The table below provides basic information about the float, including primary sensors, mission parameters and current status of profiles.
Institute | CSIRO |
Principal Investigator | Susan Wijffels |
Pressure Sensor | Druck (serial number=2385259) |
CTD Sensor | APEX-SBE-41 (serial number=3304) |
CTD Sampling Mode | Burst Sampler |
Controller Board | APF 8 |
Additional Sensors/Software | None |
Park Depth | 1000 m |
Profile Depth | 2000 m |
Launch Date | 18-11-2007 |
Number of D-moded Profiles | 81 |
Calibration Date | 29-07-2010 |
Pressure Drift | Surface Pressure Offset corrected |
Salinity Drift | No salinity drift detected |
This float was located in the central Indian Ocean, in an area bounded by 86 to 91 ºE and 14 to 18 º S.
The surface pressure for this float is shown in the plot below.
Potential Temperature-Salinity (a), Location (b, Max Temperature (c) and Sea Surface Salinity (d) plots located below.
Surface temperatures generally varied between 23.5 and 28 ºC and surface salinities from 33.9 to 35.0.
The plot below shows the potential-temperature/salinity relationship for the deepest theta levels where the relationship between the two parameters should show the least variation.
There is considerable spread in the profiles at depth. The later profiles are significantly more variable and saltier throughout the water column. The float is in a dynamic region and even though the later profiles trace the earlier float path (and may therefore be expected to be similar) the profiles are 30 cycles apart (i.e.~300 days) and water masses and fronts may have moved in that time - therefore the float is probably reflecting real variability.
The two plots below show a). the location of this float (black circles) in relation to the position of other nearby argo floats (coloured circles) and b). The potential-temperature/salinity curve for this float (in black) compared to nearby argo floats (coloured).
The potential-temperature/salinity relation for the deepest theta levels for this float (in black) and nearby argo floats (coloured) is displayed below.
There are not many other floats to compare this float with.
There were inversions in profiles; 3,44,48,92. These were not significant and were not flagged.
Salt hooks were located in profiles; 6,8,11,12,15,17,19,25,26,27,30,31,32,33,34,36,38,41,43,44,49,51,53,55,57,59,61,63,65,67,69,71,73,75,77,80. These were flagged as QC 4 for both T & S.
The float grounded on profiles; 20 to 22, 29, 41 and 42. A large high salinity spike in profile 3 at the base of the mixed layer was QC'd as 4 for both T & S at 44m. Similarly, a spike in profile 1 in midwater was QC'd as 4. The last value of profiles 2 and 24 were QC'd as 4 for both T & S.
The plot below shows the analysis of salinity drift using the WJO/OW software.
The four plots below show the salinity anomalies on theta surfaces compared to (a) the Gouretski and Kolterman climatology, (b) the CARS (CSIRO Atlas of Regional Seas)/WOA (World Ocean Atlas) climatology, (c) the anomalies within the float series itself, (i.e. the salinity anomaly of each profile from the mean profile average for the float and (d) the raw float salinity compared to the CARS and G&K climatological salinity on a theta surface of 0.xx degrees C.
The float was close to both CARS and G&K in a highly variable region and is therefore behaving well.
The plots below show the raw float salinity data (solid blue line) compared to neighbouring argo floats (coloured symbols) on a potential temperature surface of xx degrees C. The locality map shows the location of the profiles for this float and for neighbouring floats.
This float is similar to some other nearby floats, however there is a huge variation at depth and a comparison with other floats is not conclusive. It looks okay above 5 degrees C but below this level there is lots of variation. Check this float once more profiles become available, to see if it goes right off or comes back into line!
This float required no salinity drift correction.
The plot below summarises the QC flags and salinity differences for the raw and adjusted salinity fields in the final delayed mode files submitted to the GDAC.
Created 29-07-2010