Oceanic Bio-Optical Data Measured during the JGOFS North Atlantic Bloom Experiment (NABE)

The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) seeks to understand
the processes that control the transfer of carbon and other
biologically active elements in the ocean. In addition, JGOFS
hopes to improve global-scale predictions of the ocean's response to
human-induced climate change.

The North Atlantic Bloom Experiment (NABE) was a multidisciplinary,
multinational pilot study of JGOFS, studying the spring phytoplankton
bloom in the North Atlantic and its associated biogeochemical
processes. It took place from April until July, 1989, on two cruises
of the RV Atlantis II and one cruise of the RV Endeavor. The stations
in the North Atlantic were located from 18N to 72N and from 8W to 47W.

A bio-optical profiler was used to collect bio-optical data at 28
stations in the upper 100 meters of the water column (photic zone).
The data are averaged into one-meter depth resolution bins. The
following optical parameters are given for various wavelengths at
one-meter depth intervals: downwelling spectral irradiance, upwelling
spectral irradiance, upwelling spectral radiance, and spectral
irradiance above sea surface. Diffuse attentuation coefficients are
given for the various wavelengths. In addition, photosynthetically
available radiation (PAR) and fluorescence are given for each depth.
A CTD was used to provide conductivity, temperature, salinity and
density information, and a transmissometer was used to provide light
transmission information.

The data is public domain and can be retrieved on-line at
"http://usjgofs.whoi.edu/jg/dir/jgofs/"

[This summary was derived from Oceanus vol. 35 and from the JGOFS WWW
pages at WHOI.]