This file format is used for physical-chemical oceanographic data recorded at discrete depth levels. Most of the observations were made using multi-bottle Nansen casts or other types of water samplers. A small amount (about 5%) were obtained using electronic CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) or STD (salinity-temperature-depth) recorders. The CTD/STD data were reported to NODC at depth levels equivalent to Nansen cast data, however, and have been processed and stored the same as the Nansen data. Cruise information, position, date and time are reported for each station. Each station contains the measurements taken at observed depth levels, but also includes data values interpolated to a set of standard depth levels.
Variable-length records: each observation comprises 160 characters of master (header) information plus 80 characters for each depth level (observed or standard) up to a maximum of 4,160 characters (Master Information plus 50 depth levels) per physical record; a continuation indicator is used to denote observations with more than 50 depth levels that are recorded more than one physical record.
PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
---|---|---|---|
MASTER RECORD 1 | |||
CONTINUATION INDICATOR | ONE-DIGIT CODE - INDICATES IF STATION RECORDED ON MULTIPLE PHYSICAL RECORDS (0 = ONLY ONE RECORD FOR STATION; 1 = FIRST RECORD OF STATION; 9 = LAST RECORD OF STATION; 2-8 = INTERMEDIATE RECORDS) | 1 | 1 |
BLANK | ONE BLANK | 2 | 1 |
NODC REFERENCE NUMBER- | |||
COUNTRY | TWO-CHARACTER NODC COUNTRY CODE | 3 | 2 |
FILE CODE | ALWAYS '5' | 5 | 1 |
CRUISE | XXXX - NODC CRUISE NUMBER | 6 | 4 |
CONSEC | XXXX - NODC CONSECUTIVE STATION NUMBER | 10 | 4 |
DATA TYPE | TWO-DIGIT CODE - (19 = NANSEN CAST, 22 = NODC SELECTED DEPTHS FROM CTD/STD, 62 = ORIGINATOR SELECTED DEPTHS FROM CTD/STD) | 14 | 2 |
BLANK | TWO BLANKS | 16 | 2 |
TEN-DEGREE SQUARE | FOUR-DIGIT CODE - WMO TEN-DEGREE SQUARE NUMBER | 18 | 4 |
ONE-DEGREE SQUARE | TWO-DIGIT CODE - WMO ONE-DEGREE SQUARE NUMBER | 22 | 2 |
TWO-DEGREE SQUARE | TWO-DIGIT CODE - WMO TWO-DEGREE SQUARE NUMBER | 24 | 2 |
FIVE-DEGREE SQUARE | ONE-DIGIT CODE - WMO FIVE-DEGREE SQUARE NUMBER | 26 | 1 |
LATITUDE HEMISPHERE | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - 'N' OR 'S' | 27 | 1 |
LATITUDE | DDMMX (DEGREES, MINUTES TO TENTHS) | 28 | 5 |
LONGITUDE HEMISPHERE | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - 'E' OR 'W' | 33 | 1 |
LONGITUDE | DDDMMX (DEGREES, MINUTES TO TENTHS) | 34 | 6 |
QUARTER OF ONE-DEGREE SQUARE | ONE-DIGIT CODE - WMO 'QUARTER DEGREE' SQUARE NUMBER (= 1, 2, 3, OR 4; 9 = NOT RECORDED) | 40 | 1 |
DATE (GMT) | YYMMDD - YEAR, MONTH, DAY | 41 | 6 |
TIME (GMT) | XXX (HOURS TO TENTHS) | 47 | 3 |
PLATFORM | TWO-CHARACTER NODC PLATFORM CODE | 50 | 2 |
BLANK | FOUR BLANKS | 52 | 4 |
BOTTOM DEPTH | XXXXX (WHOLE METERS) | 56 | 5 |
EFFECTIVE DEPTH | XXXX - DEPTH OF DEEPEST COMPUTED SOUND SPEED, I.E., DEEPEST OBSERVED DEPTH AT WHICH BOTH TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY ARE REPORTED WITH NO QUALITY FLAGS (WHOLE METERS) | 61 | 4 |
CAST DURATION | XXX - TOTAL ELAPSED TIME FOR CTD/STD CAST (HOURS TO TENTHS) | 65 | 3 |
CAST DIRECTION | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - (U = UP, D = DOWN, A = AVERAGE OF UP AND DOWN CASTS, OR BLANK) | 68 | 1 |
SALINITY METHOD | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - ('P' = PRACTICAL SALINITY, 'S' = SALINITY, BLANK = NOT SPECIFIED) | 69 | 1 |
