Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 1811121

• 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

RRS JR15003 CTD Data Quality Report

The transmittance data (POPTDR01) have been flagged by BODC for all casts as the data values are all over 100 %.

The attenuation data (BB142RVL) are constant throughout the deployment for both casts 7 and 8, 6th January 2016 at 18:06:50 and at 20:11:01 respectively.

These data should be used with caution.

Data Access Policy

Open 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.

If the Information Provider does not provide a specific attribution statement, or if you are using Information from several Information Providers and multiple attributions are not practical in your product or application, you may consider using the following:

"Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0."

Narrative Documents

Sea-Bird Dissolved Oxygen Sensor SBE 43 and SBE 43F

The SBE 43 is a dissolved oxygen sensor designed for marine applications. It incorporates a high-performance Clark polarographic membrane with a pump that continuously plumbs water through it, preventing algal growth and the development of anoxic conditions when the sensor is taking measurements.

Two configurations are available: SBE 43 produces a voltage output and can be incorporated with any Sea-Bird CTD that accepts input from a 0-5 volt auxiliary sensor, while the SBE 43F produces a frequency output and can be integrated with an SBE 52-MP (Moored Profiler CTD) or used for OEM applications. The specifications below are common to both.

Specifications

Further details can be found in the manufacturer's specification sheet.

JR15003 CTD Rosette Instrument Description

CTD Unit and Auxiliary Sensors

A Sea-Bird 11plus CTD system was used on cruise JR15003. This was mounted on a 24-way stainless steel rosette frame, equipped with 24 Niskin bottles. The CTD was fitted with the following scientific sensors:

Sea-Bird Electronics SBE 911 and SBE 917 series CTD profilers

The SBE 911 and SBE 917 series of conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) units are used to collect hydrographic profiles, including temperature, conductivity and pressure as standard. Each profiler consists of an underwater unit and deck unit or SEARAM. Auxiliary sensors, such as fluorometers, dissolved oxygen sensors and transmissometers, and carousel water samplers are commonly added to the underwater unit.

Underwater unit

The CTD underwater unit (SBE 9 or SBE 9 plus) comprises a protective cage (usually with a carousel water sampler), including a main pressure housing containing power supplies, acquisition electronics, telemetry circuitry, and a suite of modular sensors. The original SBE 9 incorporated Sea-Bird's standard modular SBE 3 temperature sensor and SBE 4 conductivity sensor, and a Paroscientific Digiquartz pressure sensor. The conductivity cell was connected to a pump-fed plastic tubing circuit that could include auxiliary sensors. Each SBE 9 unit was custom built to individual specification. The SBE 9 was replaced in 1997 by an off-the-shelf version, termed the SBE 9 plus, that incorporated the SBE 3 plus (or SBE 3P) temperature sensor, SBE 4C conductivity sensor and a Paroscientific Digiquartz pressure sensor. Sensors could be connected to a pump-fed plastic tubing circuit or stand-alone.

Temperature, conductivity and pressure sensors

The conductivity, temperature, and pressure sensors supplied with Sea-Bird CTD systems have outputs in the form of variable frequencies, which are measured using high-speed parallel counters. The resulting count totals are converted to numeric representations of the original frequencies, which bear a direct relationship to temperature, conductivity or pressure. Sampling frequencies for these sensors are typically set at 24 Hz.

The temperature sensing element is a glass-coated thermistor bead, pressure-protected inside a stainless steel tube, while the conductivity sensing element is a cylindrical, flow-through, borosilicate glass cell with three internal platinum electrodes. Thermistor resistance or conductivity cell resistance, respectively, is the controlling element in an optimized Wien Bridge oscillator circuit, which produces a frequency output that can be converted to a temperature or conductivity reading. These sensors are available with depth ratings of 6800 m (aluminium housing) or 10500 m (titanium housing). The Paroscientific Digiquartz pressure sensor comprises a quartz crystal resonator that responds to pressure-induced stress, and temperature is measured for thermal compensation of the calculated pressure.

