Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 1097068
Metadata Summary
Problem Reports
Data Access Policy
Narrative Documents
Project Information
Data Activity or Cruise Information
Fixed Station Information
BODC Quality Flags
Metadata Summary
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Parameters |
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Problem Reports
No Problem Report Found in the Database
Data Quality Report - see processing documentation
Data quality information is included in the general documentation for this series. Please read.
Data Access Policy
Public domain data
These data have no specific confidentiality restrictions for users. However, users must acknowledge data sources as it is not ethical to publish data without proper attribution. Any publication or other output resulting from usage of the data should include an acknowledgment.
The recommended acknowledgment is
"This study uses data from the data source/organisation/programme, provided by the British Oceanographic Data Centre and funded by the funding body."
Narrative Documents
SPX Bran+Luebbe Autoanalyser 3
The instrument uses continuous flow analysis (CFA) with a continuous stream of material divided by air bubbles into discrete segments in which chemical reactions occur. The continuous stream of liquid samples and reagents are combined and transported in tubing and mixing coils. The tubing passes the samples from one apparatus to the other with each apparatus performing different functions, such as distillation, dialysis, extraction, ion exchange, heating, incubation, and subsequent recording of a signal.
An essential principle of the system is the introduction of air bubbles. The air bubbles segment each sample into discrete packets and act as a barrier between packets to prevent cross contamination as they travel down the length of the tubing. The air bubbles also assist mixing by creating turbulent flow (bolus flow), and provide operators with a quick and easy check of the flow characteristics of the liquid.
Samples and standards are treated in an exactly identical manner as they travel the length of the tubing, eliminating the necessity of a steady state signal, however, since the presence of bubbles create an almost square wave profile, bringing the system to steady state does not significantly decrease throughput and is desirable in that steady state signals (chemical equilibrium) are more accurate and reproducible.
The autoanalyzer can consist of different modules including a sampler, pump, mixing coils, optional sample treatments (dialysis, distillation, heating, etc), a detector, and data generator. Most continuous flow analyzers depend on color reactions using a flow through colorimeter, however other methods have been developed that use ISE, flame photometry, ICAP, fluorometry, and so forth.
More details can be found in the manufacturer's introduction to autoanalysers andinstrument description.
World Precision Instruments Liquid Waveguide Capillary Cell
Liquid Waveguide Capillary Cell (LWCC) is a flow cell for absorbance measurements in the ultraviolet, visible and near infra-red ranges. Pathlengths range from 50-500cm, with increasing measurement sensitivity from 50 to 500-fold. The flow cells are fiber coupled and have a very small sample volume ranging from 125µL (50cm pathlength) to 1,250µL (500cm pathlength).
The sample solution is introduced into the LWCC at the liquid input. Light is coupled into the LWCC from a light source via a fiber optic cable. After passing through the LWCC, light is collected with an optical fiber and guided to a detector. The concentration of the sample is determined by measuring its absorbance in the LWCC, similar to a standard UV/VIS spectrometer.
Specifications
| Model | LWCC-3050 | LWCC-3100 | LWCC-3250 | LWCC-3500 |
| Optical Pathlength | 50cm | 100cm | 250cm | 500cm |
| Internal Volume | 125µL | 250µL | 625µL | 1250µL |
| Fiber Connection | 500um SMA | |||
| Transmission @254nm* | 20 | 10 | 5 | - |
| Transmission @540nm* | 35 | 30 | 25 | 20 |
| Noise [mAU]** | <0.1 | <0.2 | <0.5 | <1.0 |
Maximum Pressure 100 PSI
Wetted Material PEEK, Fused Silica, PTFE
Liquid Input Standard 10-32 Coned Port Fitting
* Referenced using coupled 500µm fibers
** Measured using ASTM E685-93
*** A one-meter waveguide of 550µm internal diameter requires approximately 1.5 psi for water flow of 1.0 mL/min.
Further details can be found in the manufacturer's specification sheet.
Non-toxic (underway) sea water supply
A source of uncontaminated near-surface (commonly 3 to 7 m) seawater pumped continuously to shipboard laboratories on research vessels. There is typically a temperature sensor near the intake (known as the hull temperature) to provide measurements that are as close as possible to the ambient water temperature. The flow from the supply is typically directed through continuously logged sensors such as a thermosalinograph and a fluorometer. Water samples are often collected from the non-toxic supply. The system is also referred to as the underway supply.