DATA USE CODE | ONE-DIGIT CODE - NODC INTERNAL USE ONLY | 70 | 1 |
MINIMUM DEPTH | ONE-DIGIT CODE - FIRST OBSERVED DEPTH WITH VALID DEPTH, TEMPERATURE, AND SALINITY (WHOLE METERS) | 71 | 4 |
MAXIMUM DEPTH | XXXX - DEEPEST OBSERVED DEPTH WITH ANY VALID PARAMETER (WHOLE METERS) | 75 | 4 |
NEXT RECORD TYPE | ALWAYS '2' | 79 | 1 |
PRESENT RECORD TYPE | ALWAYS '1' | 80 | 1 |
PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
MASTER RECORD 2 | |||
DEPTH DIFFERENCE | XXXX - BOTTOM DEPTH MINUS MAXIMUM DEPTH (WHOLE METERS) | 1 | 4 |
SAMPLE INTERVAL | XX - VERTICAL SAMPLE SPACING (EFFECTIVE DEPTH DIVIDED BY NUMBER OF VALID OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS, TO NEAREST TENS OF METERS, E.G., 01 = 10 METERS) | 5 | 2 |
PERCENT SALINITY OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH SALINITY REPORTED (0 = 1 TO 9 PERCENT, ... , 9 = 90 TO 99 PERCENT, - = PARAMETER NOT RECORDED) | 7 | 1 |
PERCENT OXYGEN OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH DISSOLVED OXYGEN REPORTED | 8 | 1 |
PERCENT PHOSPHATE OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH PHOSPHATE REPORTED | 9 | 1 |
PERCENT TOTAL PHOSPHORUS OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH TOTAL PHOSPHORUS REPORTED | 10 | 1 |
PERCENT SILICATE OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH SILICATE REPORTED | 11 | 1 |
PERCENT NITRITE OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH NITRITE REPORTED | 12 | 1 |
PERCENT NITRATE OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH NITRATE REPORTED | 13 | 1 |
PERCENT PH OBSERVED | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - INDICATES PERCENT OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS AT WHICH PH REPORTED | 14 | 1 |
ORIGINATOR'S CRUISE ID | THREE CHARACTERS - ORIGINATOR'S CRUISE IDENTIFIER | 15 | 3 |
ORIGINATOR'S STATION ID | NINE CHARACTERS - ORIGINATOR'S STATION IDENTIFIER | 18 | 9 |
WATER COLOR | TWO-DIGIT CODE - FOREL-ULE SCALE (00-21) | 27 | 2 |
WATER TRANSPARENCY | XX - SECCHI DISK DEPTH (WHOLE METERS) | 29 | 2 |
WAVE DIRECTION | TWO-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0110 (WMO 0885) | 31 | 2 |
WAVE HEIGHT | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0104 (WMO 1555) (BLANK IF SEA STATE PRESENT) | 33 | 1 |
SEA STATE | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0109 (WMO 3700) (BLANK IF WAVE HEIGHT PRESENT) | 34 | 1 |
WIND FORCE | TWO-DIGIT CODE - BEAUFORT SCALE - USE NODC CODE 0052 (BLANK IF WIND SPEED PRESENT) | 35 | 2 |
FILE UPDATE CODE | ONE-DIGIT CODE - NODC INTERNAL USE ONLY | 37 | 1 |
WAVE PERIOD | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0378 (WMO 3155) (BLANK IF SEA STATE PRESENT) | 38 | 1 |
WIND DIRECTION | TWO-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0110 (WMO 0877) | 39 | 2 |
WIND SPEED | XX - (KNOTS; BLANK IF WIND FORCE PRESENT) | 41 | 2 |
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE | XXXXX (MILLIBARS TO TENTHS) | 43 | 5 |
DRY BULB TEMPERATURE | XXXX (DEG C IN WHOLE DEGREES OR TO TENTHS; NEGATIVE VALUE PRECEDED BY MINUS SIGN) | 48 | 4 |
DRY BULB TEMPERATURE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0 = WHOLE DEGREES, 1=TENTHS OF DEGREE, 9 = BLANK) | 52 | 1 |
WET BULB TEMPERATURE | XXXX (DEG C IN WHOLE DEGREES OR TO TENTHS; NEGATIVE VALUE PRECEDED BY MINUS SIGN) | 53 | 4 |
WET BULB TEMPERATURE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0 = WHOLE DEGREES, 1=TENTHS OF DEGREE, 9 = BLANK) | 57 | 1 |
