Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 564206

• 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 wind data from this data series proceed from a different location than the sea surface wave and temperature data. The location attributed to the data series is that of the Rijks Water Staat's offshore monitoring station where sea surface temperature and wave data were recorded. The wind was monitored from a coastal weather station on IJmuiden Semaphore at 52° 27.8' North, 4° 34.55' East.

Data Access Policy

Public domain 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.

The recommended acknowledgment is

"This study uses data from the data source/organisation/programme, provided by the British Oceanographic Data Centre and funded by the funding body."

Narrative Documents

General Data Screening carried out by BODC

BODC screen both the series header qualifying information and the parameter values in the data cycles themselves.

Header information is inspected for:

• Irregularities such as unfeasible values
• Inconsistencies between related information, for example:
  • Times for instrument deployment and for start/end of data series
  • Length of record and the number of data cycles/cycle interval
  • Parameters expected and the parameters actually present in the data cycles
• Originator's comments on meter/mooring performance and data quality

Documents are written by BODC highlighting irregularities which cannot be resolved.

Data cycles are inspected using time or depth series plots of all parameters. Currents are additionally inspected using vector scatter plots and time series plots of North and East velocity components. These presentations undergo intrinsic and extrinsic screening to detect infeasible values within the data cycles themselves and inconsistencies as seen when comparing characteristics of adjacent data sets displaced with respect to depth, position or time. Values suspected of being of non-oceanographic origin may be tagged with the BODC flag denoting suspect value; the data values will not be altered.

The following types of irregularity, each relying on visual detection in the plot, are amongst those which may be flagged as suspect:

• Spurious data at the start or end of the record.
• Obvious spikes occurring in periods free from meteorological disturbance.
• A sequence of constant values in consecutive data cycles.

If a large percentage of the data is affected by irregularities then a Problem Report will be written rather than flagging the individual suspect values. Problem Reports are also used to highlight irregularities seen in the graphical data presentations.

Inconsistencies between the characteristics of the data set and those of its neighbours are sought and, where necessary, documented. This covers inconsistencies such as the following:

• Maximum and minimum values of parameters (spikes excluded).
• The occurrence of meteorological events.

This intrinsic and extrinsic screening of the parameter values seeks to confirm the qualifying information and the source laboratory's comments on the series. In screening and collating information, every care is taken to ensure that errors of BODC making are not introduced.

IJmuiden Wind and Sea Surface Data

Data Source

Meteorological and sea surface data fron IJmuiden originates from two locations. Wind data were recorded at a coastal weather station at IJmuiden Semaphore (KNMI station no. 06225). Wave and sea surface temperature were recorded at an offshore monitoring station.

Instrumentation

Wave measurements: wave parameters were derived by frequency analysis on time-series measurements made with a waverider buoy.

Wind speed and direction: wind data were recorded with a fast recorder and averaged every hour.

Project Information

PROcesses of Vertical Exchange in Shelf Seas (PROVESS)

Introduction

PROVESS was an interdisciplinary study of the vertical fluxes of properties through the water column and the surface and bottom boundary layers. The project was funded by the European Community MAST-III programme (MAS3-CT97- 0159) and ran from March 1998 to May 2001.

Scientific Rationale

PROVESS was based on the integration of experimental, theoretical and modelling studies with the aim of improving understanding and quantification of vertical exchange processes in the water column, in particular in the surface and benthic boundary layers and across the> pycnocline. PROVESS also explored mechanisms of physical-biological coupling in which vertical exchanges and turbulence significantly affect the environmental conditions experienced by the biota with particular reference to aggregation, flocculation, sedimentation and trophic interactions.

Fieldwork

The experimental phase of the project was carried out at two contrasting sites in the North Sea: the northern North Sea site (NNS) and the southern North Sea site (SNS).

The two sites had the following characteristics:

At both locations measurements were concentrated at a central position with additional measurements being made to estimate horizontal gradients. Moored instruments (including current meters, temperature and pressure sensors, fluorometers, transmissometers, nutrient analysers and meteorological sensors) were deployed between 7 September and 5 November 1998 at the NNS and between 29 March and 25 May 1999 at the SNS. Each experiment was supported by intensive measurement series made from oceanographic ships and involving turbulence dissipation profiler CTD, particle size profilers, optical profilers, benthic sampling and water bottle sampling.

Details of the cruises were as follows:

Data Activity or Cruise Information

No Data Activity or Cruise Information held for the Series

Fixed Station Information

Fixed Station Information

PROVESS Southern North Sea Site

Eleven mooring packages were deployed at PROVESS Southern North Sea site by Pelagia cruise PE136 in March 1999. One of these (Rig U) was lost, the NIOZ mooring was recovered by PE136 in April 1999 and the remaining nine were recovered by either RV Belgica cruise BG9912 (8 moorings) or RV Zirfea (Rig V) in May 1999.

The layout of the mooring array was:

The asterisk represents an array of five moorings as detailed in the inset map.

Mooring data

The data returned from each rig were as follows:

CTD data

A total of 356 CTD casts were also collected during the three cruises surveying this area. These include:

Additonal data

Supporting meteorological data (including sea surface temperature and wave statistics) from two platforms (52° 33' N, 4° 3.5' E and 52° 16.4' N, 4° 17.8' E) were supplied to the project and are held by BODC. These series run from the beginning of March 1999 until the end of May 1999.

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: PROVESS Southern North Sea Site

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.