Best Practices for Shipboard Underway Transmissometers. Version 1.

Abstract

This best practice document was developed under the Rolling Deck to Repository project by a small working group comprised of the document authors. These recommendations are specifically for transmissometers installed within a research vessel’s (RVs) scientific flow-through sea water (underway) system. They are not focused on transmissometers used for CTD/Rosette casts, though some information may be applicable. All underway transmissometers in the academic research fleet presently are WET Labs (henceforth Sea-Bird) C-Stars. Review of available sensors shows this will continue to be the most available and adaptive device. The Goal of this document is to provide best practices for operators that will improve access to transmissometer data and metadata to support routine data quality evaluation and science application.