There were sporadic problems with the Hydrolab conductivity sensor fluctuations in January, April, May and June. Small adjustments based on correlations with Portasal and SeaBird values were made to selected Hydrolab salinity data. Salinity data considered unreliable were deleted.
Shipboard Winkler titrations during the July shelfwide cruise were used to develop a regression against Hydrolab data in case it was necessary to correct the data. Hydrolab oxygen data were corrected using an equation based on the results of the regression.
H01Nutrients: January through October nutrient analyses were conducted using a Technicon (<http://www.techniconinstruments.com/>) autoanalyzer. November and December analyses were conducted using a (<http://www.lachatinstruments.com>) QuikChem 8000 FIA+. Tom Oswald performed the analyses under the supervision of R. E. Turner.
H01Pigments: The Turner Designs model 10 AU fluorometer was calibrated for chlorophyll a against a chemical supply house chlorophyll a standard measured on a spectrophotometer. Each time the fluorometer was moved, it was tested with a Turner 10-AU solid standard. During cruises, the fluorometer was blanked and calibrated daily in accordance with Turner Designs recommended procedures. Pigment measurements were supervised by Ben Cole or Nancy Rabalais and quality controlled by Nancy Rabalais.
H01PortaSal: Salinity samples were analyzed in the lab by Guildline Instruments PortaSal, using Guildline methods (<http://www.guildline.ca/>). Salinity analyses were conducted by Jim Lee under the supervision of R. E. Turner.
H01Refract: The refractometer was checked with distilled water before each cruise and re-zeroed when necessary.
H01SeaBird: Sea-Bird SBE 13-01 dissolved oxygen sensors, the Paroscientific Digiquartz(r) pressure sensor, the SBE 3-01/F temperature sensors, SBE 5-01 pumps, and the SBE 4-01/0 Conductivity sensors were factory tested and calibrated at Sea-Bird (<http://www.seabird.com/>) recommended intervals and maintained and serviced by RV Pelican Electronic Technical support staff in accordance with Sea-Bird procedures. The Sea Tech 500m Fluorometer and Sea Tech 5.0 cm Transmissometer were factory tested and calibrated at Sea Tech recommended intervals and maintained and serviced by RV Pelican Electronic Technical support staff in accordance with Sea Tech procedures. Note: WET Labs acquired SEA Tech June 1, 1998, (<http://www.wetlabs.com/>). The Wet Labs C Star 10 cm path transmissometer was maintained by RV Pelican Electronic Technical support staff in accordance with Wet Labs recommendations.
At the beginning of the each cruise, oxygen sensors were calibrated using the procedures described in SeaBird APPLICATION NOTE NO. 13-1, Rev. D. The Winkler Titration (OXFITW) oxygen value was determined chemically from replicate samples processed using a Mettler DL21 Titrator (<http://www.mt.com/>).
On the cruises in January, March, April, October, November and December the water column at most stations was well mixed. Shipboard Winkler titrations for regressions were not considered useful (not enough data range to develop a strong regression) and were not made.
Shipboard Winkler titrations during the July shelfwide cruise were used to develop a regression against SeaBird data in case it was necessary to correct the data. The Seabird data agreed with the Winkler values and no correction was necessary.
Winkler titrations were conducted under the supervision of Nancy Rabalais. Data reductions from the SeaBird were generated by Ben Cole and quality controlled by Nancy Rabalais.
H01SPM: Suspended sediment concentrations were supervised by Ben Cole or Nancy Rabalais and quality controlled by Nancy Rabalais.
H01Stn: January, March, April, July, October, November and December monthly survey times and locations of operations were logged from RV Pelican's Multiple Instrument Data Acquisition System (MIDAS) which was maintained by the ship's electronic staff. Navigational data were acquired from a Starlink (<http://www.starlinkdgps.com/>) differential GPS or a Trimble (<http://www.trimble.com/>)GPS with a Micronet Receiver Station with sub 5-meter accuracy. Station depths were logged from the ship's Odom Echotrac II (<http://www.odomhydrographic.com/>) fathometer.
February, May, June, August and September monthly survey station times, locations and depths were logged from RV Acadiana's Garmin GPSMAP 168 Sounder (<http://www.garmin.com/>).
In addition to the monthly surveys, Hydrolab casts were made on a few dates from a small boat. See Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report for details.
Secchi disk depths were measured by hand using standard protocol.
N. Rabalais performed an additional procedure in quality-control/quality-assurance by evaluating relationships between the data in H01Hydrolab, H01Nutrients, H01Pigments, H01PortaSal, H01Refract, H01SeaBird, H01SPM and H01Stn.
The fluorometer in the SeaBird CTD package had maximum value of 15. Fluorometer values of 15 were observed at twenty-seven stations. See FlS entity Detailed_Description for details.
