Data Processing

After recovery of the instruments, proprietary software from each instrument manufacturer was used to download sensor measurements from each instrument and decode those measurements to instrument-specific data formats. The data were then converted from instrument-specific formats and calibrated. Units were modified to scientific Equatorial Pacific Information Collection (EPIC)-standard units (http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/epic/), and the data were stored in NetCDF format. EPIC is a set of standards that allows researchers from different organizations to share oceanographic data without having to translate foreign data types into the local vernacular. NetCDF is a general, self-documenting, machine-transportable data format created and supported by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) (http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/). After the conversion, the data were checked for inconsistencies caused by instrument malfunctions and biological fouling and then edited to remove these spurious points. Also, the beginning and end of each data series were truncated to remove data collected out of water. The data were carefully checked at each stage of processing. After final editing, the data are considered to be the best basic version and include all variables recorded at the basic sampling interval. Best basic versions of most data files in NetCDF format are included in this report (see the Digital Data Files page). Additional documentation of the data processing for all instruments as well as a description of the quality-control and review process can be found in Montgomery and others (2008).