North Sea Organosulfur and Halocarbon Measurements from 1989 Cruise

117 measurements of dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) and up to 120 measurements of dimethylsulphide (DMS) were collected per unit volume of the North Sea water column. Researchers Sue Turner and David Hydes gathered this data during the Challenger 55 research cruise for the North Sea Project. The cruise took place over two weeks from June 24 to July 7, 1989.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial correlations between dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) concentration and other halocarbons like dibromochloromethane across the sampled stations.
• Model the distribution of dimethylsulphide (DMS) concentration, a key climate-cooling gas, within the specified latitude (+51N to +56N) and longitude (+2W to +8W) range.
• Compare concentration levels of particulate versus dissolved plus reactive particulate phases for compounds like trichloromethane (chloroform) and tetrachloroethene.
• Investigate potential co-variance in measurements of iodomethane (methyl iodide) and carbon tetrachloride concentration across the 1989 sampling period.

Strengths

• Provides over 100 concentration measurements for key compounds like DMS (120) and DMSP (117).
• Clear spatial coverage defined as +51N to +56N latitude and +2W to +8W longitude.
• Specific methodological details for each compound (e.g., filtration and gas chromatography).

Limitations

• Sample sizes vary significantly between compounds, from as few as 2 measurements for one DMSP phase to 120 for DMS.
• Data is from a single two-week cruise in 1989, limiting temporal analysis and modern relevance.
• No information on sampling depth or vertical profile within the water column is provided in the description.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS, via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Measurements made from water samples during the Challenger 55 research cruise using filtration, purging, cryogenic trapping, and gas chromatography.

Time Range

1989-06-24 to 1989-07-07

Freshness

Data collection ended on 1989-07-07; no updates indicated.

Geography

North Sea, bounded by +51N to +56N latitude and +2W to +8W longitude.