Comments on: Managing SPURS Data http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/2012/10/02/managing-spurs-data/?src=fromthefield-rss NASA scientists are in the field and write home to tell about it. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:52:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Eric Lindstrom http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/2012/10/02/managing-spurs-data/comment-page-1/#comment-29060 Eric Lindstrom Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:48:12 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/?p=4627#comment-29060 Good question!

The conductivity of seawater is quite insensitive to the small changes in the hydrogen ion concentration indicated by the Ph (acidity). The measure of salinity via conductivity is dependent on those ions that are present in large concentrations – sodium and chlorine ions are account for more then 90% of the ions (magnesium 5% and sulfate 2.5% and so on). So even though the hydrogen ion has a high relative conductivity, its imbalances make a relatively small contribution to the overall conductivity of a seawater sample because of its smaller abundance. The same goes for variations of other ions present in small concentrations like phosphate or calcium. The salt (NaCl) in seawater dominates the measurement of salinity via conductivity.

]]> By: l david cooke http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/2012/10/02/managing-spurs-data/comment-page-1/#comment-29059 l david cooke Wed, 03 Oct 2012 13:38:33 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/?p=4627#comment-29059 Hey Dr. Linstrom,

Just curious, is the PH of the sample checked before tested for conductivity? (Just that with all the concerns over acid rain, CO2 (carbonic acidification or calcium reduction) that these processes could affect free ionic content as well, causing a bit of a corrundum…)

]]> By: Frederick Bingham http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/2012/10/02/managing-spurs-data/comment-page-1/#comment-29058 Frederick Bingham Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:09:17 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/?p=4627#comment-29058 Janel,

Thanks for your query. I would suggest looking up the Gulf Research Initiative, which I understand is funded out of oil spill settlement funds. I don’t know that much about the Gulf myself as it is not my area of specialization.

http://gulfresearchinitiative.org/

Fred Bingham

]]> By: Janel Heflin http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/2012/10/02/managing-spurs-data/comment-page-1/#comment-29056 Janel Heflin Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:26:55 +0000 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/fromthefield/?p=4627#comment-29056 I am new to SPURS research, and am curious as to the salinity levels in the Gulf of Mexico if they have been recently mapped. In particular, post BP oil disaster, and the effects it has and continues to have on the pertinent sealife such as oysters and other stationary bivalves, crustaceans and the like. If you could direct me to current data analysis, historical analysis, if any, and any trend in data flow I’d be most appreciative.

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