High-Resolution CTD Data from RV Endeavour Cruises on the European Shelf

Research vessel RV Endeavour collected this conductivity-temperature-depth data using a lowered rosette system while stationary. The data broadly covers the European Shelf and includes the Iberian Abyssal Plain, with profiles taken from the surface to near the seabed. The Government Digital Service provides this archive, which includes parameters like pressure, temperature, and conductivity, with salinity calculated using UNESCO formulations.

Use Cases

• Modeling ocean salinity and density profiles based on conductivity and temperature measurements.
• Analyzing water column structure and stratification from surface-to-sea-bed profiles.
• Calibrating biogeochemical sensors using bottle sample data mentioned in the description.
• Studying spatial variability of marine properties across the European Shelf.

Strengths

• Data collection uses a standardized lowered CTD rosette system for clean down-cast profiles.
• Coverage includes the broad European Shelf and extends to the Iberian Abyssal Plain.
• Later cruises incorporated additional sensors like fluorometers and transmissometers.

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 and data format vary between research cruises.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service, from CEFAS (or DFR) research cruises.

Collection Method

Collected using a lowered CTD rosette system on station, with bottle samples fired for calibration.

Time Range

Includes data from at least January 2009.

Freshness

Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Geography

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