AMT13 Nutrient (micro- and nano-molar) measurements from CTD bottle and surface underway samples
Originator's Protocol for Data Acquisition and Analysis
Water samples were taken from the Sea-Bird CTD rosette system on most casts and from the non-toxic supply tap at 15:00 on days where concentrations were lower than the detection limit of the micro-molar analyses. The water samples were sub-sampled into acid-clean 60 ml HDPE (nalgene) sample bottles. Analysis for nutrients was completed within 3 hours of sampling in all cases. Clean handling techniques were employed to avoid contamination of the samples.
The main nutrient analyser was a 5-channel Bran and Luebbe AAIII segmented flow autoanalyser. The samples were analysed for nitrate (Brewer and Riley, 1965), for nitrite (Grasshoff, 1976), phosphate and silicate (Kirkwood, 1989), and ammonium (Mantoura and Woodward, 1983).
Nanomolar ammonium concentrations were obtained with a fluorescent analysis technique following ammonia gas diffusion out of the samples, passing across a hydrophobic Teflon membrane due to differential pH chemistry (adapted from Jones, 1991).
Nanomolar nitrate+nitrite, nitrate and phosphate concentrations were obtained on some samples using a 3-channel nanomolar analyser. This method combines sensitive segmented flow colorimetric analytical techniques with a Liquid Waveguide Capillary Cell (LWCC). The phosphate waveguide did not produce consistently reliable results.
References Cited
Brewer P.G. and Riley J.P., 1965. The automatic determination of nitrate in sea water. Deep-Sea Research, 12, 765-772.
Grasshoff K., 1976. Methods of seawater analysis. Verlag Chemie, Weiheim: 317 pp.
Jones R.D., 1991. An improved fluorescence method for the determination of nanomolar concentrations of ammonium in natural waters. Limnology and Oceanography, 36, 814-819.
Kirkwood D.S., 1989. Simultaneous determination of selected nutrients in seawater. ICES CM1989/C:29, 12pp.
Mantoura R.F.C. and Woodward E.M.S., 1983. Optimisation of the indophenol blue method for the automated determination of ammonia in estuarine waters. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 17, 219-224.
BODC Data Processing Procedures
Data were submitted to BODC in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format and saved to the BODC archive with accession number PML040070. Sample metadata were checked against information held in the database.
There were few discrepancies between information from the Sea-bird log files (used by BODC as a main reference for CTD rosette bottle metadata information) and the data originator's records regarding the depth of the bottle firing. A number of these discrepancies could be resolved by identifying CTD rosette bottles that had misfired. This information was provided by the data originator and the bottles were flagged in the database. It was decided that unless obviously incorrect the data should be loaded into the database by matching the originators' Niskin rosette position number to the depth recorded by the Sea-bird instrument (see section "Problem Report" for details of affected stations and depths).
Data from the nanomolar ammonium and LWCC systems were submitted in units of nmol/l. Nano-molar data were divided by 1000 to convert the units to µmol/l for storage in the database.Users should be aware that these LWCC measurements are valid to the fourth decimal place. The data were assigned parameter codes defined in BODC parameter dictionary. Data loaded into BODC's database using established BODC data banking procedures.
A parameter mapping table is provided below;
| Originator's Parameter | Units | Description | BODC Parameter Code | Units | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammonium (AAIII) | µmol l-1 | Concentration of ammonium {NH4} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis | AMONAATX | µmol l-1 | - |
| Ammonium (nano-molar system) | nmol l-1 | Concentration (nM sensitivity) of ammonium {NH4} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by nanomolar ammonium system after Jones (1991) | AMONNATX | µmol l-1 | nmol l-1 converted to µmol l-1 (conversion used * 1/1000) |
| Nitrate+Nitrite (AAIII) | µmol l-1 | Concentration of nitrate+nitrite {NO3+NO2} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis | NTRZAATX | µmol l-1 | - |
| Nitrate+Nitrite (LWCC nano-molar system) | nmol l-1 | Concentration (nM sensitivity) of nitrate+nitrite {NO3+NO2} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis with liquid waveguide capilliary cell | NTRZLWTX | µmol l-1 | nmol l-1 converted to µmol l-1 (conversion used * 1/1000) |
| Nitrite (AAIII) | µmol l-1 | Concentration of nitrite {NO2} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis | NTRIAATX | µmol l-1 | - |
| Nitrite (LWCC nano-molar system) | nmol l-1 | Concentration (nM sensitivity) of nitrite {NO2} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis with liquid waveguide capilliary cell | NTRILWTX | µmol l-1 | nmol l-1 converted to µmol l-1 (conversion used * 1/1000) |
| Phosphate (AAIII) | µmol l-1 | Concentration of phosphate {PO4} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis | PHOSAATX | µmol l-1 | - |
| Phosphate (LWCC nano-molar system) | nmol l-1 | Concentration (nM sensitivity) of phosphate {PO4} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis with liquid waveguide capilliary cell | PHOSLWTX | µmol l-1 | nmol l-1 converted to µmol l-1 (conversion used * 1/1000) |
| Silicate (AAIII) | µmol l-1 | Concentration of silicate {SiO4} per unit volume of the water body [dissolved plus reactive particulate phase] by colorimetric autoanalysis | SLCAAATX | µmol l-1 | - |
Data Quality Report
The dataset has been checked by the data originator - any suspect data values were removed from the data set before submission to BODC.
