RV CIRLANA 5A/1996: High-Resolution Ocean CTD Profiles from the European Shelf

Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) data collected from CEFAS research vessel cruises. The data broadly cover the European Shelf and the Iberian Abyssal Plain, with profiles taken from the surface to near the seabed. The dataset was collected by the Government Digital Service, with early years focusing on core parameters and later years adding sensors like fluorometers.

Use Cases

• Calculate water salinity based on conductivity data using UNESCO 1978/1983 formulations.
• Analyze vertical oceanographic profiles for temperature and pressure (depth) structure.
• Study phytoplankton biomass distribution using fluorescence data from later cruises.
• Investigate water clarity or sediment transport using optical backscatter or transmissometer readings.

Strengths

• Data includes high-resolution downcast profiles intended to be clean for analysis.
• Later cruises expanded sensor suites to include fluorometers and optical instruments for additional parameters.
• 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 data format and parameters vary between cruises, requiring per-cruise inspection.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Data collection began in 1996; specific temporal coverage is not detailed.

Freshness

Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Geography

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