Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 1836821

• 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

The channel exhibits noise throughout, likely caused by trapped air bubbles in the system. All values have been flagged. (BODC assessment)

The channel exhibits noise throughout, likely caused by trapped air bubbles in the system. All values have been flagged. (BODC assessment)

The channel exhibits noise throughout, likely caused by trapped air bubbles in the system. All values have been flagged. (BODC assessment)

RRS Discovery cruise DY077 surface hydrography quality control report

General comments

The non-toxic, pumped seawater supply was not switched on until 15:30 on 14/04/2017. All sea surface hydrography sensors did not stabilise until 15:35 that same day; data were therefore flagged as suspect prior to this time. (BODC assessment)

All channels were flagged when the pump for the non-toxic supply tripped on two occassions. The table below shows the dates and time when this occurred.

Flags were also added a few minutes after the non-toxic supply was turned on and a couple of hours before the non-toxic supply was turned off at the end of the cruise. (BODC assessment)

Remote temperature

A saturation type curve was observed in the remote temperature channel on the 20th, 21st and the 22nd April. These have been flagged. (BODC assessment)

RRS Discovery Surface Hydrography Quality Control Report

Sea Surface Temperature

The remote underway sea surface temperature data readings have been found to display a consistent variable offset when compared to CTD temperature readings at the same depth. As this is a general occurance, the remote underway temperature data should be used with caution if they have not been calibrated against in situ CTD temperature values.

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

SeaBird Digital Oceanographic Thermometer SBE38

The SBE38 is an ultra-stable thermistor that can be integrated as a remote temperature sensor with an SBE21 Thermosalinograph or an SBE 45 Micro TSG, or as a secondary temperature sensor with an SBE 16 plus, 16plus-IM, 16plus V2, 16plus-IM V2 or 19plus V2 SEACAT CTD.

Temperature is determined by applying an AC excitation to reference resistances and an ultra-stable aged thermistor. The reference resistor is a hermetically sealed VISHAY. AC excitation and ratiometric comparison using a common processing channel removes measurement errors due to parasitic thermocouples, offset voltages, leakage currents and gain errors.

The SBE38 can operate in polled sampling, where it takes one sample and transmits the data, or in continuous sampling.

Specifications

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

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:

All models:

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

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.

RRS Discovery cruise DY077 surface hydrography instrumentation

Instrumentation

The sea surface hydrographical suite of sensors was fed by the pumped-seawater, non-toxic supply. The depth of the seawater intake was at 5.5 m.

The following surface hydrology sensors were fitted:

SeaBird MicroTSG Thermosalinograph SBE 45

The SBE45 MicroTSG is an externally powered instrument designed for shipboard measurement of temperature and conductivity of pumped near-surface water samples. The instrument can also compute salinity and sound velocity internally.

The MicroTSG comprises a platinum-electrode glass conductivity cell and a stable, pressure-protected thermistor temperature sensor. It also contains an RS-232 port for appending the output of a remote temperature sensor, allowing for direct measurement of sea surface temperature.

The instrument can operate in Polled, Autonomous and Serial Line Sync sampling modes:

• Polled sampling: the instrument takes one sample on command
• Autonomous sampling: the instrument samples at preprogrammed intervals and does not enter quiescence (sleep) state between samples
• Serial Line Sync: a pulse on the serial line causes the instrument to wake up, sample and re-enter quiescent state automatically

Specifications

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

RRS Discovery cruise DY077 surface hydrography data processing procedures

Originator's Data Processing

The data were logged by the TECHSAS (TECHnical and Scientific sensors Acquisition System) version 5.9 data logging system into daily NetCDF files which were provided to BODC for processing. Data was additionally logged into the RVS Level-C format which have been archived at BODC.

Files delivered to BODC

BODC Data Processing

The files were reformatted to BODC internal format using standard data banking procedures. All files were averaged to 60 second intervals. The following table shows how the variables within the files were mapped to appropriate BODC parameter codes:

yyyymmdd-090000-Surf-DY-SM_DY1.SURFMETv2

yyyymmdd-090000-SBE45-SBE45_DY1.TSG

All the reformatted data were visualised using the in-house EDSERPLO software. Suspect data were marked by adding an appropriate quality control flag.