WEATHER | ONE- OR TWO-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0108 (WMO 4501) OR NODC CODE 0159 (WMO 4677) | 58 | 2 |
CLOUD TYPE | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0053 (WMO 0500) | 60 | 1 |
CLOUD AMOUNT | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0105 (WMO 2700) | 61 | 1 |
COUNT OF OBSERVED DEPTHS | XXX - NUMBER OF OBSERVED DEPTH LEVELS | 62 | 3 |
COUNT OF STANDARD DEPTHS | XX - NUMBER OF STANDARD DEPTH LEVELS (MAXIMUM = 34) | 65 | 2 |
COUNT OF DETAIL DEPTHS | XXX - NUMBER OF DETAIL DEPTHS (TOTAL OF OBSERVED DEPTHS PLUS STANDARD DEPTHS) | 67 | 3 |
BLANK | NINE BLANKS | 70 | 9 |
NEXT RECORD INDICATOR | EITHER '3', '4', '6', OR '7' | 79 | 1 |
PRESENT RECORD INDICATOR | ALWAYS '2' | 80 | 1 |
PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
OBSERVED DEPTH DETAIL RECORD | |||
OBSERVED DEPTH | XXXXX (WHOLE METERS) | 1 | 5 |
DEPTH QUALITY INDICATOR | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0608 | 6 | 1 |
THERMOMETRIC DEPTH FLAG | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - 'T' INDICATES DEPTH IS THERMOMETRICALLY DETERMINED | 7 | 1 |
TEMPERATURE | XXXXX (DEG C; NEGATIVE VALUE PRECEDED BY MINUS SIGN) | 8 | 5 |
TEMPERATURE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (1, 2, 3 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 13 | 1 |
TEMPERATURE QUALITY INDICATOR | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0608 | 14 | 1 |
SALINITY | XXXXX (PARTS PER THOUSAND OR PRACTICAL SALINITY UNITS) | 15 | 5 |
SALINITY PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (1, 2, 3 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 20 | 1 |
SALINITY QUALITY INDICATOR | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0608 | 21 | 1 |
SIGMA-T | XXXX (DIMENSIONLESS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 22 | 4 |
SIGMA-T QUALITY INDICATOR | ONE-DIGIT CODE - ( 8 = SIGMA-T QUESTIONABLE; 9 = BLANK) | 26 | 1 |
SOUND SPEED | XXXXX (METERS/SECOND TO TENTHS) | 27 | 5 |
SOUND SPEED PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (1 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 32 | 1 |
OXYGEN | XXXX (MILLILITERS/LITER) | 33 | 4 |
OXYGEN PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (1, 2 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 37 | 1 |
OXYGEN QUALITY INDICATOR | ONE-DIGIT CODE - USE NODC CODE 0608 | 38 | 1 |
DATA RANGE CHECK FLAGS | ONE-DIGIT CODE - FOR FOLLOWING SIX CONDITIONS 0 = DATA IN RANGE 1 = DATA OUT OF RANGE | ||
PHOSPHATE > 4.00 | 39 | 1 | |
TOTAL PHOSPHORUS < PHOSPHATE | 40 | 1 | |
SILICATE > 300.00 | 41 | 1 | |
NITRITE > 4.0 | 42 | 1 | |
NITRATE > 45.0 | 43 | 1 | |
PH < 7.40 OR > 8.50 | 44 | 1 | |
CAST START TIME OR MESSENGER RELEASE TIME | XXX (HOURS TO TENTHS) | 45 | 3 |
CAST NUMBER | X (BLANK, OR 1-9) | 48 | 1 |
INORGANIC PHOSPHATE | XXXX (MICROGRAM-ATOMS/LITER) | 49 | 4 |
INORGANIC PHOSPHATE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0, 1, 2 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 4 = TRACE, VALUE < 0.01; 5 = EXCEEDS, VALUE > 99.99; 9 = BLANK) | 53 | 1 |
TOTAL PHOSPHORUS | XXXX (MICROGRAM-ATOMS/LITER) | 54 | 4 |
TOTAL PHOSPHORUS PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0,1,2 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 4 = TRACE, VALUE < 0.01; 5 = EXCEEDS, VALUE > 99.99; 9 = BLANK) | 58 | 1 |
SILICATE | XXXX (MICROGRAM-ATOMS/LITER) | 59 | 4 |
SILICATE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0,1 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 4 = TRACE, VALUE < 0.1; 5 = EXCEEDS, VALUE > 999.9; 9 = BLANK) | 63 | 1 |
