Particle size spectra, laser optical plankton counter (LOPC) - data from the SIPEX II voyage of the Aurora Australis

Created 23/06/2025

Updated 23/06/2025

This dataset contains vertical profiles of particles in the upper water column (60 m depth) at six sites. A laser optical plankton counter (LOPC) was deployed through a hole in the sea ice, or from the stern of the Aurora Australis, and lowered to 60 m, logging as it was lowered. The LOPC records particles in the size range 100 um to 20 mm, though the small aperture (7 cm x 7 cm) means that the largest particles are probably only sampled rarely. For each site, the data are presented as normalised biomass for a series of equivalent spherical diameters (ESD). ESD is based on measurements of length and width of animals likely to be sampled via the LOPC (i.e. animals that are sampled at the same time with a traditional plankton net). The data were collected on the SIPEX II voyage of the Aurora Australis, from 14/9/2012 to 16/11/2012. Sites were all located in first year pack ice; the ship would nudge up to a floe and then samples of ice, zooplankton, etc. were collected directly by working on the floe. The LOPC was either deployed through a large hole in the pack ice, or it was deployed off the stern of the AA. Method of deployment did not really have an impact on the data collected, it was more a logistical decision based on conditions.

Files and APIs

Tags

Additional Info

Field Value
Title Particle size spectra, laser optical plankton counter (LOPC) - data from the SIPEX II voyage of the Aurora Australis
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/0e6d645a-1c69-4773-a654-f66f40a84805
Contact Point
Australian Ocean Data Network
metadata@aad.gov.au
Reference Period 01/09/2012 - 31/10/2012
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        116.16,
        -65.58
      ],
      [
        128.1,
        -65.58
      ],
      [
        128.1,
        -64.23
      ],
      [
        116.16,
        -64.23
      ],
      [
        116.16,
        -65.58
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Australian Oceans Data Network

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Australian Oceans Data Network "Particle size spectra, laser optical plankton counter (LOPC) - data from the SIPEX II voyage of the Aurora Australis". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://catalogue.aodn.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/particle-size-spectra-laser-optical-plankton-counter-lopc-data-from-the-sipex-ii-voyage-of-the-