Ecomapper data for the SPURS-1 N. Atlantic field campaign

The SPURS (Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study) project is an oceanographic process study and associated field program that aim to elucidate key mechanisms responsible for near-surface salinity variations in the oceans. The project involves two field campaigns and a series of cruises in regions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans exhibiting salinity extremes. SPURS employs a suite of state-of-the-art in-situ sampling technologies that, combined with remotely sensed salinity fields from the Aquarius/SAC-D and SMOS satellites, provide a detailed characterization of salinity structure over a continuum of spatio-temporal scales. The SPURS-1 campaign involved a series of 5 cruises during 2012 - 2013 seeking to characterize the salinity structure and balance in a high salinity, high evaporation, and low rainfall region of the subtropical North Atlantic. It aims to resolve processes responsible for maintaining the subtropical surface salinity maximum in this region and within a 900 x 800-mile square study area centered at 25N, 38W. The Ecomapper or IVER is a portable autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) capable carrying a range of sensor payloads. For SPURS-1 these included CTD, chlorophyll, oxygen and turbidity sensors. Ecomapper was deployed on two days during the Knorr cruise, 29 and 30 September 2012. The resulting Knorr Ecomapper data files include deployment event information and contain trajectory-depth profile series of chlorophyll, turbidity, oxygen, conductivity, with salinity, and temperature observations from two sensors.SPURS（上层海洋区域研究盐度过程，Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study）项目是一项海洋学过程研究及配套原位科考计划，旨在阐明驱动海洋近表层盐度变化的关键机制。该项目包含两场野外考察航次与一系列针对大西洋、太平洋盐度极端值区域的科考航次。SPURS采用了一套顶尖原位采样技术套件，结合Aquarius/SAC-D与SMOS卫星遥感获取的盐度场数据，可对连续时空尺度下的海洋盐度结构开展精细化表征。SPURS-1航次于2012—2013年间开展了5次科考航次，旨在刻画亚热带北大西洋一处高盐、高蒸发、低降水区域的盐度结构与盐度平衡状态。该航次旨在解析维持该区域亚热带表层盐度峰值的相关过程，研究区域为以25°N、38°W为中心的900×800平方英里的方形海域。Ecomapper（又名IVER）是一款可搭载多类传感器载荷的便携式自主水下航行器（AUV，Autonomous Underwater Vehicle）。在SPURS-1任务中，其搭载的传感器包括温盐深仪（CTD）、叶绿素传感器、溶解氧传感器与浊度传感器。Ecomapper于2012年9月29日及30日随“克诺尔”号（Knorr）科考船完成了两日的布放作业。本次“克诺尔”号搭载的Ecomapper所产生的数据文件包含布放事件信息，存储了叶绿素、浊度、溶解氧、电导率、盐度及温度的轨迹-深度剖面序列数据，其中盐度与温度观测数据来自两台传感器。