RV Endeavour 16/2008: High-Resolution CTD Data from the European Shelf

Data collected from CEFAS research cruises broadly covering the European Shelf and the Iberian Abyssal Plain. Measurements were taken using a lowered CTD rosette system while the vessel was stationary, capturing profiles from the surface to near the sea bed. The dataset includes core parameters like pressure, temperature, and conductivity, with later cruises adding sensors for fluorometry, optical backscatter, transmissometry, and light.

Use Cases

• Calculate water salinity profiles based on conductivity, temperature, and pressure data.
• Analyze vertical profiles of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) for primary production studies.
• Calibrate satellite-derived ocean color data using in-situ fluorometer and transmissometer readings.
• Study water mass properties and mixing processes on the European Shelf.

Strengths

• Data collection method is explicitly described as a lowered CTD rosette system, providing high-resolution vertical profiles.
• The description specifies a core set of measured parameters (pressure, temperature, conductivity) and notes the addition of more sensors in later years.
• Geographic coverage is stated as the European Shelf and 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, which may affect data consistency.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

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

Geography

European Shelf and Iberian Abyssal Plain.