Resources

JGOFS Arabian Sea Process Study CTD, XBT and SeaSoar Data from 1990-1997

JGOFS International Collection Arabian Sea Process Study CDROM
JGOFS International Collection Arabian Sea Process Study CDROM ©

The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) was an international and multi-disciplinary project with participants from more than 20 countries. Its aim was to understand the processes controlling the cycling of carbon in the oceans, its exchange with the atmosphere and sea floor, and the sensitivity of these processes to climate changes.

JGOFS was launched in 1987 under the auspices of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR). Two years later it became a core project of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). The JGOFS project ran until December 2003.

The CDROM data set

The CDROM contains CTD, XBT and SeaSoar data for the Arabian Sea area that were collected as part of the JGOFS Arabian Sea Process Study (1990-1997).

The data set contains nearly 2500 profiles of temperature plus, in most cases, salinity and sometimes chlorophyll, dissolved oxygen or optical attenuance. Ships from six nations collected the data during 42 research cruises. The German JGOFS Data Management Office, Kiel, produced the data set supported by the members of the JGOFS Data Management Task Team. The team was chaired by Dr. Roy Lowry from BODC. CDROM production was supported by the University of Bergen, Norway, through the JGOFS International Project Office.

BODC's contribution

The data from RRS Discovery cruises DI210, DI211 and DI212 were worked up by staff at BODC after collection at sea by technical personnel from Research Vessel Services. The data for cruise DI209 were collected and processed by scientific and technical personnel from the Southampton Oceanography Centre. BODC assembled the data into an integrated data set for publication on the CDROM.

Further data from RRS Discovery cruises DI210 and DI212 may be found on the ARABESQUE CDROM available from BODC.

CDROM availability

For information on how to get a copy of the CDROM contact the World Data Centre for Oceanography, Silver Spring.