The Iberian Margin

Concentration of alkanes in the atmosphere; Carbon monoxide and dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere; Horizontal spatial co-ordinates; Ammonium and ammonia concentration parameters in water bodies; Transmittance and attenuance of the water column; Zooplankton and zoobenthos morphological parameters; Bacteria non taxonomy-related biomass expressed as carbon per unit volume of the water column; Bacteria generic abundance in water bodies; Air pressure; Carbonate chemistry in sediment pore waters; Air temperature; Atmospheric humidity; Mineralogical composition; Variable fluorescence parameters; Particulate total and organic carbon concentrations in the water column; Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in sediment; Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies; Dissolved oxygen parameters for sediments; Dissolved organic carbon concentration in the water column; Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column; Wind strength and direction; Zooplankton defecation rates in the water column; Sediment microfossil morphology parameters; Zooplankton gut pigments; Amino acids in sediment; Stable isotopes in biota; Other wave statistics; Lagrangian currents and transport rates in the water column; Vertical velocity of the water column (currents); Sediment grain size parameters; Zooplankton dry weight biomass per unit volume of the water column; Metal concentrations in sediment pore waters; Dissolved metal concentrations in the water column; Microzooplankton non taxonomy-related biomass expressed as carbon per unit volume of the water column; Microzooplankton generic abundance in water bodies; Microzooplankton grazing; Particulate total and organic nitrogen concentrations in the water column; Nutrient concentrations in sediment pore waters; Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column; Phytoplankton taxonomic abundance in water bodies; Partial pressure (pCO2) and fugacity (fCO2) of carbon dioxide in the water column; Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column; Phaeopigment concentrations in sediment; Salinity of the water column; Horizontal velocity of the water column (currents); Nutrient fluxes between the bed and the water column; Seabed photography; Other fluxes between the bed and the water column; Bacterial production in the water column; Urea concentration parameters in the water column; Radioactivity in water bodies; Stable isotopes in water bodies; Geological sample magnetic, electrical and acoustic properties; Zooplankton taxonomy-related abundance per unit volume of the water column; Zooplankton taxonomy-related biomass expressed as carbon per unit volume of the water column; Zooplankton non taxonomy-related biomass expressed as carbon per unit volume of the water column; Zoobenthos taxonomy-related counts; Phaeopigment concentrations in the water column; Skin temperature of the water column; Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column; Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column; Horizontal platform movement; Geological sample radioactivity; Solar Radiation; Concentration of alkanes in the water column; Turbulence in the water column; Sedimentation flux of carbon, nitrogen or organic matter in the water column; Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column; Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column; Water column photography; Sediment water content, porosity and surface area; Zoobenthos generic abundance; Nitrogen concentrations in sediment; New production in water bodies; Dissolved concentration parameters for other gases in sediment pore waters; Silicate concentration parameters in the water column; Long-wave radiation; Bathymetry and Elevation; Carotenoid and flavenoid pigment concentrations in water bodies; Phytoplankton taxonomic biomass in water bodies; Carbon concentrations in sediment; Temperature of the water column; Inorganic chemical composition of sediment or rocks; Zooplankton feeding

Anemometers; fluorometers; current meters; satellite tracking system; radiometers; bathythermographs; single-beam echosounders; multi-beam echosounders; underwater cameras; plankton recorders; plankton nets; benthos samplers; discrete water samplers; continuous water samplers; sediment traps; sediment grabs; unconsolidated sediment corers; centrifuges; elemental analysers; autoanalysers; optical microscopes; atomic absorption spectrometers; high performance liquid chromatographs; titrators; inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopes; inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometers; spectrophotometers; gamma-ray spectrometers; bench fluorometers; X-ray diffractometers; bench particle sizers; microstructure sensors; CTD undulators; transmissometers; CTD; current profilers; thermistor chains; benthic incubation chambers; pH sensors; shipboard incubators; in-situ incubators

The data set comprises a diverse collection of physical, chemical and biological measurements, encompassing well over 1000 parameters. There are data from over 1000 conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD)/rosette stations, over 440 core profiles, over 180 sediment trap samples, over 140 net hauls and much, much more. The primary study area was a box extending to the base of the slope from Vigo to Cap Finistere. However, data are included from both further offshore (filament tracking) and from the Portuguese Margin. Measurements were taken from November 1996 to October 1999 during 33 cruise legs, involving research vessels from seven nations. Data were collected using a variety of equipment and techniques, including expendable bathythermographs (XBTs), turbulence probes, CTDs and oceanographic undulators with auxiliary sensors. These hydrographic profiles were accompanied by net hauls, plankton recorder deployments, sediment cores and a comprehensive water sampling programmes during which a wide variety of chemical and biological parameters were measured. The station data were supplemented by underway measurements of oceanographic and meteorological properties. Results from production and phosphate uptake experiments are also included in the dataset, as are bathymetric data from multibeam (swath) surveys, coastal upwelling measurements and data from moored instruments and benthic landers. The dataset also includes imagery from satellites, seabed photography and X-ray photographs of core samples. The aim of the project was study biogeochemical processes at the shelf break and to quantify the fluxes of material between the shelf and the open ocean. The project brought together over 100 scientists from 40 research centres and universities throughout Europe. The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) is assembling the data sets collected during OMEX II into its project database system and the data set is also available on CD-ROM.

British Oceanographic Data Centre
Joseph Proudman Building 6 Brownlow Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L3 5DA
United Kingdom