Calibration

Field Calibrations

No calibration against independent variables were applied to these data.

Manufacturers Calibrations

Transmissometer

The transmissometer voltage channel was converted to beam transmission ( beamtrans ) and beam attenuation ( atten ) as follows:

beamtrans [%] = ([ volts - Vdark ] / [ Vref - Vdark ])100

atten [per m] = (-1/ pathlength ) ln( beamtrans /100)

where Vdark = 0.058 V, Vref = 4.668 V and pathlength = 0.25 m.

Fluorometer

The fluorescence voltage channel was converted to engineering units ( chla ) using the following calibration:

chla [µg/L]= SF ( volts - CWO )

where SF = 12.8 µg/L/V and CWO = 0.061 V.

Project Information

Fix0³ - Fixed-Point Open Ocean Observatories

Fixed point Open Ocean Observatory network (FixO³) is a EUR7 million, four-year (2013-2017) research programme network including 29 partners from academia, research institutions and small and medium enterprises (SME). In addition, 12 international experts from a wide range of disciplines comprise an Advisory Board.

Background

FixO³ is coordinated by the National Oceanography Centre, UK, and seeks to integrate European open ocean fixed point observatories and to improve access to these key installations for the broader community. These will provide multidisciplinary observations in all parts of the oceans from the air-sea interface to the deep seafloor. FixO³ will build on the significant advances achieved through the FP7 programmes EuroSITES, ESONET and CARBOOCEAN.

Open ocean observation is currently a high priority for European marine and maritime activities. FixO³ will provide important data on environmental products and services to address the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and in support of the EU integrated Maritime Policy.

The FixO³ network will provide free and open access to in situ fixed point data of the highest quality. It will provide a strong integrated framework of open ocean facilities in the Atlantic from the Arctic to the Antarctic and throughout the Mediterranean, enabling an integrated, regional and multidisciplinary approach to understand natural and anthropogenic change in the ocean.

The programme will be achieved through:

1. Co-ordination activities to integrate and harmonise the current procedures and processes. Strong links will be fostered with the wider community across academia, industry, policy and the general public through outreach, knowledge exchange and training.

2. Support actions to offer a) access to observatory infrastructures to those who do not have such access, and b) free and open data services and products.

3. Joint research activities to innovate and enhance the current capability for multidisciplinary in situ ocean observation.

Further details are available on the FixO³ website.

Participants

29 different partners involved in FixO³. These institutions are;

• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS)
• Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR)
• MARUM, Unviersity of Bremen (UniHB)
• Universitetet I Bergen (UiB)
• Universitetet I Tromsø (UiT)
• Alfred Wegener Institut für Polarund Meeresforschung (AWI)
• University of Exeter (UNEXE)
• SLR Consulting (SLR)
• Institut français de recherché pour l'exploitation de la mer (IFREMER)
• Blue Lobster IT ltd. (BLIT)
• Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
• Marine Institute (MI)
• The University Court of The University of Aberdeen (UNIABDN)
• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)
• Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC)
• University of St Andrew (USTAN)
• Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO)
• NKE Instrumentation (NKEI)
• Instituto Nacional de Desenvolvimento das Pescas (INDP)
• Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
• Texcel Technology Plc (TEXCEL)
• University of Gothenburg (UGOT)
• 52°North(52°North)
• Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche (CNR)
• Stichting Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut Voor Zeeonderzoek (NIOZ)
• Imar- Instituto do Mar (IMAR)

Research details

Overall, twelve Work Packages have been funded by the FixO³ programme. These are described in brief below:

• Work Package 1: Project Management.
  - To effectively manage FixO³ to maximise the production of results in the most cost effective manner and to the proposed timescales.
  - To facilitate communication and integration between the partners and disseminate information about the project to the wider community.
  - To identify and resolve disputes between partners.
  - To keep the project on track, and ensure timely interaction and delivery of reports to the European Commission.

