Metadata Report for BODC Series Reference Number 920533
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
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Problem Reports
No Problem Report Found in the Database
Data Quality Report
There are no data quality issues to report.
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
Ruthern Instruments Marine pH Monitor
A pH monitor designed for use in estuarine and coastal waters. The sensor is based on a capillary liquid junction and pH is measuremed on the free ion concentration scale. The instrument measures pH of a pumped water supply, either continuously or in batch mode.
This system was built in collaboration with the UK Environment Agency and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Two versions were developed: one for permanent bulkhead mounting in small coastal vessels and a portable version for up-stream use in small boats.
Specifications
| Accuracy | better than ± 0.01 pH units |
| Salinity range | 1 to 40 ppt |
| Temperature precision | 0.02°C |
Further details can be found here.
D326 Underway pH BODC Data Processing
The data arrived at BODC in spreadsheet file format representing continuous pH measurements of the ship's non-toxic seawater supply collected during SOLAS D326 cruise. These were reformatted to the BODC internal QXF (NetCDF) format using BODC transfer function 410. The following table shows how the pH variables were mapped to the appropriate BODC parameter codes:
| Originator's Variable | Units | Description | BODC Parameter Code | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latitude | degrees | Latitude (north) | ALATGP01 | degrees |
| Longitude | degrees | Longitude (east) | ALONGP01 | degrees |
| pH total scale | pH units | pH of a water body measured by a pH electrode | PHXXPR01 | pH units |
Data were banked according to BODC standard procedures. No averaging or other modifications were applied to the data received.
D326 Underway pH Originator's Data Processing
A potentiometric pH system was installed on the non-toxic seawater supply and was run continuously during the cruise where measurements were set to a rate of 1 minute intervals.
The potentiometric method for the determination of pH in seawater consists of the measurement of the electromotive force of a cell composed of a silver/silver chloride electrode and a glass pH electrode. To avoid errors with electrode drift, calibration of the system was undertaken every 8 to 12 hours with Tris buffer made up in artificial seawater according to Millero (1986). Tris buffer was run as a sample after each batch of new buffer was made in order to check the accuracy of the measurements. Difference observed between theoretical pH and measured pH was 0.01 to 0.03 pH units. The buffer was brought approximately to the seawater temperature (within 5°C) in order to maximise the accuracy. The overall precision of the method is 0.01 pH unit. The pH scale used in the pH calculation of the system is the free hydrogen ion concentration scale, pHF, which uses the concentration of free protons to define the hydrogen ion activity (Bates, 1975)
References
Bates, R.G., 1975. pH scales for seawater. In: The nature of seawater. Physical and Chemical Sciences Research Reports, 315-338.Millero F.J., 1986 The pH of estuarine waters. Limnology and Oceanography, 31(4), 839-847.
D326 Underway pH Instrumentation
The pH monitor from Ruthern Instruments employs a potentiometric method for the determination of pH in seawater. The system consists of a highly reproducible free-diffusion liquid junction. A capillary liquid junction is formed between the reference reservoir (containing the silver/silver chloride electrode) and the pH cell (containing the pH electrode and the sample to be analysed). The bridge solution (2.5 M KCl in deonised water) allows the ionic contact between the hydrogen and reference electrode and is introduced below the sample via a solenoid pump.
Project Information
UK SOLAS, Chasing Saharan Dust Storms
This project was led by Dr Eric Achterberg of The School of Ocean and Earth Science (University of Southampton), National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Southampton, UK in collaboration with University of Leeds, University of East Anglia, Essex University, University of Liverpool, University of Birmingham and University of Strathclyde.
The goal of this project was to improve understanding of the atmospheric transport, cycling and deposition of dust and nutrients into the North Atlantic, which was achieved by activities conducted on two research cruises (PO332 and D326) in the tropical North Atlantic. Fieldwork was designed in particular to assess:
- the dust input to the North Atlantic
- the dissolution of nutrients including iron from the dust into seawater
- the impact of dust deposition events on the biology and nutrient chemistry of surface waters
More detailed information on this project may be found in the official cruise reports for the DUST cruises, PO332 andD326.
Weblink: http:/www.nerc.ac.uk/solas/
Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study
The Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) is an international research initiative comprising over 1500 scientists in 23 countries. Its central goal is to understand the biogeochemical-physical interactions between the ocean and atmosphere, and how their coupling affects, and is affected by climate change.
UK Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study
The UK Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (UK SOLAS) is the UK's contribution to the international SOLAS programme.