NITRITE | XXX (MICROGRAM-ATOMS/LITER) | 64 | 3 |
NITRITE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0, 1, 2 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 4 = TRACE, VALUE < 0.01; 5 = EXCEEDS, VALUE > 9.99; 9 = BLANK) | 67 | 1 |
NITRATE | XXX (MICROGRAM-ATOMS/LITER) | 68 | 3 |
NITRATE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0, 1 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 4 = TRACE, VALUE < 0.1; 5 = EXCEEDS, VALUE > 99.9; 9 = BLANK) | 71 | 1 |
PH | XXX (DIMENSIONLESS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 72 | 3 |
PH PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (0, 1, 2 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 4 = TRACE, VALUE < 0.01; 5 = EXCEEDS; VALUE > 9.99; 9 = BLANK | 75 | 1 |
BLANK | TWO BLANKS | 76 | 2 |
DENSITY INVERSION FLAG | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (1=SIGMA-T DECREASE GREATER THAN 0.02; OTHERWISE = 0) | 78 | 1 |
NEXT RECORD TYPE | EITHER '1', '3', '4', '6', OR '7' | 79 | 1 |
PRESENT RECORD TYPE | '3' OR '4' (3=OBSERVED DEPTH DATA FROM FIELD MEASUREMENTS; 4 = INTERPOLATED VALUES USED AS MEASUREMENTS; 4 = INTERPOLATED VALUES USED AS OBSERVED VALUES FOR COMPUTATIONAL PURPOSES WHEN ORIGINAL OBSERVED VALUES MISSING) | 80 | 1 |
PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
STANDARD DEPTH DETAIL RECORD | |||
DEPTH | XXXXX (WHOLE METERS) | 1 | 5 |
BLANK | TWO BLANKS | 6 | 2 |
TEMPERATURE | XXXX (DEG C) | 8 | 4 |
BLANK | ONE BLANK | 12 | 1 |
TEMPERATURE PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (2=NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 13 | 1 |
BLANK | ONE BLANK | 14 | 1 |
SALINITY | XXXX (PARTS PER THOUSAND OR PRACTICAL SALINITY UNITS) | 15 | 4 |
BLANK | ONE BLANK | 19 | 1 |
SALINITY PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (2 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 20 | 1 |
BLANK | ONE BLANK | 21 | 1 |
SIGMA-T | XXXX (DIMENSIONLESS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 22 | 4 |
SIGMA-T INDICATOR | ONE-DIGIT CODE - ( 9 = BLANK) | 26 | 1 |
SOUND SPEED | XXXXX (METERS/SECOND) | 27 | 5 |
SOUND SPEED PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (1 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 32 | 1 |
OXYGEN | XXXX (MILLILITERS/LITER) | 33 | 4 |
OXYGEN PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (2 = NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 37 | 1 |
BLANK | ONE BLANK | 38 | 1 |
DYNAMIC DEPTH ANOMALY | XXXXX (DYNAMIC METERS) | 39 | 5 |
DYNAMIC DEPTH ANOMALY PRECISION | ONE-DIGIT CODE -- (3=NUMBER OF DIGITS RIGHT OF DECIMAL POINT; 9 = BLANK) | 44 | 1 |
BLANK | THIRTY-THREE BLANKS | 45 | 33 |
DENSITY INVERSION FLAG | ONE-DIGIT CODE - (1=SIGMA-T DECREASE GREATER THAN 0.02; OTHERWISE = 0) | 78 | 1 |
NEXT RECORD TYPE | EITHER '3', '4', '6', OR '7' | 79 | 1 |
PRESENT RECORD TYPE | '6' OR '7' (6 = DATA INTERPOLATED BY NODC TO NODC STANDARD DEPTH; 7 = DATA INTERPOLATED BY ORIGINATOR TO NODC OR OTHER STANDARD DEPTH) | 80 | 1 |
CODE NUMBER | CODE NAME |
---|---|
0052 | WIND FORCE (BEAUFORT) |
0053 | CLOUD TYPE (WMO 0500) |
0104 | WAVE HEIGHT (WMO 1555) |
0105 | CLOUD AMOUNT (WMO 2700) |
0108 | WEATHER (WMO 4501) |
0109 | SEA STATE (WMO 3700) |
0110 | WIND-WAVE DIRECTION (WMO 0885 OR 0877) |
0159 | WEATHER (WMO 4677) |
0378 | WAVE PERIOD (WMO 3155) |
0608 | QUALITY INDICATOR |
- - | NODC COUNTRY CODE |
- - | NODC PLATFORM (SHIP) CODE |