Table of Contents

• Dataset Description
  • Methods & Sampling
  • Data Processing Description
• Data Files
• Parameters
• Deployments
• Project Information
• Program Information

 dates:           20 January 2002 to 21 February 2002  (20020120-20020221) 
 location:        N: -52.385  S: -66.611  W: -175.220  E: -166.946 
 
 
 Methodology: Downwelling photosynthetically active radiation (400 - 700nm, PAR) measured 
    above the surface of the ocean -- Ed(0+). Irradiance was measured with a Biospherical 
    Instruments (serial #10127, calibrated 11/1/01) cosine collector mounted on top of the 
    crane hanger on the port side stern quadrant of the R/V Melville.  There was very little, 
    if any, ship-shading at this site.  Additionally, this site was close to the on-deck 
    incubator farm.  

  
 Change history:
    070509: downloaded original zipped data (PAR.zip) and plots (Par.pdf) from SOFeX project data web site.
    070511: unzip PAR.zip to Melville_PAR_submit.xls
    080815: added to OCB database by Cyndy Chandler, OCB DMO, (cchandler@whoi.edu)
  
 OCB DMO Note: Four worksheets were contained in the original file: Documentation, January, February,
    and Daily_PAR. Contents of January and February files have been combined to create this data set.
    The Documentation and Daily_PAR worksheets are reproduced in the PI note below.  The locaton
    range bounding box above is an estimate.  No location data were reported with the PAR data files.

 PI note: Irradiance data was collected over time periods of 5 seconds to 30 seconds.  In two of the 
    worksheets (January, February), the mean, minimum, maximum, standard deviation, and number of data 
    points is given for each time interval.  
    
 Contact: Mike Hiscock  (hiscock@duke.edu)
          135 Duke Marine Lab Road
          Beaufort, NC  28516   

 Daily PAR summary table of the total daily PAR from sunrise to sunset.  
 There is also an accompanying PDF format file with graphs of PAR vs. time.
 
                Ed(0+) is E(sub)d(0^+)
                Ed(0+) downwelling PAR just above the surface of the
Local Day       ocean, integrated over one day.  (mol quanta m-2 d-1 )
       
1/22/2002       33.9
1/25/2002       47.3
1/26/2002       39.3
1/27/2002       38.4
1/28/2002       17.8
1/29/2002       39.8
1/30/2002       10.5
1/31/2002       22.2
2/01/2002       20.5
2/02/2002       21.4
2/03/2002       14.3
2/04/2002       11.6
2/05/2002       21.0
2/06/2002       18.5
2/07/2002       16.9
2/08/2002       28.6
2/09/2002       15.8
2/10/2002        9.5
2/11/2002       22.1
2/12/2002       36.4
2/13/2002       43.8
2/14/2002       30.9
2/15/2002       18.6
2/16/2002       12.4
2/18/2002       27.2
2/21/2002       23.7

Before he passed away in 1993, John Martin suggested that an increase in the flow of iron-rich dust to the ocean causes phytoplankton (single celled algae) to grow. The increased photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from surface waters as the algae create biomass. This carbon dioxide is replaced by carbon dioxide gas that flows into the sea from the atmosphere. Reduced carbon dioxide in the atmosphere cools the planet (CO2 is a greenhouse gas that warms the earth). The results of this work, funded by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the US Coast Guard, will be a much better understanding of how biological processes may regulate climate. (see Related Info: Fe cycle)

A direct test of the 'Martin Hypothesis' that trace concentrations of Fe are responsible for phytoplankton's ability to grow by direct experimental addition of Fe to the surface waters. Consequently the distribution of bioavailable Fe in the surface waters determines large geographical areas primary production and the following flux of fixed organic matter to the deep sea. The aim of the SOFeX project is to investigate the effects of iron fertilization on the productivity of the Southern Ocean. The results of this work will contribute significantly to our understanding of important biogeochemical processes which bear directly on the global carbon cycle, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and climate control.

