Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 1097646
Metadata Summary
Problem Reports
Data Access Policy
Narrative Documents
Project Information
Data Activity or Cruise Information
Fixed Station Information
BODC Quality Flags
SeaDataNet Quality Flags
Metadata Summary
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Time Co-ordinates(UT) |
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Parameters |
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Problem Reports
No Problem Report Found in the Database
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
WET Labs WETStar Fluorometers
WET Labs WETStar fluorometers are miniature flow-through fluorometers, designed to measure relative concentrations of chlorophyll, CDOM, uranine, rhodamineWT dye, or phycoerythrin pigment in a sample of water. The sample is pumped through a quartz tube, and excited by a light source tuned to the fluorescence characteristics of the object substance. A photodiode detector measures the portion of the excitation energy that is emitted as fluorescence.
Specifications
By model:
| Chlorophyll WETStar | CDOM WETStar | Uranine WETStar | Rhodamine WETStar | Phycoerythrin WETStar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excitation wavelength | 460 nm | 370 nm | 485 nm | 470 nm | 525 nm |
| Emission wavelength | 695 nm | 460 nm | 530 nm | 590 nm | 575 nm |
| Sensitivity | 0.03 µg l-1 | 0.100 ppb QSD | 1 µg l-1 | - | - |
| Range | 0.03-75 µg l-1 | 0-100 ppb; 0-250 ppb | 0-4000 µg l-1 | - | - |
All models:
| Temperature range | 0-30°C |
|---|---|
| Depth rating | 600 m |
| Response time | 0.17 s analogue; 0.125 s digital |
| Output | 0-5 VDC analogue; 0-4095 counts digital |
Further details can be found in the manufacturer's specification sheet, and in the instrument manual.
SeaTech Transmissometer
Introduction
The transmissometer is designed to accurately measure the the amount of light transmitted by a modulated Light Emitting Diode (LED) through a fixed-length in-situ water column to a synchronous detector.
Specifications
- Water path length: 5 cm (for use in turbid waters) to 1 m (for use in clear ocean waters).
- Beam diameter: 15 mm
- Transmitted beam collimation: <3 milliradians
- Receiver acceptance angle (in water): <18 milliradians
- Light source wavelength: usually (but not exclusively) 660 nm (red light)
Notes
The instrument can be interfaced to Aanderaa RCM7 current meters. This is achieved by fitting the transmissometer in a slot cut into a customized RCM4-type vane.
A red LED (660 nm) is used for general applications looking at water column sediment load. However, green or blue LEDs can be fitted for specilised optics applications. The light source used is identified by the BODC parameter code.
Further details can be found in the manufacturer's Manual.
UK SOLAS Discovery Cruise D317 Underway Meteorology and Surface Hydrography Document
Underway data for D317 were provided to BODC by NMF-SS personnel.
Instrumentation
Navigation and bathymetry
| Instrument | Type | Code | Main role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimble Navigator 4000 | GPS | GPS_4000 | Navigation |
| Ashtec G12 | GPS | GPS_G12 | Navigation (1st choice for Bestnav) |
| Ashtec Attitude Detection Unit 2 | GPS | GPS_ASH | Navigation |
| Gyrocompass | Gyrocompass | GYRONMEA | Relative motion |
| Chernikeef Log | EM Log | LOG_CHF | Relative motion |
Meteorology
| Sensor | Serial Number | Last calibration date |
|---|---|---|
| Vaisala Barometer PTB100A | U1850012 or S3610008 | - |
| Vaisala Temperature/Humidity HMP44L | A2150009 | - |
| Skye PAR (port) | 28558 | 21/12/2004 |
| Skye PAR (starboard) | 28557 | 21/12/2004 |
| Kipp & Zonen TIR CMB6 (port) | 47463 | 22/12/2004 |
| Kipp & Zonen TIR CMB6 (starboard) | 47462 | 22/12/2004 |
| Vaisala Anemometer WAA151 | P50421 | - |
| Vaisala Wind Vane WAV151 | S21208 | - |
Surface hydrography
| Sensor | Serial number | Last calibration date |
|---|---|---|
| FSI OTM Housing temperature | - | - |
| FSI OTM Remote temperature | - | - |
| FSI OCM Conductivity | - | - |
| Wetlabs Fluorometer | - | - |
| Seatech Transmissometer | CST-112R | 31/05/1996 |
Originator's Data Processing
Raw data were logged to NetCDF format through the ship's Techsas system. Data were converted to RVS binary format on a daily basis, for manual data processing, including merging the navigation streams, deriving absolute winds and salinity, and correcting bathymetric depth data. Data were supplied to BODC in Techsas NetCDF, RVS binary, and also RVS listit ASCII formats.
