart to Dumont d'Urville. From 2002 to 2005, 3 campaigns were carried out each year. In this site, only the data collected during these 9 last campaigns are presented.

On national level, MINERVE is associed with differents programs : PROOF , PNEDC, ORE CARAUS.

On international level, the area visited is covered by programs organized in collaboration with foreign laboratories in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacifique and south-eastern Indien.
Associated programmes : JGOFS , SOLAS, IGBP, CLIVAR, CARBOCEAN.