UK SOLAS formed interdisciplinary teams to address three primary aims
- To determine the mechanisms controlling rates of chemical transfer and improve estimates of chemical exchanges
- To evaluate the impact of these exchanges on the biogeochemistry of the surface ocean and lower atmosphere and on feedbacks between the ocean and atmosphere
- To quantify the impacts of these boundary layer processes on the global climate system
UK SOLAS started in 2003, to run for seven years. The programme was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council.
Funded projects
In total, 19 projects have been funded by UK SOLAS, over four funding rounds.
| Project Title | Short Title | Principal Investigator |
|---|---|---|
| Impact of atmospheric dust derived material and nutrient inputs on near-surface plankton microbiota in the tropical North Atlantic | Dust | Eric Achterberg |
| The role and effects of photoprotective compounds in marine plankton | - | Steve Archer |
| Field observations of sea spray, gas fluxes and whitecaps | SEASAW | Ian Brooks |
| Factors influencing the biogeochemistry of iodine in the marine environment | - | Lucy Carpenter |
| Global model of aerosol processes - effects of aerosol in the marine atmospheric boundary layer | GLOMAP | Ken Carslaw |
| Ecological controls on fluxes of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) to the atmosphere | - | David Green |
| Dust outflow and deposition to the ocean | DODO | Ellie Highwood |
| Investigation of near surface production of iodocarbons - rates and exchanges | INSPIRE | Gill Malin |
| Reactive halogens in the marine boundary layer | RHaMBLe | Gordon McFiggans |
| The role of bacterioneuston in determining trace gas exchange rates | - | Colin Murrell |
| Measuring methanol in sea water and investigating its sources and sinks in the marine environment | - | Phil Nightingale |
| The impact of coastal upwellings on air-sea exchange of climatically important gases | ICON | Carol Robinson |
| The Deep Ocean Gas Exchange Experiment | DOGEE | Rob Upstill-Goddard |
| High wind air-sea exchanges | HiWASE | Margaret Yelland |
| Aerosol characterisation and modelling in the marine environment | ACMME | James Allan |
| 3D simulation of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) in the north east Atlantic | - | Icarus Allen |
| Processes affecting the chemistry and bioavailability of dust borne iron | - | Michael Krom |
| The chemical structure of the lowermost atmosphere | - | Alastair Lewis |
| Factors influencing the oxidative chemistry of the marine boundary layer | - | Paul Monks |
UK SOLAS has also supported ten tied studentships, and two CASE studentships.
Fieldwork
UK SOLAS fieldwork has included eight dedicated research cruises in the North Atlantic Ocean. Continuous measurements were made aboard aboard the Norwegian weather ship, Polarfront, until her decommission in 2009. Time series have been established at the SOLAS Cape Verde Observatory, and at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory L4 station. Experiments have taken place at the Bergen mesocosm facility.
A series of collaborative aircraft campaigns have added complementary atmospheric data. These campaigns were funded by UK SOLAS, African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA-UK), Dust and Biomass Experiment (DABEX) and the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM).
Weblink: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/solas/
Data Activity or Cruise Information
Cruise
| Cruise Name | D326 |
| Departure Date | 2008-01-05 |
| Arrival Date | 2008-02-05 |
| Principal Scientist(s) | Eric Pieter Achterberg (University of Southampton School of Ocean and Earth Science) |
| Ship | RRS Discovery |
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:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| Blank | Unqualified |
| < | Below detection limit |
| > | In excess of quoted value |
| A | Taxonomic flag for affinis (aff.) |
| B | Beginning of CTD Down/Up Cast |
| C | Taxonomic flag for confer (cf.) |
| D | Thermometric depth |
| E | End of CTD Down/Up Cast |
| G | Non-taxonomic biological characteristic uncertainty |
| H | Extrapolated value |
| I | Taxonomic flag for single species (sp.) |
| K | Improbable value - unknown quality control source |
| L | Improbable value - originator's quality control |
| M | Improbable value - BODC quality control |
| N | Null value |
| O | Improbable value - user quality control |
| P | Trace/calm |
| Q | Indeterminate |
| R | Replacement value |
| S | Estimated value |
| T | Interpolated value |
| U | Uncalibrated |
| W | Control value |
| X | Excessive difference |
SeaDataNet Quality Control Flags
The following single character qualifying flags may be associated with one or more individual parameters with a data cycle:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | no quality control |
| 1 | good value |
| 2 | probably good value |
| 3 | probably bad value |
| 4 | bad value |
| 5 | changed value |
| 6 | value below detection |
| 7 | value in excess |
| 8 | interpolated value |
| 9 | missing value |
| A | value phenomenon uncertain |
| B | nominal value |
| Q | value below limit of quantification |
