XBT, ARGO Float and Ship-Based CTD Profiles Intercompared under Strict Space-Time Conditions in the Mediterranean Sea: Assessment of Metrological Comparability

open5noAccurate measurement of temperature and salinity is a fundamental task with heavy implications in all the possible applications of the currently available datasets, for example, in the study of climate changes and modeling of ocean dynamics. In this work, the reliability of measurements obtained by oceanographic devices (eXpendable BathyThermographs, Argo floats and Conductivity-Temperature-Depth sensors) is analyzed by means of an intercomparison exercise. As a first step, temperature profiles from XBT probes, deployed by commercial ships crossing the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas during the Ship of Opportunity Program (SOOP), were matched with profiles from Argo floats quasi-collocated in space and time. Attention was then paid to temperature/salinity profiling Argo floats. Since Argo floats usually are not recovered and should last up to five years without any re-calibration, their onboard sensors may suer some drift and/or oset. In the literature, refined methods were developed to post-process Argo data, in order to correct the response of their profiling CTD sensors, in particular adjusting the salinity drift. The core of this delayed-mode quality control is the comparison of Argo data with reference climatology. At the same time, the experimental comparison of Argo profiles with ship-based CTD profiles, matched in space and time, is still of great importance. Therefore, an overall comparison of Argo floats vs. shipboard CTDs was performed, in terms of temperature and salinity profiles in the whole Mediterranean Sea, under space-time matching conditions as strict as possible. Performed analyses provided interesting results. XBT profiles confirmed that below 100mdepth the accordance with Argo data is reasonably good, with a small positive bias (close to 0.05 °C) and a standard deviation equal to about 0.10 °C. Similarly, side-by-side comparisons vs. CTD profiles confirmed the good quality of Argo measurements; the evidence of a drift in time was found, but at a level of about E-05 unit/day, so being reasonably negligible on the Argo time-scale. XBT, Argo and CTD users are therefore encouraged to take into account these results as a good indicator of the uncertainties associated with such devices in the Mediterranean Sea, for the analyzed period, in all the climatological applications.openBordone, Andrea; Pennecchi, Francesca; Raiteri, Giancarlo; Repetti, Luca; Reseghetti, FrancoBordone, Andrea; Pennecchi, Francesca; Raiteri, Giancarlo; Repetti, Luca; Reseghetti, Franc

Assessment of Quality and Reliability of Measurements with XBT Sippican T5 and T5/20

AbstractThe T5 expendable bathythermographs reach the greatest depth within the current XBT family. Since the early 1970s, in several areas they have been providing a significant part of available temperature profiles below 1000 m and therefore represent an important resource for ocean climate study. In this paper we present new results from laboratory tests of Sippican T5 and T5/20 probes and analyses of more than 350 XBT–CTD matched pairs from our own field trials and the World Ocean Database (WOD), and we propose an improved fall rate equation (coefficients: A = 6.720 ± 0.025 m s−1, B = 0.001 60 ± 0.000 15 m s−2, Offset = 1.00 ± 0.65 m). Possible influences of probe physical characteristics and initial launch conditions on the probe motion have also been investigated with launching height and probe weight being identified as important factors. Analyses also confirm that fall speed and pure temperature error increase with water temperature, as previously reported for other XBT types. The uncertainties in depth and temperature measurements are then calculated. Finally, a new correction for a global T5 dataset is proposed, with an update of the currently available schemes

Structural integrity of Ellisolandia elongata reef:a mechanical approach to compare tensile strengths in natural and controlled environments

INTRODUCTION:We aimed to evaluate the site of placentation on the pregnancy outcomes of patients with placenta previa. METHODS:This retrospective study included 678 cases of placenta previa. Basic information and pregnancy outcome data were collected. Differences between the different placenta previa positions and pregnancy outcomes were compared using the chi-square and independent t tests. Logistic and multiple regression analyses were used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) to determine the risk factors for PAS disorders and postpartum hemorrhage and evaluate the effect of placental attachment site on pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS:There was no significant difference between the PAS disorders rate and the incidence of complete placenta previa depending on the type of placentation; however, placental attachment site influenced the pregnancy outcome. Placental attachment to the anterior wall was associated with shorter gestational age, low birth weight, lower Apgar score, higher prenatal bleeding rate, increased postpartum hemorrhage, longer duration of hospitalization, and higher blood transfusion and hysterectomy rates compared to cases with lateral/posterior wall placenta. Placental attachment at the incision site of a previous cesarean section significantly increased the incidence of complete placenta previa and PAS disorders compared with placental attachment at a site without incision, but did not significantly influence pregnancy outcomes. Placental attachment to the anterior wall was an independent risk factor for postpartum hemorrhage in patients with placenta previa. Placental attachment to a previous incision site was an independent risk factor for PAS disorders. CONCLUSION:The site of placental attachment in patients with placenta previa has an important influence on the pregnancy outcome. When the placenta is located on the anterior wall, clinicians should pay attention to the adverse pregnancy outcomes and the possibility of massive postpartum hemorrhage. In cases of placental attachment to the uterine incision site, physicians should be highly vigilant regarding the occurrence of PAS disorders

