IMOS - ANMN National Reference Stations - Biogeochemical Operations Manual

This manual outlines best-practice techniques in biogeochemical and blue-water oceanography for ensuring the output of reliable, quality data to the end-user community. The aim is for sampling, analytical, and reporting standards to be at least equivalent to: the WOCE (World Ocean Circulation Experiment) and JGOFS (Joint Global Ocean Flux Study) studies.

Procedures for sampling, analyses and data handling are outlined here for the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) National Reference Station (NRS) project. Use of these procedures will ensure consistency in sampling and analysis, leading to high quality data gathering.

Monthly collection of biogeochemical data from most NRS sites gathers information on seasonal, annual and long term variability in Australian marine ecosystems.

The NRS network is designed to provide baseline information, at timescales relevant to human response, that is required to understand how large-scale, long-term change and variability in the global ocean are affecting the ecosystems of Australia's coastal seas. The stations are operated by the National Mooring Network, a facility of IMOS.