Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 1112478
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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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
Sea-Bird SBE 37-SM MicroCAT
The SBE 37-SM MicroCAT is a high accuracy conductivity and temperature recorder (pressure optional). Designed for moorings and other long-duration, fixed-site deployments, MicroCATs have non-corroding titanium housings rated for operation to 7000 metres or pressure sensor full scale-range. Communication with the MicroCAT is over an internal, 3-wire, RS-232C link. The MicroCAT's aged and pressure-protected thermistor has a long history of exceptional accuracy and stability (typical drift is less than 0.002° per year). Electrical isolation of the conductivity electronics eliminates any possibility of ground-loop noise.
Specifications
| Temperature (°C) | Conductivity (S m-1) | Optional Pressure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement Range | -5 to +35 | 0 to 7 (0 to 70 mS cm-1) | 0 to full scale range: 20 / 100 / 350 / 1000 / 2000 / 3500 / 7000 metres |
| Initial accuracy | 0.002 | 0.0003 | 0.1% of full scale range |
| Typical Stability | 0.0002 | 0.0003 | 0.05% of full scale range |
| Resolution | 0.0001 | 0.00001 | 0.002% of full scale range |
| Sensor Calibration | +1 to +32 | 0 to 6; physical calibration over range 2.6 to 6 S m-1, plus zero conductivity (air) | Ambient pressure to full scale range in 5 steps |
| Memory | 8 Mbyte non-volatile FLASH memory | ||
| Data Storage | Converted temperature and conductivity: 6 bytes per sample (3 bytes each) Time: 4 bytes per sample Pressure (optional): 5 bytes per sample | ||
| Real-Time Clock | 32,768 Hz TCXO accurate to ±1 minutes year-1 | ||
| Standard Internal Batteries | Nominal 10.6 Ampere-hour pack consisting of 12 AA lithium batteries. Provides sufficient capacity for more than 630,000 samples for a typical sampling scheme | ||
| Housing | Titanium pressure case rated at 7000 metres | ||
| Weight (without pressure) | In water: 2.3 kg In air: 3.8 kg | ||
Further information can be found via the following link: SBE 37-SM MicroCAT Datasheet
Processing of JC025 MicroCAT data
Originator's processing
No data processing has been carried out by the data originator. The data are automatically calibrated from internally stored calibration coefficients when the data are downloaded from the instrument. At this point salinity was derived from temperature, conductivity and pressure using Seasoft V1.59.
BODC processing
The MicroCat data were supplied to BODC by the data originator in ASCII format. Following standard BODC procedure, the data were reformatted into BODC internal format using transfer function 482. This table shows how the variables present in the MicroCAT data were mapped to appropriate BODC parameter codes.
| Originator's variable | Units | Description | BODC parameter code | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | °C | Temperature of the water body | TEMPPR01 | °C |
| Conductivity | S m-1 | Electrical conductivity of the water body by in-situ conductivity cell | CNDCPR01 | S m-1 |
| Pressure | dbar | Pressure (measured variable) exerted by the water body by semi-fixed in-situ pressure sensor and corrected to read zero at sea level | PREXPR01 | dbar |
| Salinity | PSU | Practical salinity of the water body by conductivity cell and computation using UNESCO 1983 algorithm | PSALPR01 | Dimensionless |
The reformatted data were visualised using the in-house EDSERPLO software. Suspect data were marked by adding an appropriate quality control flag, missing data by both setting the data to an appropriate value and setting the quality control flag. Data cycles recorded when the instrument was not settled at its final depth have been flagged. This mainly occurred before or during deployment or during and after recovery.
Project Information
Oceans 2025 - The NERC Marine Centres' Strategic Research Programme 2007-2012
Who funds the programme?
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds the Oceans 2025 programme, which was originally planned in the context of NERC's 2002-2007 strategy and later realigned to NERC's subsequent strategy (Next Generation Science for Planet Earth; NERC 2007).
Who is involved in the programme?
The Oceans 2025 programme was designed by and is to be implemented through seven leading UK marine centres. The marine centres work together in coordination and are also supported by cooperation and input from government bodies, universities and other partners. The seven marine centres are:
- National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS)
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML)
- Marine Biological Association (MBA)
- Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Marine Science (SAHFOS)
- Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL)
- Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
- Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU)
Oceans2025 provides funding to three national marine facilities, which provide services to the wider UK marine community, in addition to the Oceans 2025 community. These facilities are:
- British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC), hosted at POL
- Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL), hosted at POL
- Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP), hosted at SAMS
The NERC-run Strategic Ocean Funding Initiative (SOFI) provides additional support to the programme by funding additional research projects and studentships that closely complement the Oceans 2025 programme, primarily through universities.
