Table of Contents

• Coverage
• Dataset Description
  • Methods & Sampling
  • Data Processing Description
• Data Files
• Supplemental Files
• Related Publications
• Parameters
• Instruments
• Deployments
• Project Information
• Program Information
• Funding

These primary productivity data were published in Briggs et al., 2018.

Results papers for related research utilizing data from the NAB08 project Seaglider, CTD, biofloat, and bottle data are listed in the "Related Publications" section.

CTD data are reported as cast number and not as station number.

CTD Rosette system profiled at 0.5 m s-1 between the surface and 200 m, and at 1 m s-1 below 200 m.

Bottles were fired on the upcasts, 60 s after the CTD stopped. Sensor data are averages of a 30-s stationary period immediately before the bottle was fired.

Data Processing:

Fluorometric chlorophyll a (chl_a_fluor):
Water samples for fluorometric analysis of chlorophyll and pheopigments were filtered through Whatman GF/F filters. Triplicate water samples were collected at 10 m. Filters were extracted in 5 ml of 90% acetone at -20 C for 24 h and read on a Turner Designs Model 10-AU Digital fluorometer. The fluorometer was calibrated before and after the field program with Turner Designs chlorophyll standards. Chlorophyll was determined following JGOFS protocol procedures (Knap et al., 1996). For additional details on laboratory analysis of discrete water samples see Supplimental Document: Laboratory_analysis_report-NAB08.pdf.

C-14 primary productivity incubations (PP_C14 vs. PAR experiments):
Samples were collected a depth near to the Chl a maximum, as determined by in situ fluorometery. Each sample was subdivided into 14 50 ml transparent glass bottles and inoculated with known activity of H14CO3- ( i.e. ~ 2 µ Ci pr. bottle ). Subsamples were incubated in duplicate at 7 different PAR levels between 0-400 µmol m-2 s-1 in a temperature regulated incubator. Light was provided using a daylight simulating fluorescent tube panel and its intensity was adjusted using neutral, perforated metal screens. After 2 hours of incubation the content of each sub sample was filtered on Whatman GF/F glass fibre filter and the filter dried for storage until counting of the C-14 activity in a scintillation counter after finishing the series of cruises. Prior to counting of the activity, the filters were fumed in concentrated HCl in a desiccator for 5 minutes, and the scintillation readings were finally adjusted according to an established quenching correction curve for the sample treatment and instrument.

BCO-DMO Data Manager Processing Notes:
* added a conventional header with dataset name, PI name, version date
* modified parameter names to conform with BCO-DMO naming conventions
* lat lon values rounded from 13 decimal places to 5
* Added ISO timestamp (UTC) from date time columns

NAB2008 was a process experiment designed to study an important component of the oceanic carbon system - the North Atlantic spring bloom. The phytoplankton bloom occurring each spring in the North Atlantic, drives the uptake of carbon dioxide and is an important component of the biological pump (Bagniewski et al., 2010). Previous studies in this region have shown the importance of small temporal and spatial scales, i.e. ecosystem patchiness, during the bloom, but were restricted by the limitations of ship-based sampling. Recent advances in autonomous platforms and sensors presented an opportunity to study this important event in a new way. In addition to deployment of a diverse suite of in situ sampling devices, NAB2008 was also a test-bed for developing the strategies and knowledge needed to successfully use new methods to drive the next generation of ocean observations.

In 2008, a coordinated deployment of 1 float, 4 Seagliders and 2 research vessels sampled the evolution of the North Atlantic spring bloom along and surrounding the nearly Lagrangian path followed by the float. The autonomous measurements were continuous through the experimental period, and included CTD, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and oxygen on all platforms; and nitrate, optical attenuation, and various radiance measurements on the float. Velocities were determined from the vehicle motion, with the float extending to a depth of 230 meters and gliders to 1,000 meters. The autonomous vehicles were deployed, rescued, and recovered on three cruises of the Icelandic vessel Bjarni Saemundsson. A 21-day cruise of the R/V Knorr conducted more detailed measurements during the peak of the bloom in May. The R/V Knorr sampling program included optical profiles, ADCP data and analysis of water samples for nutrients, particulate organic carbon, pigments, micro-plankton composition, complemented by guest investigator analyses. Data from both ships were used to calibrate and validate the autonomous measurements.

References:
Bagniewski, W., Fennel, K., Perry, M. J., and D'Asaro, E. A. (2010) Optimizing models of the North Atlantic spring bloom using physical, chemical and bio-optical observations from a Lagrangian float, Biogeosciences Discuss., 7, pp. 8477-8520, doi:10.5194/bgd-7-8477-2010

NAB08 preprints

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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.