Abstract:
This dataset contains conductivity-temperature-depth cast data collected between 2015-09-23 and 2016-11-10 by citizen scientists using a YSI Castaway or ProDSSII CTD sampler on their shrimping or tonging expeditions. The citizen scientists are part of a multi-ethnic community of commercial fisher folks docked in Louisiana or Mississippi, who participated in outreach designed to increase their trust in scientific research through interactions with research scientists. The dataset includes 41 individual cast files, a summary file including basic min/max/average statistics, and a Readme file listing participants, as well as a description of the included files and methodology.
Suggested Citation:
Kastler, Jessica. 2021. Fisherman CTD Profiles: Citizen science from trained Louisiana and Mississippi fisher folk, 2015-09-23 to 2016-11-10. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-yk9s-3d22
Data Parameters and Units:
Each individual file contains profile with the parameters pressure [dbar], depth [m], temperature [degrees C], conductivity [uS/cm], specific conductance [uS/cm], salinity [PSS], sound velocity [m/s], density [kg/m^s].
The header for each contains auxiliary information device, file name, cast time [UTC], cast time [local], sample type, Location source, start latitude [degrees N], start longitude [degrees E], start altitude [m], start GPS horizontal error[m], start GPS vertical error [m], start GPS number of satellites, end latitude [degrees N], end longitude [degrees E], end altitude [m], end GPS horizontal error [m], end GPS vertical error [m], end GPS number of satellites, cast duration [s], samples per second, electronics calibration date, conductivity calibration date, Temperature calibration date, pressure calibration date, min Temperature [processed - degrees C], max Temperature [processed - degrees C], average temperature [processed degrees C], min conductivity [processed - uS/cm], max conductivity [processed - uS/cm], average conductivity [processed - uS/cm], min sound velocity [processed - m/s], max sound velocity [processed - m/s], average Sound velocity [processed - m/s], min pressure [processed - Decibar], max pressure [processed - dbar], average pressure [Processed - dbar], min Depth [Processed - m], max depth [processed - m], average depth [Processed - m], min specific conductance [processed - uS/cm], max specific conductance [Processed - uS/cm], average specific conductance [Processed - uS/cm], min salinity [Processed - OSS], max salinity [processed - PSS], average salinity [processed - PSS], min density [processed - kg/m^3], max density [processed - kg/m^3], average density [processed - kg/m^3].
Methods:
Please note that these depth profiles are collected by non-scientists who have received several hours of training. Each collects about 5 depth profiles. The training was conducted in English with Vietnamese interpretation. All data collection and information sheets were translated into Vietnamese. Of the ten fisher folks who collected data, four are non-native English speakers. Training consisted of a half-day session during which educators introduced temperature and salinity, ways of measuring them, and their significance in the coastal ocean. During this session, fisher folks practised using the Castaway and recorded descriptive notes about the weather and the sampling location. The Castaway was signed out to individual fishers for their data collection experience during dockside visits to the fishing vessels from project educators and interpreters. At this time, each fisher demonstrated appropriate technique. Upon return of the sampler, the data were downloaded and reviewed, and invalid data points were removed. Invalidated points were single-point measurements and profiles for which location was not available. Both of these conditions indicated a failure to adhere to standard sampling technique. During later training sessions fisher folks worked with educators and researchers to review the temperature-salinity-depth profiles and discuss their use in field checking results generated by models.
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