Measurement precision information from data originators:
The detection limits for measurements from the AAIII Bran and Luebbe autoanalyser have are 0.02 µmol l-1, except the colorimetric ammonium which has a detection limit of 0.08 µmol l-1. Samples in the database with a flag of "<" had concentrations below the specified detection limits.
At low concentrations, the values obtained by the LWCC are likely to be more accurate than those from the AAIII analyser.
Problem Report
Because of a few remaining uncertainties in matching sample measurements with SeaBird bottle firing depths, users should exert caution when using data from the following CTD cast and depth:
CTD 24, 66.1 and 101 m: bottle 21 and 22 firing depth inverted in data originator as compared to Sea-bird (and database). The data were loaded by BODC by matching bottle sample depths and the rosette position numbers in the database are therefore currently different from that provided by the originator.
CTD 36, nano-molar nutrients supplied with depth typos for rosette position numbers 22 and 24 (provided 0.5 m for both where should be 500 m and 1000 m respectively as for the micro-nutrient data). The data were loaded by BODC by matching bottle rosette position numbers and the sample depths in the database are therefore currently different from that provided by the originator.
CTD 42, bottles from 50 m to 200 m (7,8, 9,10,11,12,13,14,18,19,21,22): mismatch in firing depth between Sea-bird and originator apparently due to bottles that did not fire. The data were loaded at BODC by matching bottle rosette position numbers and the sample depths in the database are therefore currently different from that originally provided by the originator.
CTD 53, 180.5 and 225.4 m: bottles 21 and 22 depth firing depth inverted in data originator as compared to Sea-bird (and database). The data were loaded at BODC by matching bottle rosette position numbers and the sample depths in the database are therefore currently different from that provided by the originator.
CTD 61, 1000 m: bottles 22 and 24 were both fired at ~1000 m according to SeaBird bottle firing information but attributed to 500 m and 1000 m by data originator. Nutrient concentrations clearly indicated that the samples originated from different depths so these data were loaded into the database according to the depths given by the originator.
CTD 67, 1000 m: bottles 22 and 24 were both fired at ~1000 m according to SeaBird bottle firing information but attributed to 500 m and 1000 m by data originator. Nutrient concentrations clearly indicated that the samples originated from different depths so these data were loaded into the database according to the depths given by the originator.