Navigation and bathymetry
Three GPS systems were used on the ship. These are treated hierarchically, with two used as backups to the first. The standard processing software, Bestnav, identifies gaps in the preferred GPS stream, and fills them with data from the second choice stream, and then, if necessary, the third choice.
Meteorology
Meteorological data were collected from sensors mounted at 18.5 m height on the foremast platform. The ship's heading and course over ground were used to correct relative wind data to absolute values.
Surface hydrography
The surface water component consisted of a flow through system with a pumped pickup at 5 m depth. The TSG was set to a flow rate of 25 L/min, and the fluorometer and transmissometer to a flow rate of 3 L/min. The TSG housing temperature and conductivity were used to derive salinity.
BODC Data Processing
All parameters were visually screened, and spikes flagged as suspect. Screening took into account comparisons between different parameters, and the environmental context.
Navigation and bathymetry
Bestnav latitude and longitude had some gaps, even where the raw GPS channels were continuous. These included two major data losses, attributed to failures of the Techsas system 00:00-09:44 02/04/2007 and 00:00-15:57 07/04/2007. BODC filled these gaps with concurrent data from the Fugro G12 GPS. The position data were used to generate ship speeds, which were in turn screened for improbable values in order to identify small spikes in latitude and longitude. Any remaining small gaps were filled by interpolation.
Bathymetric data from the echo sounder were screened in comparison with GEBCO bathymetry.
Meteorology
BODC applied manufacturers' calibrations to the pyranometers and PAR sensors. Port and starboard PAR were merged, taking the maximum measured value from the pair for each cycle, to eliminate the ship's shading effect. Port and starboard TIR were merged in the same way.
Wind data were screened with reference to the ship's heading, to account for the sheltering effect of the ship. Air temperature data were also screened with reference to heading, to identify instances of stack pollution.
Sea surface hydrography
TSG salinity was calibrated against independent bottle sample salinity data. A calibration data set of 16 data pairs was analysed. There was no significant trend in instrument response with time, and there was a simple, very small offset between bottle salinity and TSG salinity. BODC has therefore applied a mean offset calibration to the TSG salinity:
PSALSG01 = PSALSU01 - 7.5 x 10-5 (BODC calibration 6289)
No independent measurements were made with which to calibrate the in situ fluorometer. This parameter has been left as the raw instrument output voltage.
Quality control report
Navigation and bathymetry
Bathymetry data from the echosounder were very sparse.
Meteorology
No data quality issues to report.
Sea surface hydrography
No data quality issues to report.
Project Information
Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study
The Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) is an international research initiative comprising over 1500 scientists in 23 countries. Its central goal is to understand the biogeochemical-physical interactions between the ocean and atmosphere, and how their coupling affects, and is affected by climate change.
UK SOLAS, Field Observations of Sea Spray, Gas Fluxes and Whitecaps (SEASAW)
This project was led by the University of Leeds, in association with the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, and the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Sea spray aerosol particles, generated primarily by the action of the wind on the ocean surface, make a major contribution to the atmospheric aerosol over the global oceans. Their ability to participate in heterogeneous atmospheric chemical processes and especially their activity as cloud condensation nuclei make them very important in global climate processes. Similarly, the air-sea fluxes of trace gases, are influenced by wind speed and whitecap processes. The flux of carbon dioxide between atmosphere and ocean is a controlling factor on the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, but there are large uncertainties in the size of the flux as a function of wind speed; and the effects of factors such as wave breaking, surfacants, etc are almost entirely unknown.
SEASAW aimed to measure gas and particle fluxes across the air-sea interface by direct eddy-covariance methods and other techniques in order to determine their dependence on environmental factors.
