Current data:

Current data at 10 m depth obtained with TRITON buoys are
beginning in 1998. 
Current are in units of cm/s for zonal, meridional and vertical 
components and current velocity, and degrees for direction.

The standard TRITON has a SONTEC Acoustic Doppler Current Meter at 
the depths of 10 m. 
Sometimes, additional ADCM may have been added to TRITON moorings 
for special purposes.

The download file was compressed in zip format. After uncompress,
ascii format data file and information file will be appeared.
The information file includes Observation No., WMO No., Deployment date, 
Recovery Date, Deployment position, Depth and magnetic correction value
(The magnetic correction was applied for current direction, thus zonal 
and meridional component). 
In ascii format data files, to the right of the data you will find data quality 
indices which use the definitions below.
Using these indices you can tune your analysis to trade-off between quality 
and temporal/spatial coverage.


Data Format:
The field in Current data file are listed below.
      1: Date
      2: PTT No.
      3: Position (Latitude)
      4: Position (Longitude)
      5: Depth of Current meter-1 (CM-1)
      6: Depth of Current meter-2 (CM-2)
      7: Zonal current component of CM-1
      8: Meridional current component of CM-1
      9: Vertical current component of CM-1
     10: Zonal current component of CM-2
     11: Meridional current component of CM-2
     12: Vertical current component of CM-2
     13: Current velocity of CM-1
     14: Current direction of CM-1
     15: Current velocity of CM-2
     16: Current direction of CM-2
     17: Position QI
     18: Current QI (CM-1)
     19: Current QI (CM-2)

The data format is listed below.
Line1 : header1
Line2 : header2
Line3-: Data (a19,a1,i6,a1,a9,a1,a10,2(a1,i7),10(a1,f7.1),
              3(a1,i1))
 (a1) in the above format corresponds ','.



Quality Index Definitions for Current data:

0 = datum missing

1 = highest quality; Current direction correction has been applied, 
using recovery data of pitch and roll.

2 = default quality; Pre-deployment calibrations were applied.  Default value 
for sensors presently deployed at the ocean and for sensors which were either 
not recovered or not calibratable when recovered.

3 = adjusted data; Pre/post calibrations differ, or original data do
not agree with other data sources (e.g., other in situ data or climatology),
or original data are noisy.  Data have been adjusted to correct for error.

4 = lower quality; Pre/post calibrations differ, or data do not agree
with other data sources (e.g., other in situ data or climatology), or data
are noisy.  Data could not be confidently adjusted to correct for error.

5 = sensor or communication device failed


Quality Index Definitions for Position data:

0 = datum missing

2 = default quality

5 = buoy was largely moved from deployment position (Over 6 nautical miles)


If you use the data in publications, please acknowledge the TRITON Project. 
Also, we would appreciate receiving a preprint and/or reprint of those publications 
utilizing the data for inclusion in the TRITON Project bibliography.  
Relevant publications should be sent to:
     The TRITON Office
     Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
     2-15 Natsushima-cho
     Yokosuka, 237-0061 JAPAN

Please send comments, questions, or problems to "triton@jamstec.go.jp".