Fiber-optic equipped moorings for Raman backscatter Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) were installed at Windless Bight, Antarctica in November 2011. Continuous-in-space measurements of temperature were recorded every meter along the mooring.
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Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing at Windless Bight, Version 1
Geographic Coverage
Spatial Coverage: |
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Spatial Resolution: | Not Specified |
Temporal Coverage: |
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Temporal Resolution: | Varies |
Parameter(s): |
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Platform(s) | GROUND STATIONS, MOORINGS |
Sensor(s): | PRESSURE SENSORS, TEMPERATURE LOGGERS, TEMPERATURE SENSORS |
Data Format(s): |
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Version: | V1 |
Data Contributor(s): | Scott Tyler, D. Holland, Victor Zagorodnov |
Metadata XML: | View Metadata Record |
Data Citation
As a condition of using these data, you must cite the use of this data set using the following citation. For more information, see our Use and Copyright Web page.
Tyler, S. W., D. M. Holland, and V. Zagorodnov. 2015. Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing at Windless Bight, Version 1. [Indicate subset used]. Boulder, Colorado USA. NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7265/N5V122QS. [Date Accessed].Literature Citation
As a condition of using these data, we request that you acknowledge the author(s) of this data set by referencing the following peer-reviewed publication.
Tyler, S. W., D. M. Holland, V. Zagorodnov, A. A. Stern, C. Sladek, S. Kobs, S. White, F. Suarez, and J. Bryenton. 2013. Using distributed temperature sensors to monitor an Antarctic ice shelf and sub-ice-shelf cavity, Journal of Glaciology. 59. 583-591. http://dx.doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J207
Detailed Data Description
Fiber-optic equipped moorings for Raman backscatter Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) were installed at Windless Bight, Antarctica in November 2011, recording continuous-in-space measurements of temperature at every meter along the mooring. The data set is divided into ice shelf temperatures and ocean temperatures from mooring BH2. The data set is generated from one of the four fibers on the mooring, specifically DTS Channel 4. The entire data set includes ~1.5 million temperature measurements.

Data are provided in MATLAB (.mat) format.
Data are available on the FTP site in the ftp://sidads.colorado.edu/pub/DATASETS/AGDC/nsidc0604_tyler directory. Within this directory, there are two files: WB_ICE_SHELF.mat and WB_CAVITY.mat. The two files contain temperature observations in the ice shelf and ocean cavity.
See the following tables for temperature variables and performance metrics.
Variable | Definition |
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FO_distance | Fiber optic distance |
Depth | Depth below November 2011 ice shelf surface |
Temperature | Calibrated temperature (corresponds to FO_distance and depth arrays) |
Metric | Value |
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Temperature Accuracy | 0.3° C |
Average Temperature Resolution | 0.036° C |
DTS Spatial sampling resolution | 1.01 m |
DTS spatial resolution | 2.056 ± 0.047 m |
Variable | Definition |
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FO_distance | Fiber optic distance |
Depth_SL | Depth below November 2011 sea level |
Temperature | Calibrated temperature (corresponds to FO_distance and depth arrays) |
consTemp | Conservative temperature (uniform salinity of 34.5 psu and linear interpolation of recorded pressures along the mooring in the pressure array) |
Pressure | Pressure recorded by two transducers at fiber optic distance of 350 m and 777 m |
Metric | Value |
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Temperature Accuracy | 0.055° C |
Average Temperature Resolution | 0.022° C between 85-99 m; 0.30° C between 763-777 m |
DTS Spatial sampling resolution | 1.01 m |
DTS spatial resolution | 2.056 ± 0.047 m |
The WB_ICE_SHELF.mat file is 4.1 MB, and the WB_CAVITY.mat file is 13.6 MB.
The data set is 17.7 MB.
Windless Bight, Antarctica: -77.76667° S, 167.5333° E
Spatial Resolution
The mooring penetrates ~200 m through the ice shelf, ~600 m into the ocean cavity, and extending to within ~300 m of the ocean bed.
Data were collected from 26 Novermber 2011 to 15 January 2013.
Temporal Resolution
Instruments recorded between 4 and 8 traces per day.
Ocean Temperature
Ice Temperature
Parameter Description
The average temperature resolution of the ice shelf data is 0.036° C with an accuracy of 0.3° C. The temperature resolution of the ocean data is 0.022° C between 86 - 101 m and 0.030° C between 770 - 785 m along the mooring with an accuracy of 0.055° C.
Sample Data Record
See Figures 2 and 3 for examples of the data.

Note: In Matlab, dates are referenced to 01/01/0000 or January 1, 0000 A.D. [a Matlab serial date equal to 1]. These numbers can be converted in Matlab to recognizable strings using the datestr command [i.e. datestr(datetime)].

Software and Tools
The data can be accessed using MATLAB.
Data Acquisition and Processing
Data was collected by Raman backscatter DTS using independent temperature and pressure sensors and two transistor/thermistor sensors.Both transistor/thermistor sensors and four of the independent temperature and pressure sensors were connected to a data logger. Readings were taken every 15 minutes. The remaining temperature and pressure sensors were connected to the DTS and recorded temperature at the time of the DTS traces. Temperatures were collected over ~900 m of fiber optic cable. Eight small data gaps (between 3 and 14 days) and one large data gap (~113 days) occurred over the deployment, believed to be caused by a power interruption to the system. See Tyler et al. (2013) for a complete description of the mooring configuration and sensors.

See Table 5 for a list of the instruments used for this data set.
Instrument | Instrument Information |
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DTS sensor | Sensornet Oryx. Vertical sampling resolution: 1.01m; calculated vertical spatial resolution: 2.056 ± 0.047 m. |
Temperature detectors | Six platinum resistance temperature detectors (PT100) |
Tranducers | Two Level Troll 700. Stated accuracy at full scale 0.0558° C; resolution 0.0038° C |
Data logger | CR3000 Micrologger |
References and Related Publications
Contacts and Acknowledgments
Dr. Scott Tyler
University of Nevada, Reno
Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering
1664 N. Virginia, MS 172
Reno, Nevada 89557
David M. Holland
Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
New York University
251 Mercer Street
New York, New York 10012
Victor Zagorodnov
Byrd Polar Research Center
Ohio State University
Scott Hall, Room 108
1090 Carmack Road
Columbus, Ohio 43210
This research was supported by NSF Antarctic Earth Sciences Grants Numbers ANT-10431154, ANT-1043217, and ANT-1043395.
Document Information
DOCUMENT CREATION DATE
25 March 2015
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