Fieldwork comprised one dedicated open ocean research cruise: D317, and participation in another UK SOLAS cruise: D313. The observational data include:
- sea state, whitecapping and wave breaking
- bubble properties
- air-sea gas fluxes
- aerosol properties
More detailed information on this project may be found in the official cruise reports for D313 and D317.
Grant reference:
NE/C001869/1
Weblinks:
Funding: UKRI Gateway to Research
UK Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study
The UK Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (UK SOLAS) is the UK's contribution to the international SOLAS programme.
UK SOLAS formed interdisciplinary teams to address three primary aims
- To determine the mechanisms controlling rates of chemical transfer and improve estimates of chemical exchanges
- To evaluate the impact of these exchanges on the biogeochemistry of the surface ocean and lower atmosphere and on feedbacks between the ocean and atmosphere
- To quantify the impacts of these boundary layer processes on the global climate system
UK SOLAS started in 2003, to run for seven years. The programme was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council.
Funded projects
In total, 19 projects have been funded by UK SOLAS, over four funding rounds.
| Project Title | Short Title | Principal Investigator |
|---|---|---|
| Impact of atmospheric dust derived material and nutrient inputs on near-surface plankton microbiota in the tropical North Atlantic | Dust | Eric Achterberg |
| The role and effects of photoprotective compounds in marine plankton | - | Steve Archer |
| Field observations of sea spray, gas fluxes and whitecaps | SEASAW | Ian Brooks |
| Factors influencing the biogeochemistry of iodine in the marine environment | - | Lucy Carpenter |
| Global model of aerosol processes - effects of aerosol in the marine atmospheric boundary layer | GLOMAP | Ken Carslaw |
| Ecological controls on fluxes of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) to the atmosphere | - | David Green |
| Dust outflow and deposition to the ocean | DODO | Ellie Highwood |
| Investigation of near surface production of iodocarbons - rates and exchanges | INSPIRE | Gill Malin |
| Reactive halogens in the marine boundary layer | RHaMBLe | Gordon McFiggans |
| The role of bacterioneuston in determining trace gas exchange rates | - | Colin Murrell |
| Measuring methanol in sea water and investigating its sources and sinks in the marine environment | - | Phil Nightingale |
| The impact of coastal upwellings on air-sea exchange of climatically important gases | ICON | Carol Robinson |
| The Deep Ocean Gas Exchange Experiment | DOGEE | Rob Upstill-Goddard |
| High wind air-sea exchanges | HiWASE | Margaret Yelland |
| Aerosol characterisation and modelling in the marine environment | ACMME | James Allan |
| 3D simulation of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) in the north east Atlantic | - | Icarus Allen |
| Processes affecting the chemistry and bioavailability of dust borne iron | - | Michael Krom |
| The chemical structure of the lowermost atmosphere | - | Alastair Lewis |
| Factors influencing the oxidative chemistry of the marine boundary layer | - | Paul Monks |
UK SOLAS has also supported ten tied studentships, and two CASE studentships.
Fieldwork
UK SOLAS fieldwork has included eight dedicated research cruises in the North Atlantic Ocean. Continuous measurements were made aboard aboard the Norwegian weather ship, Polarfront, until her decommission in 2009. Time series have been established at the SOLAS Cape Verde Observatory, and at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory L4 station. Experiments have taken place at the Bergen mesocosm facility.
A series of collaborative aircraft campaigns have added complementary atmospheric data. These campaigns were funded by UK SOLAS, African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA-UK), Dust and Biomass Experiment (DABEX) and the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM).
Weblink: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/solas/
Data Activity or Cruise Information
Cruise
| Cruise Name | D317 |
| Departure Date | 2007-03-21 |
| Arrival Date | 2007-04-12 |
| Principal Scientist(s) | Ian Brooks (University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment) |
| Ship | RRS Discovery |
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 |
SeaDataNet Quality Control Flags
The following single character qualifying flags may be associated with one or more individual parameters with a data cycle:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | no quality control |
| 1 | good value |
| 2 | probably good value |
| 3 | probably bad value |
| 4 | bad value |
| 5 | changed value |
| 6 | value below detection |
| 7 | value in excess |
| 8 | interpolated value |
| 9 | missing value |
| A | value phenomenon uncertain |
| B | nominal value |
| Q | value below limit of quantification |
