Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 1381868

• 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

Problem Reports

No Problem Report Found in the Database

Data Access Policy

Open Data supplied by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

You must always use the following attribution statement to acknowledge the source of the information: "Contains data supplied by Natural Environment Research Council."

Narrative Documents

Sea-Bird SBE 37-SMP MicroCAT

The SBE 37-SMP MicroCAT is a high accuracy conductivity and temperature recorder (pressure optional) with Serial interface, internal battery, non-volatile FLASH Memory and integral Pump. The Integral Pump runs for 1 second each time the MicroCAT samples, improving the conductivity response and giving improved anti-foul protection.

Designed for moorings and other long-duration, fixed-site deployments, MicroCATs have non-corroding titanium housings rated for operation to 7000 meters 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°C per year). Electrical isolation of the conductivity electronics eliminates any possibility of ground-loop noise.

Specifications

Further information can be found via the following link: Sea-Bird SBE 37-SMP MicroCAT Datasheet

Originators Processing RRS James Cook JC088 Sites LA, LB, SB, SC1 and SD SBE37 MicroCATs Mooring data

Sampling Strategy

RRS James Cook cruise JC088 was the second of two cruises funded for the NERC 'Fluxes Across the Sloping Topography of the North East Atlantic (FASTNEt)' Consortium. JC088 was a 26 day cruise sailing on 28 June 2013 from King George V Dock, Govan to the Malin Shelf edge where inline and bedframe mooring were deployed before returning to Southampton on 24 July 2013.

Sample Collection

In total 17 SBE37 MicroCAT instruments were deployed at the following sites: LA long term, LA short term, LB, SB, SC1 and SD.

All of the short term site moorings were deployed and recovered during the duration of the cruise.

Site LA long term was deployed during the cruise and was planned to be recovered the following year. The mooring however was trawled a few weeks after deployment resulting in three SBE37 MicroCAT instrument losses. Only part of the mooring has been recovered in the Hebrides by a small local boat.

One SBE37 MicroCAT was also lost at site LB.

Data Processing

The data from the instruments were converted to physical units and collated into a single matrix following topping and tailing in Matlab. No other post-processing has been done.

Field Calibrations

No field calibrations were undertaken.

Processing by BODC of RRS James Cook JC088 Sites LA, LB, SB, SC1 and SD SBE37 MicroCATs Mooring data

Data from 13 MicroCATs arrived at BODC in Matlab structured files. Out of the 13 instruments, 12 of those were from short term in-line moorings and 1 from site LA long term. The following table shows how the variables within the files were mapped to appropriate BODC parameter codes:

The reformatted data were visualised using BODC's in-house visualisation software. Suspect data were marked by adding an appropriate quality control flag, missing data by both setting the data to an appropriate absent data value and setting the quality control flag.

Project Information

Fluxes Across Sloping Topography of the North East Atlantic (FASTNEt)

Background

The FASTNEt consortium was funded to deliver NERC's Ocean Shelf Edge Exchange Programme. Commencing in October 2011, this four year study aims to couple established observational techniques, such as moorings and CTDs, with the very latest in autonomous sampling initiatives - including use of Autosub Long Range and gliders. With the aid of novel model techniques, these observations will be utilised to construct a new paradigm of Ocean/Shelf exchange.

Shelf edge regions mark the gateway between the world's deep oceans and shallower coastal seas, linking terrestrial, atmospheric and oceanic carbon pools and influencing biogeochemical fluxes. Shelf edge processes can influence near-shore productivity (and fisheries) and ultimately affect global climate.

FASTNEt brings together researchers from multiple UK organisations. Further collaboration has been established with five Project Partners: the UK Met Office, Marine Scotland Science, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Marine Institute Ireland and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Scientific Objectives

• To determine the seasonality of physical gradients and exchange across the shelf edge by deploying new observational technologies (gliders, Autosub Long Range) and established techniques (long term moorings, drifters)
• To quantify key exchange mechanisms and to collect new data targeted at testing and improving high resolution models of the shelf edge, by carrying out detailed process studies in contrasting regions of the shelf edge of the NE Atlantic margin
• To develop a new parameterisation of shelf edge exchange processes suitable for regional-scale models, using improved resolution numerical, and new empirical models constrained by the observations
• To test the new parameterisations in a regional model in the context of making an assessment of inter-annual variability of ocean-shelf exchange.

Fieldwork

Three survey sites on the UK shelf edge have been selected for FASTNEt. These are a) the Celtic Sea shelf edge, b) Malin shelf and c) North Scotland shelf. Fieldwork is centred around two research cruises. The first, to the Celtic Sea, on RRS Discovery in June 2012. The second cruise visits the Malin shelf on RRS James Cook, during summer 2013. In addition to these dedicated cruises, opportunist cruise activity to the North Scotland shelf has been agreed with project partner Marine Scotland Science. Autonomous technologies will complement observations made during the cruises and provide knowledge of seasonal and inter-annual variability in exchange processes.

Instrumentation

Types of instruments/measurements:

• Gliders
• Autosub Long Range
• Drifter buoys
• Scanfish
• Microstructure profilers
• Moored CTD/CT loggers and ADCPs
• Shipboard measurements: CTD, underway, nutrients (and other discrete sampling), LADCP, ADCP.

Contacts

Data Activity or Cruise Information

Data Activity

FASTNEt short term inline/single point mooring SC1

The short term mooring SC1 was deployed and recovered during cruise RRS James Cook JC088 as part of the Fluxes Across the Sloping Topography of the North East Atlantic (FASTNEt) project.

Instruments deployed on the mooring

Instrument codes

ADCP - RDI ADCP (U, V, W, Temperature and Pressure)

MC - SBE37 CTD ( Conductivity, Temperature and Pressure) MicroCAT

A/R - Acoustic Release

Related Data Activity activities are detailed in Appendix 1

Cruise

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:

SeaDataNet Quality Control Flags

The following single character qualifying flags may be associated with one or more individual parameters with a data cycle:

Appendix 1: JC088_SC1

Related series for this Data Activity are presented in the table below. Further information can be found by following the appropriate links.

If you are interested in these series, please be aware we offer a multiple file download service. Should your credentials be insufficient for automatic download, the service also offers a referral to our Enquiries Officer who may be able to negotiate access.