Salinity, temperature, and fluorescence measurements from an oceanographic glider deployed in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, cruise DP02, August 2015
The data available during and after the deployment can help correlate the regional NRL hydrographic model and the satellite imagery to in situ measurements of subsurface water characteristics.
Abstract
A Slocum Glider was deployed within the DEEPEND study area near the time of the DEEPEND cruise DP02 in August 2015. As the glider traverses its transit path, it makes measurements at various depths from ~2m to almost 1000m. The measurements include conductivity, temperature, depth, chlorophyll and gelbstoff fluorescence, dissolved O2, and light field measurements. While the glider is deployed at sea, it surfaces and communicates to an onshore control station at predetermined intervals. A decimated selection of vehicle and science measurement is transmitted during these surface transmissions, and the relevant data becomes available through a USF web site. After the glider’s recovery at the end of the deployment, the complete measurement suite is downloaded from the vehicle and processed, and also becomes available through the USF site as well as a national data archive. The data available during and after the deployment can help correlate the regional NRL hydrographic model and the satellite imagery to in situ measurements of subsurface water characteristics. The Slocum glider data for the DP02 deployment can be found at the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) glider data website, https://data.ioos.us/gliders/erddap/tabledap/Murphy-20150809T1355Z.html (Dataset ID: Murphy-20150809T1355Z, USF) The glider was deployed from the RV Point Sur on August 9, 2015 at ~12:45 UTC, at approx. 27°N, 89°W. Its initial transit was to the North (to ~ 28°N, 88.5°W). The glider operated at up to 200m depth until 2300 on 10 Aug., when the dive profiles were changed to 400m. The programmed path brought it to the Loop Current. Encountering the increased speed of the Loop Current waters, it was transported to the North, then East, before being advected to the South. The glider was programmed to cross the Loop Current and exit it to the East. Strong density stratification and communication problems resulted in the glider remaining within the Loop Current’s influence and it was unable to clear the current until far to the South of the planned survey area. It was recovered on 22 August, near 25.5°N, 86.5°W.