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   set  data   graph     files  public [whales aerial tracklines] - Right Whales aerial surveillance tracklines over Cape Cod Bay
and adjacent waters from the R/V Shearwater NEC-MB2002-1, 2002 (NEC-CoopRes
project) (Northeast Consortium: Cooperative Research)
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The Dataset's Variables and Attributes

Row Type Variable Name Attribute Name Data Type Value
attribute NC_GLOBAL access_formats String .htmlTable,.csv,.json,.mat,.nc,.tsv,.esriCsv,.geoJson
attribute NC_GLOBAL acquisition_description String Methods
I) Aerial Surveys

Aerial surveys were conducted from January through mid-May 2002 in the Cape
Cod Bay Critical Habitat and adjacent waters (Figures 1a-e, Tables 1a-e). The
aerial survey protocol for Cape Cod Bay, as described in Kraus et al (1997),
was adopted with some modifications. Fifteen tracklines were flown
latitudinally (east - west) at 1.5 nautical mile (nm) intervals from the
mainland to the Cape Cod Bay shoreline (Figure 1a). An additional trackline,
25 nm in length, paralleled the outer coast of Cape Cod from east of Chatham
to the eastern end of trackline one at a distance of about three nm from shore
(Figure 1a, trackline number 16). The east-west flight pattern in Cape Cod Bay
was chosen for scientific and safety reasons. In these latitudes, winter
aerial surveys are hampered by low sun angles in the early and late hours of a
survey day and glare is a significant factor in sightability of marine
mammals. On east-west tracklines, although glare was a factor in one of the
forward quadrants, there was always a section of the survey swath that could
be observed without being compromised by glare. It was also safer to have the
aerial survey tracklines begin and end near land. A total of 320 nm of 'on-
trackline' miles were flown during each completed survey (Table 1a). \"On-
trackline\" miles were those miles flown while surveying due east or due west
in Cape Cod Bay and along the outer coast of Cape Cod, but excludes all miles
flown between tracklines (cross legs) or while circling.

The surveys were flown under VFR (visual flight rules) conditions up to and
including Beaufort sea state four. Surveys were aborted in Beaufort sea state
five and/or when visibility decreased below two miles in fog, rain or snow.
All aerial surveys originated at Chatham Airport, Chatham, MA. They were
conducted in a Cessna 337 Skymaster (5382S), a twin engine, high-wing aircraft
with retractable landing gear. The aircraft was equipped with two GPS (global
positioning system) navigation systems, full IFR (instrument flight rules)
instrumentation, marine VHF radio with external antenna, and wing-tip mounted
VHF tracking antennas. Safety equipment included a life raft, four survival
suits, signal flares, a medical kit, a waterproof VHF radio, a portable EPIRB,
and an aircraft mounted ELT (emergency locator transmitter). All occupants
wore aircraft approved PFDs (personal floatation device) during the entire
flight.

Surveys were conducted at a standard altitude of 750 feet (229 meters) and a
ground speed of approximately 100 knots, using methodology developed by CeTAP
(Scott and Gilbert 1982, CeTAP 1982). The survey team consisted of a pilot,
data recorder, and two observers positioned on each side of the aircraft in
the rear seats. The two rear seat observers scanned the water surface from
0\u00b0 - 90\u00b0, out to at least two nautical miles and reported sightings
when they were abeam of the aircraft. In order to maintain a standardized
sighting effort, the pilot and data recorder were instructed not to alert the
observers to any sightings of marine mammals until after it had been passed by
the aircraft and clearly missed by the observers. The turn at the end of each
trackline was initiated and completed about 1.5 nm from shore in Cape Cod Bay
to maximize the opportunity to observe any whales near shore.

