EXPLANATION OF OCEANOGRAPHIC STATION DATA 
A. General 
Each of the items appearing on the data pages is explained below. The vertical 
arrows shown in some of the column headings indicate the location of decimal points. 
The presence of asterisks to the right of data indicates those data are doubtful; hence, 
they were not used in the construction of the curve from which interpolated values 
(standard depth values) were derived. Observed values which were obviously invalid 
were omitted entirely. 
B. Surface Observations 
1. NODC Reference Number. This number is arbitrarily assigned. It 
identifies the cruise and provides a means of sorting from the IBM files all cards per- 
taining to that particular cruise. A cruise reference number for each ship is presented 
on the flysheet for the tabulated oceanographic data. 
2. Station Number. Stations are numbered to designate a certain station 
location. See Figure 2, page 3, and Oceanographic Station Index, page 114. 
3. Date. Month and day are given in Arabic numerals. The last three 
figures of the year are indicated. The hour is Greenwich Mean Time and is that hour 
nearest to the start of the first cast. j 
4, Latitude and Longitude. The position of the station is given in degrees 
and minutes. 
5. Sonic Depth. Sonic Depth is the uncorrected sounding for the station, 
recorded in meters. 
6. Maximum Sample Depth. The maximum depth from which a water sample 
was obtained at the station is given to the nearest 100 meters. 
7. Wind. Wind speed is given in meters per second. Direction from which 
the wind blows is coded in degrees true to the nearest ten degrees. The last zero is 
omitted. North is 36 on this scale and calm is 0. See Table 1, Compass Direction 
Conversion Table for Wind, Sea, and Swell Directions. 
8, Anemometer Height. The height of the anemometer above the waterline 
is given in meters. 
9, Air Pressure. Barometric pressure is coded in millibars, neglecting the 900 
or 1000. Thus, 966 millibars is coded as 96 and 1008 millibars is coded as 08. 
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