What is the programme about?
Oceans 2025 sets out to address some key challenges that face the UK as a result of a changing marine environment. The research funded through the programme sets out to increase understanding of the size, nature and impacts of these changes, with the aim to:
- improve knowledge of how the seas behave, not just now but in the future;
- help assess what that might mean for the Earth system and for society;
- assist in developing sustainable solutions for the management of marine resources for future generations;
- enhance the research capabilities and facilities available for UK marine science.
In order to address these aims there are nine science themes supported by the Oceans 2025 programme:
- Climate, circulation and sea level (Theme 1)
- Marine biogeochemical cycles (Theme 2)
- Shelf and coastal processes (Theme 3)
- Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (Theme 4)
- Continental margins and deep ocean (Theme 5)
- Sustainable marine resources (Theme 6)
- Technology development (Theme 8)
- Next generation ocean prediction (Theme 9)
- Integration of sustained observations in the marine environment (Theme 10)
In the original programme proposal there was a theme on health and human impacts (Theme 7). The elements of this Theme have subsequently been included in Themes 3 and 9.
When is the programme active?
The programme started in April 2007 with funding for 5 years.
Brief summary of the programme fieldwork/data
Programme fieldwork and data collection are to be achieved through:
- physical, biological and chemical parameters sampling throughout the North and South Atlantic during collaborative research cruises aboard NERC's research vessels RRS Discovery, RRS James Cook and RRS James Clark Ross;
- the Continuous Plankton Recorder being deployed by SAHFOS in the North Atlantic and North Pacific on 'ships of opportunity';
- physical parameters measured and relayed in near real-time by fixed moorings and ARGO floats;
- coastal and shelf sea observatory data (Liverpool Bay Coastal Observatory (LBCO) and Western Channel Observatory (WCO)) using the RV Prince Madog and RV Quest.
The data is to be fed into models for validation and future projections. Greater detail can be found in the Theme documents.
Oceans 2025 Theme 3: Shelf and Coastal Processes
Over the next 20 years, UK local marine environments are predicted to experience ever-increasing rates of change - including increased temperature and seawater acidity, changing freshwater run-off, changes in sea level, and a likely increase in flooding events - causing great concern for those charged with their management and protection. The future quality, health and sustainability of UK marine waters require improved appreciation of the complex interactions that occur not only within the coastal and shelf environment, but also between the environment and human actions. This knowledge must primarily be provided by whole-system operational numerical models, able to provide reliable predictions of short and long-term system responses to change.
However, such tools are only viable if scientists understand the underlying processes they are attempting to model and can interpret the resulting data. Many fundamental processes in shelf edge, shelf, coastal and estuarine systems, particularly across key interfaces in the environment, are not fully understood.
Theme 3 addresses the following broad questions:
- How do biological, physical and chemical processes interact within shelf, coastal and estuarine systems, particularly at key environmental interfaces (e.g. coastline, sediment-water interface, thermocline, fronts and the shelf edge)?
- What are the consequences of these interactions on the functioning of the whole coastal system, including its sensitivity and/or resilience to change?
- Ultimately, what changes should be expected to be seen in the UK coastal environment over the next 50 years and beyond and how might these changes be transmitted into the open ocean?
Within Oceans 2025, Theme 3 will develop the necessary understanding of interacting processes to enable the consequences of environmental and anthropogenic change on UK shelf seas, coasts and estuaries to be predicted. Theme 3 will also provide knowledge that can improve the forecasting capability of models being used for the operational management of human activities in the coastal marine environment. Theme 3 is therefore directly relevant to all three of NERC's current strategic priorities; Earth's Life-Support Systems, Climate Change, and Sustainable Economies
The official Oceans 2025 documentation for this Theme is available from the following link: Oceans 2025 Theme 3
Weblink: http://www.oceans2025.org/
Oceans 2025 Theme 3, Work Package 3.2: Horizontal Patchiness in Vertical Mixing in Stratified Shelf Seas
In this Work Package, the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) aim to address vertical mixing processes at the thermocline that are either poorly understood or have inadequate parameterisations in models. This is important because, as a boundary to vertical mixing, the thermocline affects much of the ecology and biochemistry of seasonally-stratifying shelf seas. Horizontal patchiness of vertical mixing is now known to be driven by varying seabed topography, indicating a need for a non-hydrostatic approach. This work is an expansion of the research carried out by POL during project Physical-Biological Control of New Production within the Seasonal Thermocline.