Buyers' role in innovation procurement: Evidence from US military R&D contracts

This study provides the first quantification of buyers' role in the outcome of R&D procurement contracts. We combine together four data sources on US federal R&D contracts, follow-on patented inventions, federal public workforce characteristics, and perception of their work environment. By exploiting the observability of deaths of federal employees, we find that managers' death events negatively affect innovation outcomes: a 1% increase in the share of relevant public officer deaths causes a decline of 32.3% of patents per contract, 20.5% patent citations per contract, and 34.3% patent claims per contract. These effects are driven by the deaths occurring in the 6 months before the contract is awarded, thereby indicating the relevance of the design and award stage relative to ex post contract monitoring. Lower levels of self-reported within-office cooperation also negatively impact R&D outcomes

A spar buoy-mounted ADCP measurement station in the Ligurian Sea: a metrological approach to correct current measures for bias effects and evaluate uncertainties

Since the ‘70s, the ENEA Marine Environment Research Centre of S. Teresa has been involved in monitoring and analysis of physical, chemical and biological processes in marine environment. In order to provide a deeper view of the real marine dynamics, based on the integrated use of data and models, some of these activities have been recently focused on the measurement of current profiles in the open sea. A dedicated experimental methodology and data analysis were carried out to design and install a system for measuring current profiles in the surface layer in the Ligurian Sea: the measurement station, based on an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) mounted on the surface buoy of W1-M3A (Western 1 Mediterranean Moored Multisensor) weather-oceanographic observatory, led to the acquisition of a time series of data continuously acquired for five months (from April to August 2017). The collected dataset, together with the implemented post-processing techniques, were aimed to realize a monitoring system able to support (and verify by comparison) marine current numerical models, with the final purpose of improving their performances. Main object of this work are both the correction of bias effects due to the buoy influence on ADCP measures and the evaluation of the overall uncertainty associated with the current velocities. In the following, an overall view of the performed experimental activity is briefly reported, ranging from the design of the measuring station to its implementation, from recovery to preliminary data processing and uncertainty analysis applied to a sub-set of data, used as a test case

Buyers' role in innovation procurement

What is the impact of buyers on the performance of innovation procurement? In which phase of the procurement process are buyers most crucial and why? We address these questions by exploiting a novel dataset that links U.S. federal R&D contracts to their follow-on patents, citations and claims. Using the deaths of managers in the offices close to where contracts are performed as shocks to the functioning of these offices, we measure a positive and sizable effect of public buyers on all three outcome measures. The buyer’s role is stronger in the pre-award, tender-design phase, where cooperation between different specialists is essential, than in the following contract-management phase typically performed by individual officers. Consistently, bureaus where employees perceive high level of cooperation within the office are associated with better R&D outcomes

Improved Current Estimates from Spar Buoy-Mounted ADCP Measurement Station: A Case Study in the Ligurian Sea

Current measurements in the open sea are generally acquired by Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs). In the case of ADCPs mounted on spar buoy, current profiles require to be post-processed, to properly take into account the buoy influence: in fact, ADCP compass may reflect alterations induced by the metal structure of the buoy and apparent currents can occur due to the large displacement of the platform. Uncertainty analysis is finally required to properly consider both these effects and to compute robust velocity estimates. A new methodology is tested for a measurement station in the Ligurian Sea, where an ADCP was mounted on the surface buoy of the W1-M3A (Western 1 Mediterranean Moored Multisensor Array) oceanographic observatory, facing upwards at the depth of about 40 m. Marine current numerical models and historical data in the area have been used as a basis for comparison to test the consistency of the proposed method. A very good agreement is obtained. Only minor discrepancies are reported (e.g., monthly averages from the reference model slightly underestimate the west-east current component along the entire profile), but, in general, the application of the proposed methodology ensures that the spar buoy-mounted ADCP system is able to provide reliable measurements for oceanographic studies and validation of 3D hydrodynamic models

Marine GIS as a Tool to Support Backscatter Data Analysis for Zooplankton Investigations

Echo-sounders and Vessel-Mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (VM-ADCP) are widely operating onboard research vessels with the aim of providing real-time backscatter and ocean current profiles along the route, while the vessel is moving. Backscatter data are exploited to infer important information about zooplankton presence and distribution. Nevertheless, as these organisms daily vertically migrate even below the depth of the instrument range, the combination of space and time variability make their mapping from a moving vessel quite complex. The objective of this work is to describe a GIS application developed for the management and analysis of these data. The GIS capability as a tool to facilitate zooplankton investigations is assessed by means of a test-case in the area of the Ligurian Sea (Western Mediterranean) by using VM-ADCP backscatter data made available during oceanographic campaigns. The system, which includes a high-resolution bathymetry, environmental parameters, ephemeris, allows to select and visualize data sorted according to all the possible layer combinations. Moreover, different backscatter profiles, characterizing the identified migration phases can be enlightened by means of false color scale representation

MedFever : An expanding network of citizen-run observatories monitoring shallow coastal underwater temperatures in Italy

MedFever – An expanding network of 12 small observatories was established in the Tyrrhenian Sea in 2021 by MedSharks and ENEA, building on the experience of an observation point established in 2016 in the Gulf of Naples. Very high frequency measurements (15 minutes) at some standard depths (5-15-35m; occasionally at 10-20-25-30-50-60m) were obtained by voluntary diving centers using calibrated HOBO sensors (after calibration accuracy is about ±0.1 °C) in 12 stations evenly covering the Tyrrhenian sea. Due to various technical problems, some records are missing. The dataset proposed here will be upgraded annually