Amazon Shelf Sediment Transmissivity and Fluorescence Data from 1991

Transmissivity and fluorescence measurements were collected during the AMASSEDS cruise aboard the R/V ISELIN from November 5-25, 1991. The dataset supports the study of sedimentary processes and boundary layer circulation on the North Brazil continental shelf near the Amazon River mouth. Data were submitted to the National Oceanographic Data Center by Dr. Richard Limeburner and are documented in a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution technical report.

Use Cases

• Calculating suspended sediment concentration in mg/liter using transmissivity data from a Sea Tech 5cm path transmissometer.
• Analyzing the relationship between fluorescence and particulate organic carbon in a major river plume system.
• Studying sedimentary processes and boundary layer circulation on a continental shelf using concurrent CTD observations.
• Validating models of sediment transport and water column optics for the Amazon River shelf region.

Strengths

• Data collection is tied to a documented scientific mission (AMASSEDS) with a companion technical report (WHOI-92-27).
• Measurements have a precise temporal scope from a 19-day research cruise in November 1991.
• Instrumentation is specified (Neil Brown MKIII CTD, Sea Tech 5cm transmissometer), providing methodological clarity.

Limitations

• The exact column names, row count, and file size are unknown across all sources.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata exists between platforms (1991-11 -23 vs. 2026-03-06), indicating potential provenance or versioning issues.
• Data format and structure details are limited to a mention of ASCII files on floppy diskette.

Provenance

Source

Dr. Richard Limeburner, submitted to the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC).

Collection Method

Collected via ship-based CTD casts with a transmissometer and fluorescence sensor during cruise I9113.

Time Range

1991-11-05 to 1991-11-23

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:12:55.211861

Geography

North Brazil shelf, NW Atlantic, South Atlantic Ocean, and SW Atlantic near the mouth of the Amazon River.