Shadowed Image Particle Profiling Evaluation Recorder (SIPPER) plankton and marine snow abundance and distribution data collected aboard multiple research cruises in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from 2010-05-12 to 2010-09-16

This dataset contains the abundance and distribution of marine snow, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and larval fish, along with environmental parameters, collected aboard several research vessels (RV Weatherbird II, MV Specialty Diver, RV Gordon Gunter) in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from 2010-05-12 to 2010-09-16. A high speed Dalsa Piranha-2 line-scan camera and a pseudo-collimated LED generated light sheet was used to image the shadows and outlines of resolvable particles that passed through a 100 cm2 field of view. The operational optical resolution of the system was ~65 um. The camera was towed at speeds between 2-3 knots in an oblique profile through the water column, spending approximately equal amounts of time at each meter of depth between the surface and 300 m. The dataset contains the dates, latitudes and longitudes of the sampling location. The cruise documentation was provided for the RV Weatherbird II (SMP75100), MV Specialty Diver (SD01), RV Gordon Gunter (GG1002). The cruises were led by chief scientist Dr. Andrew Remsen.