We’re happy to announce that routine monthly archives of the Argo GDAC now include a separate zip component which contains all available *Sprof.nc files: “BGC Sprof data files (yyyy-mm-dd snapshot)”, which can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.17882/42182 Users interested in BGC data can now download a snapshot of all Sprof files (~2GB) without downloading the entire GDAC (>48GB).
RBR data may be distributed with improved quality control flags
Data from rbrargo3 CTDs calibrated after April 2021 will now be distributed with improved qc flags. TEMP, PRES and PSAL may all receive a qc flag of ‘1’ if they pass the real time quality control tests. The data can be distributed on the GTS. Data from rbrargo3 CTDs calibrated prior to April 2021 will continue to receive PSAL_QC flags … Read More
Fresh salinity anomalies found in Argo float 5906299
RBR has analyzed the salinity from Argo APEX float 5906299 equipped with an RBRargo3 CTD and has found a clear and sudden fresh salinity anomaly after about 30 cycles. It was determined that the float spent an abnormally long amount of time at the surface on several occasions, often preceding a clear salinity anomaly event. It is hypothesized that the … Read More
Argo “Salty drift” Salinity Data Issue Notice 2021
Starting in 2015, an increased number of Sea-Bird conductivity cells used on Argo floats have drifted salty (https://argo.ucsd.edu/data/data-faq/#sbepsal). The fraction of “salty drifters” has been correlated with particular CTD batches, with some percentages being greater than 50% by the end of their second year after deployment. Sea-Bird Scientific has implemented a manufacturing change at the end of 2018, and … Read More
Fast Salty Drifters documented by DMQC operators
The DMQC operators have filled in this Google spreadsheet with information on which floats have exhibited signs of Fast Salty Drift. It has been set up to perform calculations and create plots automatically, so please follow the instructions. There are several sheets to look at including some that pertain to just European floats and others that are international.
Updated Sea-Bird SBE41CP and SBE61 CTD Quality Concern
Please see this important announcement from Sea-Bird regarding SBE41CP and SBE61 CTDs in certain serial number ranges. There is a ‘do not deploy’ directive for the following: SBE 41CP and SBE41CP Deep: 10482-11252 SBE 61: 5669-5724
Apex pneumatic bladder issue
Dana Swift describes issues with the pneumatic system for APEX floats purchased in the 2018 – 2019 period. See the document for more details.
New version of OWC available on GitHub
Version 3.0.0 is available here: https://github.com/ArgoDMQC/matlab_owc/releases Notes about what is new in release 3.0.0 from Annie Wong and Cecile Cabanes: To resolve some legacy issues with the old OW variables: “scale_age” is renamed “scale_age_small”; “scale_age_large” is set to NaN for the old OW mapped profiles. “build_ptmp_xyt_cov.m” is now used in “calculate_piecewisefit.m” to compute the number of degrees of freedom (NDF) … Read More