Scientific

Yes, provided the SeaFETTM sensing elements remain ice-free, the instrument works across the broad temperature range of 0 to 50 deg C. The original SeaFETTM prototypes developed at MBARI and SCRIPPS were deployed extensively in the Antarctic for several...

Conductivity cells drift primarily as a function of cell fouling. There are several sources of the fouling:Biological growth is the primary source of cell fouling. Rinsing the conductivity cell with clean de-ionized water after each cast helps prevent most growth...

The SeaFETTM reports pH measurements on the total scale. Values of pH reported on the total scale represent the effective hydrogen ion concentration with contributions from both free hydrogen ions and those which have reacted with sulfate.

SBE Data Processing includes a module called Seacalc III. Seacalc III can calculate density, sound velocity, and a number of other parameters for a given user input of pressure, temperature, and conductivity (or salinity).

Sea-Bird real-time data acquisition (Seasave V7) and data processing (SBE Data Processing) software supports calculation of Chen-Millero, Del Grosso, and Wilson sound velocities. The algorithms, as implemented in our software, are provided in the software...

Direct SV probes measure the time (flight time) required for a sound pulse to travel over a fixed length, using a high-speed clock to measure time. The clock starts when the pulse is emitted, and stops when the pulse is received. Theoretically, you only need to know...

Upon receipt of an instrument, the initial accuracy is the accuracy when comparing to a known standard. Resolution is the smallest amount of change that a sensor can see.

ITS-90 was adopted in 1990 as the temperature scale; IPTS-68 was the previous standard. The differences are related to redefining certain triple points and other melt or freeze cells that are used as the fundamental standards for temperature. Over the oceanographic...

The modern oceanographic definition of salinity is the Practical Salinity Scale of 1978 (PSS-78). By definition, PSS-78 is valid only in the range of 2 to 42 psu. Sea-Bird uses the PSS-78 algorithm in our software, without regard to those limitations on the valid...

The numeric difference between psu and ppt is small; both indicate ocean salinity. Prior to 1978, oceanographers referred to the physical quantity  ppt (kg salt per kg water in parts per thousand). In 1978, the Practical Salinity Scale (PSS-78) was adopted, which...