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Temperature Depth Profile OFFSHORE - PHYSICS METHODS

The CTD was used to measure temperature, salinity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen. Due to a technical error we were unable to retrieve data from the fluorometer. The CTD was lowered to just below the surface and allowed to acclimatise before being lowered to depths of between 40m and 60m depending on the station. The CTD was then retrieved to the surface and the data was recorded on the software. The turbidity data was used to determine the deep chlorophyll maximum to establish the sample depths for the Niskin bottle. The data was backed up on to a memory stick at the end of the day.


EXO2 CTD being deployed

RESULTS & ANALYSIS

Salinity shows different profiles throughout the day. At the beginning of the day (stations 13 and 14) the salinity seems to stay at 35.4. Later in the day (stations 15 to 17), there is an increase of salinity between depths 5m to 10m. This can be explained by the increase of the temperature which leads the water evaporating and leaving saltier water.


Salinity Depth Profile

At the surface of the sea, the temperature is 17°C which is higher then at deeper depth, 13°C. This shows us a distinct thermocline which is due to the radiations of the sun heating the surface of the sea. As the day goes by the thermocline increases, the temperature of the surface rises from 16.5°C to 17.5°C.



Figure 3. Salinity depth profiles offshore over time. Station 13 was collected at 9:44:31 UTC, Station 14 was collected at 11:25:31 UTC, Station 15 was collected at 12:37:09 UTC, station 16 was collected at 13:42:07 UTC and station 17 was collected at 14:33:38 UTC. The data was collected on the 6th of July 2017 at location 50°05.4 N and 4°52.4 W.



Figure 4. Temperature depth profiles offshore over time. Station 13 was collected at 9:44:31 UTC, Station 14 was collected at 11:25:31 UTC, Station 15 was collected at 12:37:09 UTC, station 16 was collected at 13:42:07 UTC and station 17 was collected at 14:33:38 UTC. The data was collected on the 6th of July 2017 at location 50°05.4 N and 4°52.4 W.





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