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Texas-Louisiana Shelf Circulation and Transport Processes Study Data on CD-ROM
Entry ID: NOAA_NODC_LATEX_A_CDROM

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Summary

Abstract: This CD-ROM contains the data from the field program of the
Louisiana-Texas Shelf Physical Oceanography Program (LATEX) from Texas
A&M University, known as LATEX-A. It is the largest physical
oceanography research effort ever mounted in the Gulf of Mexico. The
data were collected on the continental shelf from the Mississippi
River to the Rio Grande between April 1992 and December 1994.

33 moorings were equipped with current meters, directional wave
gauges, and inverted echo sounders, measuring ocean current speed and
direction, water temperature, conductivity, waves, ocean pressure, and
acoustic travel time.

8 moored meteorological buoys measured wind speed and direction, air
temperature, sea surface temperature, and barometric pressure.

16 drifting buoys provided information on their locations and sea
surface temperature via satellite.

10 hydrographic surveys were conducted, with continuous Acoustic
Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements taken along the cruise
track. At each hydrographic sampling station, continuous profiles
were made of conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, downwelling
irradiance, particle scattering, fluorescence, and beam attenuation.
Water samples were analyzed for dissolved oxygen, salinity,
phytoplankton, pigments, silicate, urea, ammonium, and surface and
bottom particulate matter concentration. Secchi disk depths were
taken at each daylight station.

Extensive quality control and data assurance procedures were applied
by Texas A&M University.

Data reports in Adobe portable document format (.pdf) are included on
the CD-ROMs and provide extensive documentation on the collection and
processing of the data sets, as well as figures, tables, and other
data products.

CD-ROM 1 contains the moored current meter and meteorological buoy
data, inverted echo sounder (IES) data, expendable bathythermograph
(XBT) data, and expendable sound velocity profiler (XSV) data. The
meteorological and current meter data reports are included on this
disc.

CD-ROMs 2-4 contain directional and non-directional wave data from
five sites (Moorings 1, 16, 17, 20 and 23). The wave data reports are
included on these discs.

CD-ROM 5 contains the data from the hydrography cruises, including
nine ADCP data sets, approximately 1650 CTD casts and associated
bottle data, nutrient data, and pigment data. It also contains the
drifter data and data from miscellaneous sensors. Final data reports
are included on this disc.

[This information above was obtained from NOAA/NODC Environmental
Information Bulletin 98-03.]

The National Oceanographic Data Center produced a set of LATEX CD-ROMs
in cooperation with Texas A and M University (TAMU). The Louisiana -
Texas Shelf Physical Oceanography Program (LATEX) was sponsored by the
Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the U.S. Department of the
Interior. One of its three study units, the Texas-Louisiana Shelf
Circulation and Transport Processes Study was conducted by Texas A and M
University from April 1992 - December 1994. The study area encompassed
the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf offshore of approximately the 10
meter isobath from the Mississippi River to the Rio Grande. The major
field components were moored current meter measurements, drifting buoys,
hydrography, acoustic Doppler current profiling, meteorological buoys,
and MiniSpec directional wave instruments and SeaData non-directional
wave instruments. The LATEX data sets have been formally submitted to
NODC for archiving and distribution.

The LATEX data has been subjected to extensive quality control and quality
assurance procedures by TAMU. Several project reports have been compiled for
the different data types. The CD-ROMs will contain the data as ASCII text
files which includes a metadata file that fully describes the format of each
data file. Also included on each CD-ROM are the LATEX Shelf Data Reports in
Adobe portable document format (.pdf). Adobe readers for each computer
platform (PC, Mac, UNIX) will be included on the CD-ROMs to read the reports.
They can also be viewed with the latest Internet browsers capable of reading
pdf files. The data reports provide extensive documentation on the collection
and processing of the respective data sets, as well as figures, tables, and
other data products.

NOTE: Advanced programming skills are strongly recommended for users of
this CD-ROM product.
NOAAServer Codes: [OL 30.50 27 -90 -97] ; nodateline obtain

Related URL

Link: GET DATA
Description: LATEX-A CD-ROM information and order page.

Link: GET DATA
Description: NOAA Server page.

Link: GET DATA
Description: LATEX home page at Texas A&M University

Link: GET DATA
Description: DODS Directory page

Link: GET DATA
Description: DODS Directory page

Geographic Coverage

N: 30.5 S: 27.0 E: -90.0 W: -97.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University
Dataset Title: Texas-Louisiana Shelf Circulation and Transport Processes Study Data on CD-ROM
Dataset Release Date: 1999
Version: 1
Online Resource: www.nodc.noaa.gov

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1992-04-01

Stop Date: 1994-12-31

Location Keywords

OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA
CLIMATOLOGY/METEOROLOGY/ATMOSPHERE
GEOSCIENTIFIC INFORMATION
OCEANS

Platform

BUOYS    [Information]

MOORINGS    [Information]

SHIPS    [Information]

Instrument

CTD >Conductivity, Temperature, Depth    [Information]

CURRENT METERS    [Information]

DRIFTING BUOYS    [Information]

SECCHI DISKS    [Information]

WATER BOTTLES

XBT >Expendable Bathythermographs    [Information]

ADCP >Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler    [Information]

IES >Inverted Echo Sounders    [Information]

XSV >Expendable Sound Velocity Profilers

Project

DODS >Distributed Oceanographic Data System    [Information]

LATEX >Louisiana-Texas Shelf Physical Oceanography Program    [Information]

ESIP >Earth Science Information Partners Program    [Information]

OPENDAP >Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol    [Information]

Use Constraints

NOAA and NODC would appreciate recognition as the
resource from which these data were obtained in any
publications and/or other representations of these data.

Keywords

WAVE DATA

CURRENT METER - DIRECTION

CURRENT METER - SPEED

CURRENT - DIRECTION

CURRENT - SPEED

PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY

TAMU

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Originating Center

Texas A&M University

Data Center

National Oceanographic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce [Information]
Data Center URL: http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/

Data Center Personnel

Name: NODC USER SERVICES
Phone: 301-713-3277
Fax: 301-713-3302
Email: NODC.Services at noaa.gov
Contact Address:
National Oceanographic Data Center
User Services Branch
NOAA/NESDIS E/OC1
SSMC3, 4th Floor
1315 East-West Highway
City: Silver Spring
Province or State: MD
Postal Code: 20910-3282
Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution_Media: CD-ROM
Distribution_Format: ASCII
Fees: $100/CD or $500/set; discount available

Personnel

MELANIE F. MEAUX
Role: DIF AUTHOR
Email: gsfc-gcmduso at mail.nasa.gov

Creation and Review Dates

Last DIF Revision Date: 2004-05-07

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