8. Sampling & Uncertainty#

We will discuss issues of uncertainty specific to field oceanography (as distinct from e.g., laboratory sciences). We will not discuss in detail error propagation or statistical techniques.

See also

If you need to do uncertainty analysis, please see Coleman and Steele Jr [1999] chapters 2 “Statistical Considerations in Measurement Uncertainties”, chapter 3 “Planning an Experiment: General Uncertainty Analysis” and maybe chapter 4 “Designing an Experiment: Detailed Uncertainty Analysis”.

Or, for a straightforward description of practical error handling for oceanography, see Emery and Thomson [2004], chapter 3 “Statistical Methods and Error Handling”.

Lab topic - Working with glider data

Note: This exercise is more advanced, showing how data can be dynamically loaded. Exercise 7.

Preparation for next week

Next week, we will discuss the project MerMEED: Mechanisms responsible for mesoscale eddy energy dissipation.

Optional: You may read/skim one or another document related to the project either before next week or after.

  • Paper using microstructure, CTD and ADCP (and, for the 2022 paper, altimetry): Evans et al. [2020] or Evans et al. [2022]

  • Paper using gliders, looking at internal waves and ray tracing: Fernandez-Castro et al. [2020]

  • Cruise report examples: WS16336, WS17305 [Frajka-Williams, 2018] or WS18066

  • Cruise proposal will be on the Moodle: here