In order to submit data for the GEOTRACES Intermediate Data Products, please follow the steps outlined in the IDP Flow chart. In brief, you need to (1) submit data to the suitable data repository, and in parallel, (2) submit an “intercalibration report” for these specific datasets to the S&I Committee through the GEOTRACES Data for Oceanic Research (DOoR) portal. Templates needed to submit intercalibration reports and data must be obtained by registering the datasets on the GEOTRACES DOoR. These templates include a unique dataset ID for each dataset which will be used to identify and track each dataset through the intercalibration and data submission process.
For reference, the key points included in the S&I intercalibration report are listed below:
1. Did your lab participate in an intercalibration exercise? If so, please provide a relevant figure or table, describe the results of the intercalibration, identifying your laboratory, and provide a reference for the intercalibration exercise, if published.
2. Did your sampling method at sea follow the GEOTRACES cookbook (available at: http://www.geotraces.org/cookbook)? Please give a brief description of your sampling methodology (e.g., what bottles were used, what type and size of filters were used, how the samples were treated at sea, etc.).
3. Briefly outline the analytical methodology used in your laboratory, and provide associated metadata and references, as appropriate.
4. Report your blank values and detection limits, and explain how these were defined and evaluated.
5. Report how you monitored the internal consistency of your data (e.g., through replicate analyses of samples).
6. Report the external consistency of your data (e.g., results from analyses of certified reference materials and/or consensus materials).
7. If you occupied a crossover station, include a plot and a table that show relevant data and their level of agreement, and explain any significant discrepancies (e.g., where discrepancies may reflect differences in the depth of isopycnal surfaces between occupations). If possible please also include a profile of Temperature & Salinity.
8. If you did not occupy a crossover station, report replicate analyses from a different laboratory, or if there were no replicate analyses (e.g., due to large volumes or short half-lives), explain how your data compare to historical data including results from nearby stations, even though they may not be true crossover stations.
9. If not already included in your responses to the questions above, please provide a representative vertical profile or report the range of values, for the parameter(s) that are addressed in this intercalibration report.
*Researchers from US should submit metadata to BCO-DMO using the BCO-DMO “dataset metadata” form. All others should use the GDAC metadata form available here.