Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 2150459

• 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

Lachat QuikChem 8500 flow injection analyzer (FIA) and Ion Chromatography (IC) system

The Lachat QuikChem 8500 can operate FIA and IC simultaneously and independently on the same instrument platform. FIA and IC are complementary analytical techniques that are commonly used in the same laboratory.

Instrument includes - sampler, dilutor, sampling pump, electronics unit, and data station.

Flow injection analysis is ideally suited for processing relatively large numbers of samples. Ion Chromatography adds the power to profile samples for a class of ionic species.

FIA Productivity Characteristics

• Fast Startup - ~5 minutes
• Rapid Analysis - 20 to 60 seconds is typical
• High Sample Throughput - 60 to 120 samples per hour is typical
• Broad Working Range - Parts per trillion to percents
• Complete Baseline Resolution - No carryover between samples
• Wide Dynamic Range - 2 to 3 decades is typical
• Fast Shutdown - ~5 minutes
• Rapid Method Changeover - ~10 minutes

New FIA Features

• Run up to 5 channels for high productivity analysis or dedicated operation.
• New 2-cm flow cell methods allow more signal for detection at lower levels.
• Run Omnion 3.0 software on Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 operating systems.
• Interface Omnion software in multiple languages - including Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and Italian.

For more information about this model see the manufactures data sheet - Lachat QuikChem 8500.

Niskin Bottle

The Niskin bottle is a device used by oceanographers to collect subsurface seawater samples. It is a plastic bottle with caps and rubber seals at each end and is deployed with the caps held open, allowing free-flushing of the bottle as it moves through the water column.

Standard Niskin

The standard version of the bottle includes a plastic-coated metal spring or elastic cord running through the interior of the bottle that joins the two caps, and the caps are held open against the spring by plastic lanyards. When the bottle reaches the desired depth the lanyards are released by a pressure-actuated switch, command signal or messenger weight and the caps are forced shut and sealed, trapping the seawater sample.

Lever Action Niskin

The Lever Action Niskin Bottle differs from the standard version, in that the caps are held open during deployment by externally mounted stainless steel springs rather than an internal spring or cord. Lever Action Niskins are recommended for applications where a completely clear sample chamber is critical or for use in deep cold water.

Clean Sampling

A modified version of the standard Niskin bottle has been developed for clean sampling. This is teflon-coated and uses a latex cord to close the caps rather than a metal spring. The clean version of the Levered Action Niskin bottle is also teflon-coated and uses epoxy covered springs in place of the stainless steel springs. These bottles are specifically designed to minimise metal contamination when sampling trace metals.

Deployment

Bottles may be deployed singly clamped to a wire or in groups of up to 48 on a rosette. Standard bottles and Lever Action bottles have a capacity between 1.7 and 30 L. Reversing thermometers may be attached to a spring-loaded disk that rotates through 180° on bottle closure.

Discrete Dissolved Inorganic Nutrient Samples from CTD bottles for RRS Discovery Cruise DY031

Originator's Protocol for Data Acquisition and Analysis

Water samples were drawn from the CTD rosette bottles deployed during the cruise with samples taken from 80 of the total of 85 CTD casts undertaken.

Samples were collected in 250ml acid cleaned polythene bottles directly from CTD spigots without the use of a tube and using a single half-full rinse prior to collection. Samples were stored in a fridge prior to analysis. The analysis was carried out within 24 hours of sample collection with a Lachat Quick Chem 8500 flow injection autoanalyser using the manufacturer's recommended methods. Standards were prepared in deionised water and samples were run in a carrier stream of deionised water. For more information see the cruise report.

BODC Data Processing Procedures

The sample data were supplied to BODC in MStar format. Data received were loaded into the BODC database using established BODC data banking procedure. Originator's parameters were mapped with BODC codes as follows;

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

Data Activity

No Document Information Held for the Series

Related Data Activity activities are detailed in Appendix 1

Cruise

Complete Cruise Metadata Report is available here

Fixed Station Information

Fixed Station Information

Ellett Line/Extended Ellett Line: Station Q

Station Q is one of the fixed CTD stations, which together form The Extended Ellett Line. The line lies between Iceland and the Sound of Mull (Scotland) crossing the Iceland Basin and Rockall Trough via the outcrop of Rockall. As part of this initiative, CTD dips, together with associated discrete sampling of the water column, have typically been carried out annually at this station since September 1996.

Prior to September 1996, Station Q was part of a shorter repeated survey section, consisting of 35 fixed stations, known as The Ellett Line (originally termed the Anton Dohrn Seamount Section). This line incorporated those stations across the Rockall Trough and Scottish shelf between Rockall and the Sound of Mull and was visited at regular intervals (usually at least once a year) between 1975 and January 1996.

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: DY031_CTD_DY031_067

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: Ellett Line/Extended Ellett Line Station Q

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.