The specific objectives of Work Package 3.2 are:
- Quantify discrepancies between the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory Coastal Ocean Modelling System (POLCOMS) numerical model and observations of thermocline depths/strengths and diapycnal fluxes.
- Determine the causes of these discrepancies in terms of modelled and observed responses to meteorological forcing and in terms of the potential for patchy internal mixing.
- Quantify the importance of non-hydrostatic processes at the thermocline over typical shelf topographies.
- Carry out ship-based process studies focusing on the patchiness of mixing through the shelf thermocline.
- Quantify the consequences of thermocline patchiness over a whole shelf sea, alongside recommendations for process, bathymetry, and model resolution required to simulate the more important consequences.
More detailed information on this Work Package is available at pages 7 - 8 of the official Oceans 2025 Theme 3 document: Oceans 2025 Theme 3
Weblink: http://www.oceans2025.org/
Cruise Schedule
| Ship | Sampling Region | Cruise | Dates | Main measurements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RRS James Cook | Celtic Sea and shelf edge | JC025 | 2008-07-02 to 2008-07-27 | Turbulence profiles, biochemistry sampling, dye release studies, scanfish surveys (CTD and fluorescence), seabed grabs, core sampling, seabird and mammal observations, fisheries echosounder studies, CTD profiles, temperature-fluorometer chain tows, zooplankton net hauls, baited underwater camera studies, cetacean acoustics, mooring deployments |
Moorings
| Station ID | Latitude | Longitude | Water depth(m) | Mooring description | Deployed on | Recovered on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS1 | 49° 51.21' | -7° 56.94' | 78 | Temperature chain, surface and bottom CTD | 15:45 UTC 2008-07-05 | 18:48 UTC 2008-07-24 |
| MS1 | 49° 51.21' | -7° 56.82' | 78 | Lander-mounted sea-bed ADCP | 13:39 UTC 2008-07-05 | 17:50 UTC 2008-07-24 |
| MS2 | 49° 53.90' | -7° 52.57' | 114 | Temperature chain, surface and bottom CTD | 02:23 UTC 2008-07-05 | 13:25 UTC 2008-07-23 |
| MS2 | 49° 53.85' | -7° 52.48' | 114 | Lander-mounted sea-bed ADCP | 03:07 UTC 2008-07-05 | 15:40 UTC 2008-07-24 |
| MS3 | 49° 56.40' | -7° 49.00' | 122 | Temperature chain, surface and bottom CTD | 21:47 UTC 2008-07-04 | 11:40 UTC 2008-07-23 |
| MS3 | 49° 56.30' | -7° 48.90' | 122 | Lander-mounted sea-bed ADCP | 22:28 UTC 2008-07-04 | 12:24 UTC 2008-07-22 |
| MS4 | 49° 44.99' | -7° 40.05' | 110 | Sea-bed ADCP | 18:29 UTC 2008-07-05 | 07:59 UTC 2008-07-23 |
Data Activity or Cruise Information
Data Activity
| Start Date (yyyy-mm-dd) | 2008-07-05 |
| End Date (yyyy-mm-dd) | 2008-07-23 |
| Organization Undertaking Activity | Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (now National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool) |
| Country of Organization | United Kingdom |
| Originator's Data Activity Identifier | JC025_MS2 |
| Platform Category | moored surface buoy |
JC025 Mooring at Site MS2 from 05 to 23 July 2008
A mooring was deployed at site MS2 from RV James Cook during cruise JC025 in the Celtic Sea. The mooring consisted of an upper and lower chain which were fitted with CTD and temperature sensors and linked at depth by a subsurface buoy. The deployment was recovered using aft cranes and the deck winch.
