California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations

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Station Information

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By far the bulk of the field work consists of the occupation of the oceanographic stations -specific geographic locations - which pattern the survey area. Seventy-five stations are scheduled during a typical 18 day cruise. Coverage is expanded north of Pt Conception during winter and spring spawning seasons to 113 stations. Within the allotted ship time, each cruise occupies every station possible but the station plan is dynamic. Stations are reordered or dropped where personnel, weather, and U.S. Navy activities interrupt station operations.

In 1949, the cruise transects were determined by lines drawn on nautical charts perpendicular to the California Coast (true bearing 330 degrees) 40 nautical miles apart. Stations in the coastal regime were spaced every 20nm or around features such as basin or islands. Offshore stations were spaced 40nm apart, forming 40x40nm spacing. The main goal was the measurement of onshore-offshore gradients strongly influenced by the California Current & bathymetry. Since most oceanographic features off the California coast are influenced by the north-south California Current flowing parallel the coast & a seasonal, northward flowing counter current. Having transcects oriented at right angles to the coast line allows better vertical profiling than if they were along the lines of latitude and longitude. In referring to a station number under the present plan, the line number is given, then a decimal point, then the station number. This scheme facilitates quick identification of the station location within the pattern: station 90.60 is station 60.0 on line 90.0, for example.



Station Positions

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The grid lines and most stations are 40 miles apart with the latter numbered in multiples of ten.  In referring to a station number under the present plan, the line number is given, then a decimal point, then the station number.  The scheme facilitates quick identification : station 90.60 is station 60.0 on line 90.0, for example.

Below is a line and station table with desired position (decimal degrees) with average estimated bottom depth, and noted if it is a non standard station. The stations are listed by order occupied as working from South to North.

Last Updated on Saturday, 21 May 2011 17:55 Read more...
 

75 Station Pattern

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75mapCalCOFI's standard station pattern since 1985 includes 66 stations from San Diego to Pt Conception (Lines 93.3 to 76.7).  Nine additional coastal ~20m SCCOOS stations were added July 2004.  Thirty-eight additional stations off central and northern California are typically occupied during winter and spring cruises, time and weather-permitting (Lines 73.3 to 60.0).  Please refer to the 113 Station Map or Station Positions page for coordinates. A 73 station pattern (CalCOFI 1108NH) drops SCCOOS stations 91.7 26.4 & 85.4 35.8 when ship time is not available. These stations are off the typical transects.

Last Updated on Monday, 07 November 2011 11:22 Read more...
 

Line and Station Algorithm

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CalCOFI Line & Sta from Lat & Lon Conversion Algorithm based on Eber & Hewitt (CalCOFI Reports v20 1979,135).

Visual Basic source code (R.Charter & J.Wilkinson) for calculating CalCOFI Line & Sta from latitude & longitude or latitude & longitude from Line & Sta.
Fortran
source code was migrated from VMS by Dave Newton 1992; extracted from starep.for (CalCOFI station report generator).
Refer to Microsoft Help for additional information on the following built-in Visual Basic mathmatical functions:
  • Log = Returns a Double value containing the logarithm of a specified number.
  • Tan = Returns a Double value containing the tangent of an angle.
  • Sin = Returns a Double value specifying the sine of an angle.
  • Cos = Returns a Double value containing the cosine of the specified angle.
  • Atn = Returns a Double value containing the angle whose tangent is the specified number.
Last Updated on Friday, 29 April 2011 12:25 Read more...
 

Complete Pattern

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planThe basic station plan used today for CalCOFI was originally concieved in 1950 and was a departure from a previous 1949 station plan. Both station plan maps are available below.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:13 Read more...
 

113 Station Pattern

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113 Station PatternDuring winter and spring, 113 stations are normally occupied, weather-permitting. The 38 additional stations located north of Point Conception (lines 73.3 through 60.0) are surveyed but the ship may only stop when fish egg density is high. Line 66.7, off Monterey, is part of the MBARI time-series with stations every 20 NM and CTD casts to 1000m. See Station Positions page for coordinates.

Last Updated on Friday, 08 July 2011 11:46 Read more...
 

Line and Station Calculator

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Calculate CalCOFI Line & Station from Latitude & Longitude or Latitude & Longitude from Line & Sta.
The CalCOFI Line & Station calculation algorithm, authored by Eber & Hewitt in CalCOFI Reports v20, converts latitude & longitude to CalCOFI Line & Sta. This program uses a corrected version of the published algorithm.

Last Updated on Friday, 29 April 2011 12:24 Read more...
 



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