All sightings of marine animals except birds were recorded. Sightings
identified as species other than right whales were counted, logged and passed
without breaking the trackline and circling in order to maximize flight time
available for investigating right whale sightings. Sightings of all vessels in
the area were recorded by location and type. At sightings identified as right
whales, as well as sightings of large whales, which were not immediately
identified by species, the aircraft broke track at right angles to the
sighting and circled over the animal to obtain photographs. Photographs were
obtained of as many individual right whales within a given aggregation as
possible. For each right whale, behavior and interaction with other whales or
any nearby vessels or fishing gear was noted. In a few instances, when right
whales were spotted from the plane in close from the vessel so that the plane
could devote more time to surveying. The right angle distance of each sighting
from the flight track was determined from GPS positions.

At the conclusion of photographic effort at each sighting, the aircraft
returned to the trackline at the point of departure using the GPS position
recorded in the log. These methods conform to research protocols followed by
the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium (CCS, NEAq, URI, and WHOI) and
approved by the US NMFS. Trackline and sighting data from the daily logs were
entered into the Right Whale Initiative DBase program designed for
compatibility with the Right Whale Consortium database. Copies of the daily
logs from the aerial surveys are on file at CCS and URI.

Photographic Methods
i) Identification Photographs:
During aerial and shipboard surveys, photographs were taken on Kodak
Kodachrome 200ASA color slide film, using hand-held 35-mm cameras equipped
with 300-mm telephoto lenses and motor drives. From the air, photographers
attempted to obtain good perpendicular photographs of the entire rostral
callosity pattern and back of every right whale encountered as well as any
other scars or markings. From the boat, photographers attempted to collect
good oblique photographs of both sides of the head and chin, the body and the
flukes. The data recorder on both platforms was responsible for keeping a
written record of the roll and frame numbers shot by each photographer in the
daily log.

ii) Photo-analysis and Matching:
Photographs of right whale callosity patterns are used as a basis for
identification and cataloging of individuals, following methods developed by
Payne et al (1983) and Kraus et al (1986). The cataloging of individually
identified animals is based on using high quality photographs of distinctive
callosity patterns (raised patches of roughened skin on the top and sides of
the head), ventral pigmentation, lip ridges, and scars (Kraus et al 1986). New
England Aquarium (NEAq) has curated the catalogue since 1980 and to the best
of their knowledge, all photographs of right whales taken in the North
Atlantic since 1935 have been included in NEAq's files. This catalogue allows
scientists to enumerate the population, and, from resightings of known
individuals, to monitor the animals' reproductive status, births, deaths,
scarring, distribution and migrations. Since 1980, a total of 26,275 sightings
of 436 individual right whales have been archived, of which 327 are thought to
be alive, as of December 2001 (A. Knowlton, NEAq, pers. comm.)

The matching process consists of separating photographs of right whales into
individuals and inter-matching between days within the season. To match
different sightings of the same whale, composite drawings and photographs of
the callosity patterns of individual right whales are compared to a limited
subset of the catalogue that includes animals with a similar appearance. For
whales that look alike in the first sort, the original photographs of all
probable matches are examined for callosity similarities and supplementary
features, including scars, pigmentation, lip crenulations, and morphometric
ratios. A match between different sightings is considered positive when the
callosity pattern and at least one other feature can be independently matched
by at least two experienced researchers (Kraus et al 1986). Exceptions to this
multiple identifying feature requirement include whales that have unusual
callosity patterns, large scars or birthmarks, or deformities so unique that
matches from clear photographs can be based on only one feature. Preliminary
photo-analysis and inter-matching was carried out at CCS, with matches
confirmed using original photographs cataloged and archived at NEAq.