The table below provides a comparison between the depths in the source files and in BODC's database:
| CTD_cast | Sea-bird Bottle # | Sea-bird depth | Originator Bottle # | Originator Depth/notes | BODC ROSPOS | BODC Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTD_24 | 21 | 66.1 | 21 | 101 | 21 | 66.1 |
| CTD_24 | 22 | 101 | 22 | 66.1 | 22 | 101 |
| CTD_42 | 8 | 50.5 | 8 | Did Not Fire | 8 | Misfired |
| CTD_42 | 9 | 60.8 | 9 | 50.5 | 9 | 60.8 |
| CTD_42 | 10 | 68.4 | 10 | 60.8 | 10 | 68.4 |
| CTD_42 | 11 | 70.4 | 11 | Did Not Fire | 11 | Misfired |
| CTD_42 | 12 | 74.1 | 12 | Did Not Fire | 12 | Misfired |
| CTD_42 | 13 | 76.3 | 13 | 74.1 | 13 | 76.3 |
| CTD_42 | 14 | 78.4 | 14 | 76.3 | 14 | 78.4 |
| CTD_42 | 18 | 80.3 | 18 | 78.4 | 18 | 80.3 |
| CTD_42 | 19 | 99.9 | 19 | 80.3 | 19 | 99.9 |
| CTD_42 | 21 | 150.4 | 21 | 99.9 | 21 | 150.4 |
| CTD_42 | 22 | 200.1 | 22 | 150.4 | 22 | 200.1 |
| CTD_53 | 22 | 180.5 | 22 | 225.4 | 22 | 180.5 |
| CTD_53 | 21 | 225.4 | 21 | 180.5 | 21 | 225.4 |
| CTD_61 | 22 | 1000.6 | 22 | 501.4 | 21 | 501.4 |
| CTD_61 | 24 | 1000.8 | 24 | 1000.8 | 24 | 1000.8 |
| CTD_67 | 22 | 1001.7 | 22 | 500 | 20 | 499.7 |
| CTD_67 | 24 | 1000.5 | 24 | 1000.5 | 24 | 1000.5 |
Project Information
The Atlantic Meridional Transect - Phase 2 (2002-2006)
Who was involved in the project?
The Atlantic Meridional Transect Phase 2 was designed by and implemented by a number of UK research centres and universities. The programme was hosted by Plymouth Marine Laboratory in collaboration with the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton. The universities involved were:
- University of Liverpool
- University of Newcastle
- University of Plymouth
- University of Southampton
- University of East Anglia
What was the project about?
AMT began in 1995, with scientific aims to assess mesoscale to basin scale phytoplankton processes, the functional interpretation of bio-optical signatures and the seasonal, regional and latitudinal variations in mesozooplankton dynamics. In 2002, when the programme restarted, the scientific aims were broadened to address a suite of cross-disciplinary questions concerning ocean plankton ecology and biogeochemistry and the links to atmospheric processes.
The objectives included the determination of:
- how the structure, functional properties and trophic status of the major planktonic ecosystems vary in space and time
- how physical processes control the rates of nutrient supply to the planktonic ecosystem
- how atmosphere-ocean exchange and photo-degradation influence the formation and fate of organic matter
The data were collected with the aim of being distributed for use in the development of models to describe the interactions between the global climate system and ocean biogeochemistry.
When was the project active?
The second phase of funding allowed the project to continue for the period 2002 to 2006 and consisted of six research cruises. The first phase of the AMT programme ran from 1995 to 2000.
Brief summary of the project fieldwork/data
The fieldwork on the first three cruises was carried out along transects from the UK to the Falkland Islands in September and from the Falkland Islands to the UK in April. The last three cruises followed a cruise track between the UK and South Africa, only deviating from the traditional transect in the southern hemisphere. During this phase the research cruises sampled further into the centre of the North and South Atlantic Ocean and also along the north-west coast of Africa where upwelled nutrient rich water is known to provide a significant source of climatically important gases.
Who funded the project?
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Data Activity or Cruise Information
Cruise
| Cruise Name | JR20030910 (AMT13, JR91) |
| Departure Date | 2003-09-10 |
| Arrival Date | 2003-10-14 |
| Principal Scientist(s) | Carol Robinson (Plymouth Marine Laboratory) |
| Ship | RRS James Clark Ross |
Complete Cruise Metadata Report is available here
Fixed Station Information
No Fixed Station Information held for the Series
BODC Quality Control Flags
The following single character qualifying flags may be associated with one or more individual parameters with a data cycle:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| Blank | Unqualified |
| < | Below detection limit |
| > | In excess of quoted value |
| A | Taxonomic flag for affinis (aff.) |
| B | Beginning of CTD Down/Up Cast |
| C | Taxonomic flag for confer (cf.) |
| D | Thermometric depth |
| E | End of CTD Down/Up Cast |
| G | Non-taxonomic biological characteristic uncertainty |
| H | Extrapolated value |
| I | Taxonomic flag for single species (sp.) |
| K | Improbable value - unknown quality control source |
| L | Improbable value - originator's quality control |
| M | Improbable value - BODC quality control |
| N | Null value |
| O | Improbable value - user quality control |
| P | Trace/calm |
| Q | Indeterminate |
| R | Replacement value |
| S | Estimated value |
| T | Interpolated value |
| U | Uncalibrated |
| W | Control value |
| X | Excessive difference |
