RV CIRLANA 10/1995: Low-Resolution CTD Data from the European Shelf

Data from October 1995 collected by CEFAS research vessel RV CIRLANA using a lowered CTD rosette system. The dataset contains oceanographic profiles from the European Shelf and Iberian Abyssal Plain, with core parameters likely including pressure, temperature, and conductivity. The Government Digital Service provides this archive, which reflects the sensor configurations specific to the cruise.

Use Cases

• Calculate salinity from conductivity data based on the UNESCO 1978/1983 formulations mentioned in the description.
• Analyze vertical water column profiles from surface to sea bed based on the down cast data described.
• Study the historical evolution of oceanographic sensors by comparing this early cruise data with later, more sensor-rich collections.
• Calibrate modern sensor readings using the bottle sample methodology described for the up cast.

Strengths

• Data collected using a standardized lowered CTD rosette system, which is described as providing clean down cast profiles.
• Core parameters of pressure, temperature, and conductivity are explicitly mentioned, forming a foundational dataset for oceanography.
• Covers a specific geographic area mentioned in the description: the European Shelf and Iberian Abyssal Plain.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service, from CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science) research cruises.

Collection Method

Collected from a stationary vessel using a lowered CTD rosette system, with water bottle samples fired at depths for calibration.

Time Range

October 1995

Freshness

Data is from a specific cruise in October 1995; the archive's last update is unknown.

Geography

European Shelf and Iberian Abyssal Plain