• Work Package 2: Technical harmonization.
  - To review the current status of existing systems in operational use considered in the project;
  - To synthesize the characteristics of infrastructures offering TNA;
  - To increase the high-frequency measurements on fixed platforms;
  - To define the best technical practices for compatible, robust and cost-effective systems on a variety of fixed applications;
  - To promote tests of new or prototype instruments on a non-operational basis;
  - To define procedure for harmonizing and merging quality assessed high frequency fixed platform data;
  - To define procedures and technological solutions for integration and testing of new sensors on these systems;
  - To increase the traceability, quality and reliability of sensor metadata and data products.

• Work Package 3: Procedural harmonization.
  To harmonise procedures across the network the following steps will be undertaken:
  1) Assessment of operational procedures for sustained Eulerian observations
  2) Further development of principles of 'best practice'
  3) Development of the FixO³ observatories 'label' building on ESONET and in collaboration with JERICO
  

• Work Package 4: Data management and harmonization.
  To harmonise data policies and to provide a formal basis for data exchange between FixO³ infrastructures.
  - To improve standardisation, interoperability and compliance with major international initiatives
  - To harmonise data management and standardisation efforts with other European and international marine data and observatory infrastructures.
  - To foster the cooperation with the marine carbon observation community by disseminating FixO³ data via relevant international infrastructures and data centres such as the ICOS Ocean Thematic Centre
  To coordinate, harmonise and optimize the implementation and integration of Service Activities provided by the different partners in WP10 and to strengthen and monitor the dissemination of knowledge.

• Work Package 5: Innovation through industry.
  - Promote interaction between the ocean observatory research community and the commercial sector
  - Proactively promote FixO³ and wider open ocean observatory products and services to the commercial sector
  - Identify innovative products and services within the ocean observatory community and develop targeted IPR agreements to encourage interest by the commercial sector.

• Work Package 6: Interface with policy and intergovernmental bodies.
  - To link the FixO³ efforts to international and intergovernmental bodies and activities.
  - To ensure visibility and facilitate further implementation and long-term stewardship of deep-ocean fixed-point time series observations
  - To develop a strategy for the future.

• Work Package 7: International and European networking of fixed-point observatories
  - To consolidate and promote the synergy between European research groups and institutions.
  - To enhance the interaction with industry
  - To link ocean scientists and engineers into an international team in marine science.
  - Management of TNA activities.

• Work Package 8: Outreach and training.
  - To engage with, educate and inform public, scientific and policy user groups.
  - To develop an informative and interactive suite of complimentary tools that educates and engages public, scientific and policy user groups to maximise engagement with end users.
  - To produce educational and informational resources that deliver knowledge to end user groups
  - To deliver a series of training opportunities that informs, educates and promotes best practices to professional users of hardware, data and data products.
  

• Work Package 9: Transnational access to FixO³ infrastructures
  - To support external scientific users by providing coordinated, free-of-charge, transnational access to fixed open-ocean observatories, including:
  1) Ocean surface, water column and seafloor observatory installations and systems considered for transnational access under this proposal
  2) One shallow water test site able to make practical and fast tests of instruments, systems, procedures and new technologies applicable to fixed open-ocean observatories that will be accessible under TNA

• Work Package 10: Service activities: Access to data products and knowledge
  - To provide access to the data products and knowledge derived from most of the observatories which compromise the FixO³ network.

• Work Package 11: Optimisation of ocean observing capability
  - To carry out research on the specification for an optimum observational network of FixO³ platforms, integrated and complemented by other platforms.

• Work Package 12: Research and development on critical observatory functions
  - To enhance the capability of the FixO³ infrastructures to make very high quality observations
  - To develop a new low energy consuming platform design in order to promote more sensors per platform and extension capacities.

Observatories

FixO3

The British Oceanographic Data centre store data from PAP, NOG and SOG as of January 2018.

Data Activity or Cruise Information

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: