Float WMO_ID: 5901649

The table below provides basic information about the float, including primary sensors, mission parameters and current status of profiles.

This float was deployed to the west of the Prince Edward and Marion Islands in the Southern Ocean in a region bounded by 30 to 42 ºE and 50 to 52 º S.

The surface pressure for this float is shown in the plot below. There is a noticeable drift in the Surface Pressure Offset and this has been corrected.

Potential Temperature-Salinity (a), Location (b, Max Temperature (c) and Sea Surface Salinity (d) plots located below.

Surface temperatures generally varied between 1.5 and 3.5 ºC and surface salinities from 33.75 to 34.05 There are obviously bad values in profiles 22 to 25. The spread in the temperature minimum of the TS plot also looks very broad and therefore suspicious.

The plot below shows the potential-temperature/salinity curve for the deepest theta levels where the relationship between the two parameters should show the least variation.

Deep TS is abnormally wide spread. There is a problem with this float from pf 1 onwards.

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 curve for the deepest theta levels for this float (in black) and nearby argo floats (coloured) is displayed below.

Comparing this float with neighbouring floats shows that there is a problem particularly when you look at the temperature minimum region. Even the early profiles look suspicious.

There was an insignificant inversion in profile 3 caused by thermal lag which was not flagged. An inversion in profile 21 at 220 m was insignificant and was not flagged. Multiple inversions occurred from profile 23 onwards caused by multiple bad values.

No salt hooks were found.

All profiles have been set to QC=4 for all parameters. This float has an errant pressure sensor caused by the Druck microleak issue that goes completely haywire at profile 23.

Float trajectory overlayed on bathymetry, (left) and over climatological salinity (right)

Potential temperature section with time, (left) surface to 2000m and (right) surface to 500m

Salinity section with time, (left) surface to 2000m and (right) surface to 500m

Potential density section with time, (left) surface to 2000m and (right) surface to 500m

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.

Bad data, all parameters QC'd as 4.

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.

Anomalous data.

This float is greylisted and all data is set to QC=4 for all parameters and all profiles.

Problem Float! 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 06-08-2010