The TAO array became the TAO/TRITON array on 1 January 2000. This name change recognizes the introduction of TRITON (Triangle Trans-Ocean Buoy Network) buoys in the western Pacific by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). TRITON buoys have replaced ATLAS buoys at 12 sites along 137°E, 147°E, and 156°E beginning in 1999 as indicated in the table below.

TRITON has been implemented in close collaboration with TAO under the auspices of CLIVAR, GOOS, and GCOS. TRITON buoys are serviced by the Japanese research vessel MIRAI. The TAO Project at NOAA / PMEL worked closely with the TRITON project at JAMSTEC to maximize consistency in sensor types and sampling schemes between TAO and TRITON buoys. TAO and TRITON buoys were also deployed side-by-side at several sites in the western Pacific for six month to one year check-out periods in 1998-99 to assure that parameters were consistently being measured by the two buoy systems. Today, JAMSTEC and NDBC are working together to assure that the TRITON buoy data are subject to free, open, and timely exchange. The combined TAO/TRITON data are managed and distributed as a unified and integrated data set by the TAO Data Download.

Status of integration of TRITON and TAO buoy data