The SOFeX-N and SOFeX-S designations are sometimes used to distinguish between two iron enriched patches - one in low silicate waters north of the polar front (SOFEX-N), and the other in high silicate waters south of the polar front (SOFEX-S). All three ships, Melville (MV), Revelle (RR) and Polar Star (PS), worked in SOFEX-S, but only the Revelle and Melville worked in the SOFeX N patch and shuttled between the two patches.

The Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) program focuses on the ocean's role as a component of the global Earth system, bringing together research in geochemistry, ocean physics, and ecology that inform on and advance our understanding of ocean biogeochemistry. The overall program goals are to promote, plan, and coordinate collaborative, multidisciplinary research opportunities within the U.S. research community and with international partners. Important OCB-related activities currently include: the Ocean Carbon and Climate Change (OCCC) and the North American Carbon Program (NACP); U.S. contributions to IMBER, SOLAS, CARBOOCEAN; and numerous U.S. single-investigator and medium-size research projects funded by U.S. federal agencies including NASA, NOAA, and NSF.

The scientific mission of OCB is to study the evolving role of the ocean in the global carbon cycle, in the face of environmental variability and change through studies of marine biogeochemical cycles and associated ecosystems.

The overarching OCB science themes include improved understanding and prediction of: 1) oceanic uptake and release of atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases and 2) environmental sensitivities of biogeochemical cycles, marine ecosystems, and interactions between the two.

The OCB Research Priorities (updated January 2012) include: ocean acidification; terrestrial/coastal carbon fluxes and exchanges; climate sensitivities of and change in ecosystem structure and associated impacts on biogeochemical cycles; mesopelagic ecological and biogeochemical interactions; benthic-pelagic feedbacks on biogeochemical cycles; ocean carbon uptake and storage; and expanding low-oxygen conditions in the coastal and open oceans.

The two main objectives of the Iron Synthesis program (SCOR Working Group proposal, 2005), are:
1. Data compilation: assembling a common open-access database of the in situ iron experiments, beginning with the first period (1993-2002; Ironex-1, Ironex-2, SOIREE, EisenEx, SEEDS-1; SOFeX, SERIES) where primary articles have already been published, to be followed by the 2004 experiments where primary articles are now in progress (EIFEX, SEEDS-2; SAGE, FeeP); similarly for the natural fertilizations S.O.JGOFS (1992), CROZEX (2004/2005) and KEOPS (2005).

2. Modeling and data synthesis of specific aspects of two or more such experiments for various topics such as physical mixing, phytoplankton productivity, overall ecosystem functioning, iron chemistry, CO2 budgeting, nutrient uptake ratios, DMS(P) processes, and combinations of these variables and processes.

SCOR Working Group proposal, 2005. "The Legacy of in situ Iron Enrichments: Data Compilation and Modeling".
http://www.scor-int.org/Working_Groups/wg131.htm

See also: SCOR Proceedings Vol. 42 Concepcion, Chile October 2006, pgs: 13-16 2.3.3 Working Group on The Legacy of in situ Iron Enrichments: Data Compilation and Modeling.

The first objective of the Iron Synthesis program involves a data recovery effort aimed at assembling a common, open-access database of data and metadata from a series of in-situ ocean iron fertilization experiments conducted between 1993 and 2005. Initially, funding for this effort is being provided by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

Through the combined efforts of the principal investigators of the individual projects and the staff of Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO), data currently available primarily through individuals, disparate reports and data agencies, and in multiple formats, are being collected and prepared for addition to the BCO-DMO database from which they will be freely available to the community.

As data are contributed to the BCO-DMO office, they are organized into four overlapping categories:
1. Level 1, basic metadata
(e.g., description of project/study, general location, PI(s), participants);
2. Level 2, detailed metadata and basic shipboard data and routine ship's operations
(e.g., CTDs, underway measurements, sampling event logs);
3. Level 3, detailed metadata and data from specialized observations
(e.g., discrete observations, experimental results, rate measurements) and
4. Level 4, remaining datasets
(e.g., highest level of detailed data available from each study).

Collaboration with BCO-DMO staff began in March of 2008 and initial efforts have been directed toward basic project descriptions, levels 1 and 2 metadata and basic data, with detailed and more detailed data files being incorporated as they become available and are processed.

Related file

Program Documentation

The Iron Synthesis Program is funded jointly by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).