Help Using JGOFS Data System Directory

Help Using the JGOFS Data System

Organization of the data
Required elements
Navigating the system
Displaying data
Downloading data from the system

Organization of the Data

The data served by this system is organized by Process Study or Time Series. The U.S. JGOFS Home Page outlines these Program Elements and links to more extensive information for each.

At the bottom of the open access system directory list, you will find a link labeled 'eqpac' indicating a directory of data for the Equatorial Pacific process study. Sediment trap and Mooring data are located at this process-study-level directory. Indented from 'eqpac' are the 5 cruise directories, all of which begin with 'tt0', using the (R/V Thomas G. Thompson) ship's cruise number as our directory label. The data found within each of these cruise directories was collected during the cruise indicated.

The same organization holds for the North Atlantic Bloom Experiment presented as 'nabe', the Arabian Sea process study or 'arabian' and the Southern Ocean process study or 'southern'.

Required elements in the data

As a aid to combining data, we require that all datasets contain

event - an 8 digit identifier, connecting a particular data event to the event log,

which lists the date, time, latitude and longitude of the sampling event. Consisting of:
the 2 digits representing the month
the 2 digits for the day of that month
the 2 digits representing the hour
and the 2 digits for the minute
if a continuous sampling (no discrete event identified), then the date, latitude and longitude must be included in the data records.
bot - the bottle number from which the samples were collected, providing

a connection to the bottle data, which lists the proper depth at which the bottles were opened.

Navigating the Data System

Each of the entries under the word 'DATA', forming the left-most column of the 3 column menu, represents a dataset. Clicking on any of these left-hand entries will display the data that is described in the right-most column on the same line.

The middle column, 'INVESTIGATOR', names the originating Scientist who is responsible for the dataset. This is the person who must be acknowledged if the data is used for your own research.

The third column, 'DOCUMENTATION', is a link that, if followed, will display information about the data. Included here is a description of each parameter in the dataset. Units that are reported are described here, too. Supporting documentation, including methodology and notes relating to the data from the principal investigator may be linked at this point.
If you download data from this system, please take the documentation as well.

Displaying data

Once you have chosen to display data from the left column in the Directory list, you will be presented with its Level 0 data. This is the data that changes most slowly in a given dataset. In many of datasets served at this site, level 0 data are also links, which lead to more detailed data at level 1. Occasionally, there are more levels and consequently, level 1 data may contain links, as well. By clicking on specific values (links) at level 0 (or below), you can select particular data from the entire dataset. Alternatively, you may wish to see all of the data at the next level. In this case, choose the 'Next level' button or link displayed at the top of the page. This will present a 'levelized' display of the data. You may find it easier to read the data presented in this manner.

Downloading data from the system

If you wish to download displayed data to your local disk, click the 'Plotting and Other Operations...' button atop the data display. Selecting the Download Utility will guide you through a series of forms which will assist you in packaging up and downloading your data and associated documentation.

It is also possible to 'download' data without using the download utility.
Once you have a display of data in which you are interested, you may wish to download that data to your local disk. Try clicking on the 'Flat listing' button. This will remove the levels and repeat higher level data at each of the lower level records, where appropriate. Now, use the 'Save As...' item (remember to set the format to 'Text') on the 'File' pull-down menu to save the data locally on your machine's disk. This format can be easily imported into spreadsheets and database programs.

There is another alternative for large datasets reached by using the 'Plotting and Other Operations...' button at the top of the data display. Upon first displaying the dataset, use the browser's 'Stop' button to abbreviate the lengthy download-to-display. Click on the 'Plotting and Other Operations...' button. Choose the menu item entitled, 'Other data listing formats'. Here you are presented with a few options for the format to download. The most popular is the 'CSV style listing'. Hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and click on the link. This will begin the download operation by presenting you with the familiar dialog box asking for a filename to which to save the data.