CalCOFI CTD HISTORY
 
Summary: CalCOFI officially replaced the 20-bottle hydrowire cast with a Seabird 911 CTD-rosette in August 1993. Starting in Dec 1989, it took three years of testing, development, training, and comparisons to data collected by hydrowire bottle casts to switch over. At that time, CalCOFI performed 20-bottle hydrocasts on 66 stations and daily 6-bottle productivity casts. Since the 20 bottle hydrocast was mission critical and the Seabird CTD was new and untested, the first scientific deployments of the CTD-rosette replaced the primary productivity casts. Requiring only 6 bottles closed, a smaller rosette and pylon were used for these shallow casts. 
When finally adopted for all station work on CalCOFI 9308NM, the CTD and sensors were mounted on a 24-bottle rosette frame. The separate hydrographic and primary productivity casts were combined into one 24-bottle CTD-rosette cast.
Other noteworthy events: the Seabird 911 system was upgraded to 911plus in 1998. At the same time, the General Oceanics 24-place pylons were replaced with a Seabird SBE32 carousels.
Originally deployed with one set of temperature & conductivity sensors, a second pair, with their own pump, was added July 1998.
LTER joined CalCOFI cruises in Nov 2004, adding an ISUS nitrate sensor to the CTD and additional seawater analyses.
 
  
 
Chronology & Changes
CalCOFI CTD HISTORY
 
 
YYYYMM CruiseSC Date Author Description
201008 1008NH   JRW 3500m deep CTD casts performed on stas 90.90 & 80.90
201004 1004MF   JRW 12 Niskin bottles only; 2 CTD casts performed on prodo stations to target prodo depths; not enough wire for deep casts
201001 1001NH 17-Jan-2010, 29-Jan-2013 JRW 3500m deep CTD casts changed to stas 90.90 & 80.90
200911 0911NH 6-Nov-2009 J.Wilkinson New SBE9plus CTD (09P53161-0936; 6800m) deployed; new sensor pairs T,C,& Ox + Seabird pH sensor, transmissometer, altimeter. New Seapoint fluorometer NOT deployed.
200911 0911NH 10-Nov-2009, 20-Nov-2009 JRW 3500m deep CTD casts performed on stas 90.100 & 80.100; Note for 3500m casts the following sensors are removed: ISUS & battery, PAR & pH.
200907 0907MH 14-Jul-2009 J.Wilkinson New version 2 Deck Unit purchased (27-Mar-2009); offsets secondary conductivity automatically; plus complete new set of sensors: SBE14 Remote depth readout; SBE18 pH sensor; QSP-2300 PAR; Wetlabs C-Star transmissometer; Teledyne Altimeter (on older 'fish')
200411 0411RR 2-Nov-2004 J.Wilkinson Satlantic ISUS nitrate sensor with battery pack added to CTD-rosette sensor array.
199808   31-Aug-1998 J.Wilkinson CTD SN 93235-0203 (Arnold) upgraded to 9plus; 2058 rated
199807 9807NH 08-Jul-1998 J.Wilkinson Added a second pair of temperature & conductivity; prompted by failure on previous cruise of the primary conductivity sensor - returned from calibration cracked.
199807   01-Jul-1998 J.Wilkinson SBE32 Carousel Water Sampler replaces General Oceanics Pylon (Model 1015 purchased 8/1989)
199805   26-May-1998 J.Wilkinson CTD Sn 91338-1 (Homer) upgrade to 9plus; 3400m rating
199308 9308NH 11-Aug-1993 J.Wilkinson Seabird CTD officially used for all 66 stations; 66 casts; 20 bottles
199210 9210NH 26-Sep1992 J.Wilkinson Seabird CTD used for prodo casts; 13 casts; 12 bottles; Ed Renger Prodo Cast operator
199207 9207NH 02-Jul-1992 J.Wilkinson Seabird CTD tested during prodo casts; 14 casts; 10 bottles
199204 9204JD 26-Apr-1992 J.Wilkinson One cast; conductive wire winch failure; hanging prodo cast on hydrowire
199202 9202JD 29-Jan-1992 J.Wilkinson Seabird CTD tested during prodo casts; 14 casts; 10 bottles
199110 9110NH 28-Sep-1991 J.Wilkinson New and improved Seabird CTD tested; 13 casts; 12 bottles.
199011 9011NH 8-Nov-1990 J.Wilkinson Second test of Seabird CTD on CalCOFI; 12 casts; 9 bottles.
199003 9003JD 4 Mar 1990 J.Wilkinson Seabird CTD first tested on CalCOFI; 13 casts; 10 bottles