Additional sensors

Optional sensors for dissolved oxygen, pH, light transmission, fluorescence and others do not require the very high levels of resolution needed in the primary CTD channels, nor do these sensors generally offer variable frequency outputs. Accordingly, signals from the auxiliary sensors are acquired using a conventional voltage-input multiplexed A/D converter (optional). Some Sea-Bird CTDs use a strain gauge pressure sensor (Senso-Metrics) in which case their pressure output data is in the same form as that from the auxiliary sensors as described above.

Deck unit or SEARAM

Each underwater unit is connected to a power supply and data logging system: the SBE 11 (or SBE 11 plus) deck unit allows real-time interfacing between the deck and the underwater unit via a conductive wire, while the submersible SBE 17 (or SBE 17 plus) SEARAM plugs directly into the underwater unit and data are downloaded on recovery of the CTD. The combination of SBE 9 and SBE 17 or SBE 11 are termed SBE 917 or SBE 911, respectively, while the combinations of SBE 9 plus and SBE 17 plus or SBE 11 plus are termed SBE 917 plus or SBE 911 plus.

Specifications

Specifications for the SBE 9 plus underwater unit are listed below:

Further details can be found in the manufacturer's specification sheet.

SeaBird SBE35 Deep Ocean Standards Thermometer

The SBE 35 is a high precision thermometer that can be used in fixed point cells or at depths up to 6800 m. It is not affected by shock and vibration, allowing it to be used in calibration laboratories and for thermodynamic measurement of hydro turbine efficiency.

The SBE35 can be used with the SBE32 Carousel Water Sampler and with a real-time or autonomous CTD system. In this case, an SBE35 temperature measurement is collected each time a bottle is fired and the value is stored in EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), eliminating the need for reversing thermometers while providing a high accuracy temperature reading.

The SBE35 is standardized in water triple point (0.0100 °C) and gallium melting point (29.7646 °C) cells, following the methodology applied to the Standard-Grade Platinum Resistance Thermometer (SPRT). However, it does not need a resistance bridge, making it more cost-efficient than an SPRT.

Temperature is determined by applying an AC excitation to reference resistances and an ultrastable aged thermistor. Each of the resulting outputs is digitized by a 20-bit A/D converter. The AC excitation and ratiometric comparison uses a common processing channel, which removes measurement errors due to parasitic thermocouples, offset voltages, leakage currents and gain errors.

Specifications

Further details can be found in the manufacturer's specification sheet and manual.

Chelsea Technologies Group Aquatracka MKIII fluorometer

The Chelsea Technologies Group Aquatracka MKIII is a logarithmic response fluorometer. Filters are available to enable the instrument to measure chlorophyll, rhodamine, fluorescein and turbidity.

It uses a pulsed (5.5 Hz) xenon light source discharging along two signal paths to eliminate variations in the flashlamp intensity. The reference path measures the intensity of the light source whilst the signal path measures the intensity of the light emitted from the specimen under test. The reference signal and the emitted light signals are then applied to a ratiometric circuit. In this circuit, the ratio of returned signal to reference signal is computed and scaled logarithmically to achieve a wide dynamic range. The logarithmic conversion accuracy is maintained at better than one percent of the reading over the full output range of the instrument.

Two variants of the instrument are available, both manufactured in titanium, capable of operating in depths from shallow water down to 2000 m and 6000 m respectively. The optical characteristics of the instrument in its different detection modes are visible below:

* The wavelengths for the turbidity filters are customer selectable but must be in the range 400 to 700 nm. The same wavelength is used in the excitation path and the emission path.

The instrument measures chlorophyll a, rhodamine and fluorescein with a concentration range of 0.01 µg l^-1 to 100 µg l^-1. The concentration range for turbidity is 0.01 to 100 FTU (other wavelengths are available on request).