The maximum fathometer depth (Fath) reported in table H01Stn is 52.4 meters. The maximum depth pressure sensor depth (DepS) reported in table H01Hydrolab is 52.6 meters.
Beginning with the October survey, the transmissometer used with the SeaBird CTD was changed from a SeaTech transmissometer to a Wet Labs transmissometer.
Conductivity, salinity and density values at one or more depths were deleted from thirty-seven stations because the data were not considered reliable.
Nutrients analytical instruments and methods changed in November 2001. Beginning November 2001, nitrites and nitrates were not reported separately.
The SeaBird transmissometer was not functional at station C1 on the January survey. The transmissometer was not functional at any of stations surveyed in November.
The electronic data file for station C5 on the date 20010721 was not archived. The results reported in the table H01SeaBird came from a SeaBird MRK file created when Niskin bottles were fired. The parameter OxPS (percent oxygen saturation) was not recorded in the MRK file.
Station positions acquired during February, May, June, August and September on RV Acadiana were logged from the ship's Garmin Garmin GPSMAP 168 Sounder with with Garmin GBR 21 DGPS. The manufacturer describes the accuracy to be between 1 - 5 meters 95% of the time. Wind, currents and tidal forces may have moved the ship from the beginning position.
Hydrocasts were made from Whiskey Pass, a small boat, on the following dates: 20010618, 20010706, 20010823, 20010906, 20010906, 20010924, 20010924 and 20011113. The boat tied up to oilfield platforms at stations C6B or CST52.
The Hydrolab CTD was attached by chain to a lead weight. The weight was lowered to the bottom by hydrowire. With the weight on the bottom, the Hydrolab sonde was positioned just above the bottom. When the oxygen sensor stabilized, a data record of all the sensor values was stored electronically. The sonde was raised in approximately 0.5-meter increments, after D.O. sensor stabilization, data records were stored. After storing data for the few meters closest to the bottom, the sonde was raised to two to three meters from the surface and a data record was saved. The sonde was raised, and records stored, in approximately 0.5-meter increments until finally a record was stored with the sonde submerged but as close as possible to the surface.
In order to minimize the effect of delays in oxygen sensor response time caused by temperature, sensor condition and plumbing configuration, the CTD package was lowered as close to dead slow as possible. The sensor packages were located below the Niskin bottles and rosette.
At stations where the watch chief deemed the structure of the oxygen profile contained features useful in post-processing the oxygen data (AlignCTD), the CTD package was raised at the same speed it was lowered. At all other stations, the upcast was rapid in order to save time.
During the July shelfwide cruise, stations were occupied along 15 generally North-South transects across the Louisiana coastal shelf. Station depths ranged from 3.25 to 52.4 meters. The objective was to delimit and describe the area of midsummer bottom dissolved oxygen less than 2 (mg/L). Northern end stations of transects were chosen based on the survey vessel's minimum depth limits for each longitude. The northern extent of hypoxia was not reached on transects A', A, B, E, F, H and I. The limit of hypoxia on the southern end of transect P was not reached. The limit of hypoxia was not reached at three of 5 stations on the western end of the survey. The limit of hypoxia was not reached at three of five stations on the eastern end of the survey.
Depth values of "0" indicate a bucket sample collected from the surface of the water. Generally, deepest depths of water samples were from the bottom-tripping Niskin and correspond to the deepest depth recorded from the Hydrolab. As noted in the preceding paragraph, bottom water sample-depths on transects J, K, M and P and station H6 and five station on transect I were the depths of the pressure sensor reading for 5-l Niskin bottles on the SeaBird rosette.
The SeaBird pressure sensor was located approximately 0.75 meters below the mid-point of the 5-l Niskin.
Samples at 6.5m and 14.0m at Station C6B were collected using Niskin bottles on the SeaBird rosette in January, March, April, July, October, November and December. 6.5m and 14m at Station C6B were collected using a messenger fired Niskin on the Hydrolab hydrowire in the months February, May, June, August and September.
In order to improve alignment between oxygen sensor values and other CTD sensor values, the Seasoft module ALIGNCTD was used, when possible, to determine which advance best compensated for the delay in oxygen sensor response time. When SeaBird data were processed, dissolved oxygen was advanced relative to temperature and conductivity values as follows: February 3 seconds, March 3.125 seconds, April 3.5 seconds, July 2.9 seconds, October 3 seconds, November 3.3 seconds, December 3.375 seconds.
Data values reported are from downcasts. Downcast scans selected for each CTD station were chosen to illustrate: 1) data values as near to the surface as possible, 2) data values at whole meter increments, and 3) data values as close to the bottom as the CTD was lowered. In certain cases where data values of a parameter changed significantly between whole meter increments, 0.1- or 0.2-meter scans were selected.