RV CIRLANA 01/1988: Low-Resolution CTD Profiles from the European Shelf

Lowered CTD rosette system data collected from CEFAS research cruises on the European Shelf and Iberian Abyssal Plain. The archive contains profiles of pressure, temperature, and conductivity, with salinity derivable using UNESCO formulations. Data collection began in early years with core parameters, expanding later to include sensors like fluorometers and transmissometers.

Use Cases

• Calculate ocean salinity profiles based on the conductivity and temperature data.
• Study vertical water column structure for the European Shelf based on the surface-to-sea-bed profiles.
• Calibrate later sensor data (e.g., fluorometers) using the bottle sample calibration method described.
• Analyze historical changes in marine parameters given the multi-year, cruise-based collection.

Strengths

• Data collection uses a standardized lowered CTD rosette system for stationary vessel profiles.
• Core parameters allow for the calculation of salinity via established UNESCO 1978/1983 formulations.
• Coverage includes the broad European Shelf and extends to the Iberian Abyssal Plain.

Limitations

• Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The exact sensor configuration varies between cruises, as noted in the description.

Provenance

Source

CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) research cruises.

Collection Method

Collected using a lowered CTD rosette system with water bottle samples fired for calibration.

Time Range

Includes data from at least 1988, with subsequent years of collection.

Freshness

Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Geography

Broadly covers the European Shelf with some data from the Iberian Abyssal Plain.