Intercomparison of Extended-Depth SBE41CP, SBE61, and RBRargo|deep6k CTDs for Deep-Argo Application Using Three- and Two-Headed Deep-Arvor Floats

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Intercomparison of Extended-Depth SBE41CP, SBE61, and RBRargo|deep6k CTDs for Deep-Argo Application Using Three- and Two-Headed Deep-Arvor Floats
Authors: Thierry, Virginie, Cabanes, Cecile, André, Xavier, Desbruyères, Damien, Dever, Mathieu, Gonzalez, Alberto, Le Provost, Guillaume, Renaut, Corentin, Velez-Belchi, Pedro
Contributors: Thierry, Virginie [0000-0003-1602-6478], Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72], Ifremer, Archimer
Source: Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Publisher Information: American Meteorological Society, 2025.
Publication Year: 2025
Subject Terms: [SDU] Sciences of the Universe [physics], Oceanic profilers, In situ oceanic observations, Instrumentation/sensors
Description: Within the international OneArgo program, a global array of autonomous profiling floats monitoring seawater properties, the Deep-Argo mission aims to provide temperature, pressure, and salinity measurements down to the seabed with accuracy targets of ±0.001°C, ±3 dbar, and ±0.002, respectively. One of Deep-Argo’s main challenges is to achieve this level of accuracy. Three different conductivity–temperature–depth (CTDs) are available for Deep-Argo applications: the extended-depth SBE41CP, SBE61, and RBRargo|deep6k. We evaluated their performance at sea down to 4000 dbar using four Deep-Arvor floats equipped with two or three of these CTDs. Pressure differences between the sensors ranged from about 0–1 dbar near the surface to a maximum of 5 dbar at 4000 dbar. Temperature differences were within ±0.002°C below 1000 dbar. A time lapse of up to 0.5 s between sensor acquisitions occasionally led to sensor-independent temperature differences greater than ±0.002°C at the shallowest levels. Pressure differences as small as 1 dbar can induce temperature differences greater than 0.01°C in a large temperature gradient. Independent shipboard-calibrated CTD observations were used to correct, within an uncertainty of ±0.004, a pressure-dependent salinity bias found on all CTDs, as well as a salinity offset on two of them. After correction, salinity differences between the sensors were less than 0.004 below 500 dbar. They increased to 0.01 at shallower depths, as any remaining pressure-dependent errors were projected onto the surface layers. To achieve Deep-Argo’s target accuracy through the intrinsic quality of the sensors, pressure sensor accuracy and compressibility coefficient of the conductivity sensor estimates need to be improved.
Document Type: Article
ISSN: 1520-0426
0739-0572
DOI: 10.1175/jtech-d-24-0051.1
Access URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/392528
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105004346737
https://hal.science/hal-05105660v1
https://doi.org/10.1175/jtech-d-24-0051.1
Rights: URL: http://www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses
Accession Number: edsair.doi.dedup.....64f7c755a93c4270ab2185b76b86b84c
Database: OpenAIRE
Description
Abstract:Within the international OneArgo program, a global array of autonomous profiling floats monitoring seawater properties, the Deep-Argo mission aims to provide temperature, pressure, and salinity measurements down to the seabed with accuracy targets of ±0.001°C, ±3 dbar, and ±0.002, respectively. One of Deep-Argo’s main challenges is to achieve this level of accuracy. Three different conductivity–temperature–depth (CTDs) are available for Deep-Argo applications: the extended-depth SBE41CP, SBE61, and RBRargo|deep6k. We evaluated their performance at sea down to 4000 dbar using four Deep-Arvor floats equipped with two or three of these CTDs. Pressure differences between the sensors ranged from about 0–1 dbar near the surface to a maximum of 5 dbar at 4000 dbar. Temperature differences were within ±0.002°C below 1000 dbar. A time lapse of up to 0.5 s between sensor acquisitions occasionally led to sensor-independent temperature differences greater than ±0.002°C at the shallowest levels. Pressure differences as small as 1 dbar can induce temperature differences greater than 0.01°C in a large temperature gradient. Independent shipboard-calibrated CTD observations were used to correct, within an uncertainty of ±0.004, a pressure-dependent salinity bias found on all CTDs, as well as a salinity offset on two of them. After correction, salinity differences between the sensors were less than 0.004 below 500 dbar. They increased to 0.01 at shallower depths, as any remaining pressure-dependent errors were projected onto the surface layers. To achieve Deep-Argo’s target accuracy through the intrinsic quality of the sensors, pressure sensor accuracy and compressibility coefficient of the conductivity sensor estimates need to be improved.
ISSN:15200426
07390572
DOI:10.1175/jtech-d-24-0051.1