GEKERAL 



Three basic oceanographic station data cards are in use currently 

 at NODC. These are the Master Card, the Observed Detail Card, and the 

 Standard Detail Card. Actually, a single, multi-purpose card is used 

 on which the three headings are printed; the identification of the card 

 and the headings to "be used are indicated by a. control punch in 

 Column 80. The function of each card is as follows: (l) a single 

 Master Card is used to identify each oceanographic station and to 

 record general siirface environmental and meteorological information 

 at the station; (2) a separate Observed Detail Card is punched for 

 each depth at which chemical and physical data were taken; and (3) a 

 Standard Detail Card may be punched for standard depths with interpolated 

 physical and chemical data; usually this card is produced automatically 

 by the IM JOTO/lij-Ol Computer System for all standard depths. 



The standard multi-purpose card also is used to record the results 

 of the various computations programmed by NODC on the IBM JOTOj when 

 cards bear computed values they are referred to as Computed Cards; before 

 computation they are called Data Cards. Additional types of cards are 

 currently under development for recording biological, geological, and 

 additional chemical information observed at the station. 



Each oceanographic cruise or source of oceanographic station data 

 processed by NODC is assigned a "reference identity number." NODC 

 Publication C-1, "Reference Sources for Oceanographic Station Data," 

 gives the bibliographic and other pertinent information for each cruise 



