limnology

Underwater photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) vertical profiles collected from lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (1993-2022, ongoing)

Abstract: 

As part of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, lakes are monitored for photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) levels. This data set exemplifies the vertical profile of underwater PAR profiles in perennial ice covered lakes and ambient PAR measured at the air-ice interface. Profile data can be used to calculate extinction coefficients for the water column and ice layer.

LTER Core Areas: 

Dataset ID: 

46

Associated Personnel: 

1075
783
212
213

Short name: 

PAR_PROFILE

Locations: 

East Lake Bonney
West Lake Bonney
Lake Fryxell
Lake Hoare
Lake Joyce
Lake Miers
Lake Vanda

Data sources: 

LIMNO_PAR_PROFILE

Methods: 

A Licor LI-193SA spherical quantum sensor and a LI-190SA flat sensor were attached to a Licor data logger to record instantaneous under-ice PAR and PAR incident on the surface of the lake ice. Data were recorded in an outside incubation hole covered by an opaque tarp, unless otherwise noted. The upper 3-6 meters of each profile, depending upon ice thickness for each lake, represents conditions within the ice melt hole and is not representative of actual lake water. It is advised that users of the data review the Lake Ice Thickness dataset in the MCM Database to find where the liquid water column starts for each cast.

Maintenance: 

Data and metadata ported into DEIMS by Inigo in 2015.

Data from this table was submitted to INSTAAR by John Priscu's team at Montana State University. The raw data files listed under 'file name' are the names of the original files submitted. The 1993/94 and 1994/95 datasets are Microsoft Excel version 6.0 files, and the 1995/96, 1996/97 and 1997/98 datasets are ascii text files. Upon arrival at INSTAAR, the data manager fine-tuned the location codes and limno runs to match those provided in the "locations, dates, codes for lake chemistry, biology samples" file. The file was imported into Microsoft Access on INSTAAR's Unix system, and can currently be found there. The file was then exported in ascii, comma delimited text and MS-DOS text (table layout) to present on the MCM LTER web site. Both of these files are linked to this web page above. Information for the metadata was obtained from the lktemps.metadata.txt and Metaparprofile9697.rtf files. The files were called up using Microsoft Word version 6.0. Text from these files was used to create this page in html format.

Additional information: 

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