Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 2096179

• 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

GO-FLO Bottle

A water sampling bottle featuring close-open-close operation. The bottle opens automatically at approximately 10 metres and flushes until closed. Sampling with these bottles avoids contamination at the surface, internal spring contamination, loss of sample on deck and exchange of water from different depths.

There are several sizes available, from 1.7 to 100 litres and are made of PVC with a depth rating of up to 500 m. These bottles can be attached to a rosette or placed on a cable at selected positions.

Particulate Trace Metals as part of the North Sea Project

Document History

Converted from CDROM documentation

Sampling strategy and methodology

Samples for trace metal analysis were collected, using clean techniques, by 10 litre Teflon-lined Go-Flo bottles (modified to reduce the contamination potential for trace metals) fitted to the CTD rosette sampler. Initial sample handling was carried out on board using the facilities of the RVS clean chemistry container (Morley et al., 1988).

Each sea water sample was pressure-filtered (ca. 0.7 bar) in-line through a 0.4 um Nuclepore membrane filter. For a substantial proportion of the samples large volume filtration systems were used to obtain sufficient suspended particulate material for trace metal analysis. Membranes were stored frozen until analysis.

The filtrates were used for dissolved trace metal determinations using compatible analytical procedures. This greatly enhances the value of the data set.

Suspended matter concentrations were determined on the same sample as the chemical analysis.

Analytical techniques

The samples were leached using 1M HCl at room temperature for 8 hours under clean conditions. The leachate was decanted into volumetric flasks and made up to volume. Metals were determined by either flame AAS or GFAAS.

Unit Conversions

The data for cruises CH33, CH42, CH43, CH46, CH50, CH51 and CH61 were supplied to BODC in units of ug/g dry weight or per cent in the case of aluminium. The metals supplied in ug/g were converted to nanomoles per litre of water by multiplying by the suspended matter concentration (included with the data) and dividing by the atomic weight (Cd 112.4; Co 58.933; Cr 51.996; Cu 63.54; Fe 55.847; Mn 54.938; Ni 58.69; Pb 207.19; Zn 65.37).

Aluminium was converted to micromoles per litre of water by multiplying by 10 times the suspended matter concentration and dividing by the atomic weight (26.982).

Data for CH44, CH52, CH60 and CH72C were supplied in molar form but also include the suspended matter concentration and therefore the metal concentrations in the particulate phase may be calculated if required.

References

Morley, N.H., P.J. Statham and C. Fay (1988) Design and use of a clean shipboard handling system for sea water samples. In: Advances in Underwater Technology, Ocean Science and Offshore Engineering, Volume 16 (Oceanology '88), Graham and Trotman, London, 283-290.

Project Information

North Sea Project

The North Sea Project (NSP) was the first Marine Sciences Community Research project of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It evolved from a NERC review of shelf sea research, which identified the need for a concerted multidisciplinary study of circulation, transport and production.

The ultimate aim of the NERC North Sea Project was the development of a suite of prognostic water quality models to aid management of the North Sea. To progress towards water quality models, three intermediate objectives were pursued in parallel:

• Production of a 3-D transport model for any conservative passive constituent, incorporating improved representations of the necessary physics - hydrodynamics and dispersion;
• Identifying and quantifying non-conservative processes - sources and sinks determining the cycling and fate of individual constituents;
• Defining a complete seasonal cycle as a database for all the observational studies needed to formulate, drive and test models.

Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory hosted the project, which involved over 200 scientists and support staff from NERC and other Government funded laboratories, as well as seven universities and polytechnics.

The project ran from 1987 to 1992, with marine field data collection between April 1988 and October 1989. One shakedown (CH28) and fifteen survey cruises (Table 1), each lasting 12 days and following the same track, were repeated monthly. The track selected covered the summer-stratified waters of the north and the homogeneous waters in the Southern Bight in about equal lengths together with their separating frontal band from Flamborough head to Dogger Bank, the Friesian Islands and the German Bight. Mooring stations were maintained at six sites for the duration of the project.

Alternating with the survey cruises were process study cruises (Table 2), which investigated some particular aspect of the science of the North Sea. These included fronts (nearshore, circulation and mixing), sandwaves and sandbanks, plumes (Humber, Wash, Thames and Rhine), resuspension, air-sea exchange, primary productivity and blooms/chemistry.

In addition to the main data collection period, a series of cruises took place between October 1989 and October 1990 that followed up work done on previous cruises (Table 3). Process studies relating to blooms, plumes (Humber, Wash and Rhine), sandwaves and the flux of contaminants through the Dover Strait were carried out as well as two `survey' cruises.

The data collected during the observational phase of the North Sea Project comprised one of the most detailed sets of observations ever undertaken in any shallow shelf sea at that time.

Data Activity or Cruise Information

Data Activity

BODC Sample Metadata Report for CH51_CTD_1787

Please note:the supplied parameters may not have been sampled from all the bottle firings described in the table above. Cross-match the Sample Reference Number above against the SAMPRFNM value in the data file to identify the relevant metadata.

Related Data Activity activities are detailed in Appendix 1

Cruise

Complete Cruise Metadata Report is available here

Fixed Station Information

Fixed Station Information

North Sea Project Survey Mooring Site D and CTD Site BB

Site D was one of six fixed stations where moorings were deployed during the North Sea Project Survey. This location is also one of 123 North Sea Project CTD Sites.

The site was characterised by moderate tidal currents, up to a maximum of 1.0 m/s.

The rigs deployed here lie within a box bounded by 53.488N 2.988E at the southwest corner and 53.503N 3.012E at the northeast corner. Magnetic variation at this site was 3.7° west.

Site D deployment history is summarised below:

ADCP = Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
CM = Current Meter (Aanderaa or S4)
THCH = Thermistor Chain

Related Fixed Station activities are detailed in Appendix 2

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: CH51_CTD_1787

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.

Appendix 2: NSP Survey D and CTD Site BB

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.