The instrument accuracy is ± 0.02 µg l^-1 (or ± 3% of the reading, whichever is greater) for chlorophyll a, rhodamine and fluorescein. The accuracy for turbidity, over a 0 - 10 FTU range, is ± 0.02 FTU (or ± 3% of the reading, whichever is greater).

Further details are available from the Aquatracka MKIII specification sheet.

Biospherical Instruments Log Quantum Cosine Irradiance Sensor QCD-905L

The QCD-905L is a submersible radiometer designed to measure irradiance over Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) wavelengths (400-700 nm). It features a cosine directional response when fully immersed in water.

The sensor is a blue-enhanced high stability silicon photovoltaic detector with dielectric and absorbing glass filter assembly, and produces a logarithmic output. Normal output range is -1 to 6 volts with 1 volt per decade. Typically, the instrument outputs 5 volts for full sunlight and has a minimum output of 0.001% full sunlight, where typical noon solar irradiance is 1.5 to 2 x 10¹⁷ quanta cm^-2 s^-1. The instrument can be calibrated with constants for µE cm^-2 s^-1 or quanta cm^-2 s^-1.

The QCD-905L can be coupled to a fixed range data acquisition system like a CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) profiler or current meter. It has an aluminium and PET housing, and a depth rating of 7000 m.

Specifications

Further details can be found in the manufacturer's manual.

WETLabs ECO FLBB-RTD scattering and fluorescence sensor

A dual-optical-sensor that carries a single-wavelength chlorophyll fluorometer (470nm ex/695nm em) and backscattering sensor (700 nm) designed to measure chlorophyll and particle concentration. The instrument is capable of various combinations of backscatter, turbidity and fluorescence measurements. These include blue, green or red scattering, Chlorophyll-a, FDOM, Phycocyanin, Phycoerythrin, or Rhodamine fluorescence. It operates by using blue (470nm) and red (700 nm) LEDs that alternately flash. The blue LED stimulates chlorophyll fluorescence in plants while the red light illuminates the total particle field. It features active anti-fouling due to its copper faceplate and wiper, plus internal batteries, enabling long-term deployments. It also produces real-time data outputs. The fluorometer can typically measure phytoplankton concentrations in the range 0-30 ug/l, with a sensitivity of 0.025 ug/l. The backscattering sensor can measure within the range 0-3 m-1, with a sensitivity of 0.002 m-1. It is rated to 6000m depth.

For more information, please see this document: https://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/documents/nodb/pdf/ECO_FLBB_RTD.pdf

Tritech Digital Precision Altimeter PA200

This altimeter is a sonar ranging device that gives the height above the sea bed when mounted vertically. When mounted in any other attitude the sensor provides a subsea distance. It can be configured to operate on its own or under control from an external unit and can be supplied with simultaneous analogue and digital outputs, allowing them to interface to PC devices, data loggers, telemetry systems and multiplexers.

These instruments can be supplied with different housings, stainless steel, plastic and aluminum, which will limit the depth rating. There are three models available: the PA200-20S, PA200-10L and the PA500-6S, whose transducer options differ slightly.

Specifications

Common specifications are presented below

Further details can be found in the manufacturer's specification sheet.

WETLabs C-Star transmissometer

This instrument is designed to measure beam transmittance by submersion or with an optional flow tube for pumped applications. It can be used in profiles, moorings or as part of an underway system.

Two models are available, a 25 cm pathlength, which can be built in aluminum or co-polymer, and a 10 cm pathlength with a plastic housing. Both have an analog output, but a digital model is also available.

This instrument has been updated to provide a high resolution RS232 data output, while maintaining the same design and characteristics.

Specifications

Further details are available in the manufacturer's specification sheet or user guide.

BODC Processing

The CTD data were supplied to BODC as 31 MStar files and converted to the BODC internal format.

During transfer the originator's variables were mapped to unique BODC parameter codes. The following table shows the parameter mapping.

