The Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey of the North Pacific
Sample collection and processing; Methods

CTD Data

A variety of instruments have been attached to the CPR to record physical variables (Table 1). Simple temperature loggers have been most commonly used and 3 CTDs have been trialled. The most recent, the Brancker XR620, has proven to be the most reliable, returning 100% of the data in 2 full deployments along the east-west transect (previous Chelsea Instrument’s CTDs suffered from vibrations occurring during the tow and often stopped recording). Figure 1 shows the CTD fitted under the tail section of the CPR and Figure 2 some of the data.

In all cases position of each data record is calculated from the ship’s log and the internal clock of the instrument. Such instruments can be fitted to each CPR, it is only financial constraints that limit their deployment. The Brancker will remain on the east-west CPR during its 2008 deployments.

Table 1. Catalogue of physical data collected

Transect Dates
Temperature
Salinity
Depth
Chl-a
 Notes
N-S 2018, Oct
yes
      
Hobo temperature logger
N-S 2018, Sept
yes
      
Hobo temperature logger
N-S 2018, July
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2018, June
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2018, May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2018, Apr
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
E-W 2018, Sept
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2018, June-July
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2018, Mar
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
N-S 2017, Oct
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2017, Sept-Oct
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2017, Aug-Sept
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2017, July
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2017, May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
N-S 2017, Apr
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker Concerto
E-W 2017, Aug
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2017, May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
N-S 2016, Sept
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2016, Aug
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2016, July
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2016, June
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2016, May
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2016, Apr
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2016, Aug
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2016, Apr
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
N-S 2015, Sept
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2015, Aug
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2015, July
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2015, June
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2015, May
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2015, Apr
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2015, 30 Sept - 15 Oct
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2015, 29 Jun - 9 Jul
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2014, 1-15 May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2014, 28 Jun - 12 Jul
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2014, 31 Aug - 14 Sep
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
N-S 2014, 24-27 Apr
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2014, 24-26 May
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2014, 26-28 Jun
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2014, 26-28 Jul
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2014, 28-30 Aug
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2013, 1-13 May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2013, 3-15 Jul
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2013, 1-14 Sep
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
N-S 2013, 11-13 May
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2013, 13-15 Jun
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2013, 13-15 Jul
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2013, 15-17 Aug
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2013, 14-16 Sep
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2012, 2-3 Apr
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2012, 3-12 Jun
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2012, 4-14 Oct
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
N-S 2012, 7-9 Apr
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2012, 10-12 May
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2012, 9-11 Jun
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2012, 13-15 Sep
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2012, 13-16 Oct
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2011, 19-30 Apr
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2011, 12-22 Jun
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2011, 2-12 Aug
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
N-S 2011, 16-19 Apr
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2011, 18-20 Jun
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2011, 21-23 Jul
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2011, 20-22 Aug
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2011, 22-25 Sep
yes
      
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2010, 2-13 Jul
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2010, 5-14 May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2010, 6-17 Sep
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2009, 30 Apr - 11 May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2009, 30 Jun - 13 July
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2009, 27 Aug - Sep 6
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2008, 13 May - 24 May
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2008, 7 July - 18 July
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2008, 7 Sep - 18 Sep
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2007, 12 Mar - 3 Aprl
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2007, 27 May - 9 Jun
yes
yes
yes
yes
Brancker XR620
E-W 2006, 4-6 May
yes
yes
yes
yes
CI Minipack, incomplete transect
E-W

2006, 8-11 Jul

yes
yes
yes
yes
CI Minipack, incomplete transect
E-W 2006, 20 Sep - 1 Oct
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2005, 29 May - 9 Jun
yes
yes
yes
yes
CI Minipack
E-W 2005, 17-24 Sep
yes
yes
yes
yes
CI Minipack, incomplete transect
E-W 2004, 2-16 Oct
yes
yes
yes
yes
CI Aquapack
E-W 2003, 1-15 Apr
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2003, 1-11 Jun
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2003, 28 Sep - 7 Oct
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2002, 28 May - 25 Jun
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2002, 29 July - 3 Aug
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2002, 22 Oct - 3 Nov
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2002, 1-12 June
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
E-W 2002, 5-16 Oct
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2001, 22-27 Apr
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2001, 20-25 May
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2001, 28 Jun - 4 Jul
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2001, 10-16 Aug
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2001, 21-24 Sep
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2000, 21-26 Mar
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2000, 17-22 Jun
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2000, 19-21 Jul
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger
N-S 2000, 23-29 Aug
yes
 
 
 
Vemco minilogger