| Deployed (UTC): | 2008-07-05 02:23 |
|---|---|
| Water depth: | 114 m |
| Latitude: | 49.898° |
| Longitude: | -7.876° |
| Acoustic release S/N: | 122 |
| Recovered (UTC): | 2008-07-23 13:25 |
Temperature chain configuration - top wire
Temperature chain configuration - bottom wire
More information can be found on pages 54 to 58 of the JC025 cruise report. |
Other Series linked to this Data Activity - 1112454 1112466
Cruise
| Cruise Name | JC025 |
| Departure Date | 2008-07-02 |
| Arrival Date | 2008-07-27 |
| Principal Scientist(s) | Jonathan Sharples (Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory) |
| Ship | RRS James Cook |
Complete Cruise Metadata Report is available here
Fixed Station Information
Fixed Station Information
| Station Name | Oceans 2025 WP3.2: Fixed Station MS2 |
| Category | Offshore location |
| Latitude | 49° 53.82' N |
| Longitude | 7° 52.58' W |
| Water depth below MSL | 114.0 m |
Oceans 2025 WP3.2: Fixed Station MS2
Station MS2 is located at 49° 53.82'N, 7° 52.58'W in the Celtic Sea and has a water depth of 114 m. This station was visited as part of the fieldwork carried out for Oceans 2025 Theme 3, Work Package 3.2: Hoizontal Patchiness in Vertical Mixing in Stratified Shelf Seas. Activities were carried out at site MS2 during cruise JC025 from 05 July 2008 to 22 July 2008. The exact position is visible below.
Position of Fixed Stations sampled during JC025
Sampling History for MS2
| Date | Activities |
|---|---|
| 2008-07-05 | Deployed mooring line of Star-Oddi temperature loggers throughout water column with surface and bed Sea-Bird MicroCAT CTDs. Deployed ADCP s/n 1903 attached to sea-bed lander frame. Cetacean acoustics using C-POD porpoise detectors attached to lander frame (s/n 50). |
| 2008-07-06 | CTD profiles with rosette bottle samples taken for nutrients, primary production, chlorophyll, nitrogen uptake and phytoplankton concentration. Zooplankton net hauls. Benthic grab samples. Fisheries acoustics. Benthic core and grab sampling. Turbulence probe profiles. |
| 2008-07-06 to 2008-07-07 | Deployment of towed array consisting of Wetlabs FLB fluorometers, Starmon and Star-Oddi temperature loggers. |
| 2008-07-07 | CTD profiles with rosette bottle samples taken for nutrients, primary production, chlorophyll, nitrogen uptake and phytoplankton concentration. |
| 2008-07-07 to 2008-07-09 | Baited underwater camera deployment. Cetacean acoustics using C-POD porpoise detector attached to underwater camera lander frame (s/n 78). |
| 2008-07-14 | CTD profiles with rosette bottle samples taken for nutrients. Zooplankton net hauls. Benthic core samples. Turbulence probe profiles. |
| 2008-07-14 to 2008-07-15 | Deployment of towed array consisting of Wetlabs FLB fluorometers, Starmon and Star-Oddi temperature loggers. |
| 2008-07-15 | Turbulence probe profiles. |
| 2008-07-21 | CTD profiles with rosette bottle samples taken for nutrients. Turbulence probe profiles. |
| 2008-07-21 to 2008-07-22 | Deployment of towed array consisting of Wetlabs FLB fluorometers, Starmon and Star-Oddi temperature loggers. |
| 2008-07-22 | CTD profiles with rosette bottle samples taken for nutrients. Turbulence probe profiles. Fisheries acoustics. |
Other Series linked to this Fixed Station for this cruise - 1029298 1029305 1029317 1029329 1029330 1029342 1029354 1029366 1029378 1029391 1029409 1029410 1029422 1029434 1029446 1029458 1029471 1029483 1029495 1029502 1029514 1029526 1029538 1029551 1029563 1029575 1029587 1088169 1088194 1088201 1103150 1103162 1103174 1103186 1103198 1103205 1103217 1103229 1103334 1103346 1103506 1103518 1103531 1103543 1112454 1112466 1127453 1127465 1127477 1127489 1127490 1127508 1127521 1127533 1127545 1127557 1127569 1127570 1127582 1127594 1127601 1127613 1127625 1127637 1127649 1127650 1127662 1127674 1127686 1127698 1127705 1127717 1127729 1127730 1127742 1127754 1127766 1127778 1127791 1127809 1127810 1127822 1127834 1127846 1127858 1127871 1127883 1127895 1127902 1127914 1127926
Other Cruises linked to this Fixed Station (with the number of series) - JC025 (91)
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 |