Following transfer the data were screened using BODC in-house visualisation software. Suspect data values were assigned the appropriate BODC data quality flag. Missing data values, where present, were changed to the missing data value and assigned a BODC data quality flag.

Cruise JR15003 Originator's CTD Data Processing

Sampling Strategy

A total of 31 CTD casts were performed during cruise JR15003 to produce full depth vertical profiles of temperature and salinity at all stations. Water samples from some stations were taken from Niskin bottles and sent to Scripps Institution of Oceanography to analyse dissolved oxygen concentration, nutrients (nitrates, phosphates, silicates), pH/alkalinity, and HPLC/POC (high performance liquid chromatography/particulate organic carbon). CTD casts were conducted at three sites on the western Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf, and the remaining 28 profiles at varying sites while traveling northbound in the Drake Passage. In addition, Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (LADCPs) were attached to the CTD frame at the 28 sites along the Drake Passage.

Data Processing

Raw CTD data were transferred from the Sea-Bird deck unit via Sea-Bird software. The binary files were converted using Sea-Bird processing software (SBE Data Processing , Version 7.22.2) to a collection of ASCII (.cnv) files. Then MEXEC programs were run to process the data which included reducing the frequency of the data from 24Hz to 1Hz, calibrating the data, calculating derived variables (psal and potemp), and extracting information from the bottom of the cast identified by the maximum pressure. A calibration was produced for the CTD primary conductivity sensor by merging the salinity sample data with the CTD data. The temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen sensors were calibrated post-cruise against independent discrete samples taken from water bottles on the CTD. Details of the MEXEC programs used and further details of the processing performed can be found in the cruise report.

Field Calibrations

Salinity from 344 Niskin bottle samples were analysed and compared to CTD conductivities, and 20 of these comparisons were flagged as questionable. Dissolved oxygen bottle and sensor values were also compared, and of the 166 bottles analysed, two comparisons were flagged as questionable.

Project Information

NOCS National Capability

The National Oceanography Centre Southampton National Capability focuses on long term science concerned with basin/decadal variability of the Ocean.

Data Activity or Cruise Information

Cruise

Complete Cruise Metadata Report is available here

Fixed Station Information

Fixed Station Information

World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) Southern Repeat Section 1B - Falkland Islands to Elephant Island

WOCE Southern Repeat Section 1B is a section across Drake Passage in the South Atlantic Ocean. The nominal end points of the section (to date) are at 52° 55.74' S, 58° 00.00' W (at the south of the Falkland Islands) and 61° 03.05' S, 54° 33.10' W (off Elephant Island at the north end of the Antarctic Peninsula).

The section was first occupied by the R/V Polarstern in 1992 (Gersonde, 1993). The first UK occupation of SR1b followed on RRS Discovery later the same year. The National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (formerly known as Southampton Oceanography Centre), in collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey, have occupied the section most years since 1993 on the RRS James Clark Ross. Additionally, there were three Spanish occupations on R/V Hespérides in February 1995, 1996 and 1998 (Garcia et al., 2002). A Drake Passage summary report for RRS James Clark Ross cruises between 1993 - 2000 has been produced.

A table of cruises which occupied SR1b is presented below with links to the relevant cruise reports (were available).

References

García, M. A., I. Bladé, A. Cruzado, Z. Velásquez, H. García, J. Puigdefàbregas and J. Sospedra, 2002: Observed variability of water properties and transports on the World Ocean Circulation Experiment SR1b section across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. J. Geophys. Res. 107 (C10) 3162, 10.1029/2000JC000277.

Gersonde, R., 1993: The Expedition Antarktis X/5 of RV Polarstern in 1992. Berichte zur Polarforschung, 131, 167 pp.

Related Fixed Station activities are detailed in Appendix 1

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: Drake Passage - WOCE SR1b

Related series for this Fixed Station 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.