iii) Photographic Data Archiving
Upon completion of the matching process, all original slides were returned
to CCS and incorporated into the CCS catalogue of identified right whales to
update existing files, using the same numbering system as NEAq, in archival
quality slide sheets. New England Aquarium (NEAq) archives copies of
photographs representing each sighting. Copies of photographs of individuals
that are better than existing records, and photographs of newly identified
whales, will be included in the NEAq master files as \"type specimens\" for
future reference. The master files are maintained in fireproof safes at NEAq.
All catalogue files are available for inspection and on-site use by
contributors and collaborators.
attribute NC_GLOBAL awards_0_award_nid String 55048
attribute NC_GLOBAL awards_0_award_number String unknown NEC-CoopRes NOAA
attribute NC_GLOBAL awards_0_funder_name String National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
attribute NC_GLOBAL awards_0_funding_acronym String NOAA
attribute NC_GLOBAL awards_0_funding_source_nid String 352
attribute NC_GLOBAL cdm_data_type String Other
attribute NC_GLOBAL comment String Whale observation tracklines
P.I.: Moira Brown
positions of survey lines used over the course of the study.
project title: 'Surveillance, Monitoring, and Management of
Right Whales and Habitat of Cape Cod Bay: 2002'
(report tables 1a-d)
attribute NC_GLOBAL Conventions String COARDS, CF-1.6, ACDD-1.3
attribute NC_GLOBAL creator_email String info at bco-dmo.org
attribute NC_GLOBAL creator_name String BCO-DMO
attribute NC_GLOBAL creator_type String institution
attribute NC_GLOBAL creator_url String https://www.bco-dmo.org/ (external link)
attribute NC_GLOBAL data_source String extract_data_as_tsv version 2.3 19 Dec 2019
attribute NC_GLOBAL date_created String 2010-06-16T20:40:39Z
attribute NC_GLOBAL date_modified String 2019-03-14T18:24:36Z
attribute NC_GLOBAL defaultDataQuery String &time<now
attribute NC_GLOBAL doi String 10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.2989.1
attribute NC_GLOBAL Easternmost_Easting double -69.8833
attribute NC_GLOBAL geospatial_lat_max double 42.6333
attribute NC_GLOBAL geospatial_lat_min double 41.05
attribute NC_GLOBAL geospatial_lat_units String degrees_north
attribute NC_GLOBAL geospatial_lon_max double -69.8833
attribute NC_GLOBAL geospatial_lon_min double -71.5
attribute NC_GLOBAL geospatial_lon_units String degrees_east
attribute NC_GLOBAL infoUrl String https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/2989 (external link)
attribute NC_GLOBAL institution String BCO-DMO
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_acronym String camera
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_dataset_instrument_description String 35 mm camera
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_dataset_instrument_nid String 4730
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_description String All types of photographic equipment including stills, video, film and digital systems.
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_instrument_external_identifier String https://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/311/ (external link)
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_instrument_name String Camera
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_instrument_nid String 520
attribute NC_GLOBAL instruments_0_supplied_name String Camera
attribute NC_GLOBAL keywords String bco, bco-dmo, biological, chemical, comments, data, dataset, date, date_local, distance, distance_nm, dmo, erddap, lat_2, latitude, line, local, lon_2, longitude, management, oceanography, office, preliminary, region, region_line, year
attribute NC_GLOBAL license String https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/2989/license (external link)
attribute NC_GLOBAL metadata_source String https://www.bco-dmo.org/api/dataset/2989 (external link)
attribute NC_GLOBAL Northernmost_Northing double 42.6333
attribute NC_GLOBAL param_mapping String {'2989': {'lon_1': 'flag - longitude', 'lat_1': 'flag - latitude'}}
attribute NC_GLOBAL parameter_source String https://www.bco-dmo.org/mapserver/dataset/2989/parameters (external link)
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_0_affiliation String Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_0_affiliation_acronym String PCCS
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_0_person_name String Dr Moira Brown
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_0_person_nid String 51013
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_0_role String Principal Investigator
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_0_role_type String originator
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_1_affiliation String Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_1_person_name String Dr Daniel McKiernan
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_1_person_nid String 51014
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_1_role String Principal Investigator
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_1_role_type String originator
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_2_affiliation String Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_2_affiliation_acronym String PCCS
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_2_person_name String Dr Charles Mayo
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_2_person_nid String 51015
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_2_role String Co-Principal Investigator
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_2_role_type String originator
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_3_affiliation String Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_3_affiliation_acronym String WHOI
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_3_person_name String Nancy Copley
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_3_person_nid String 50396
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_3_role String BCO-DMO Data Manager
attribute NC_GLOBAL people_3_role_type String related
attribute NC_GLOBAL project String NEC-CoopRes
attribute NC_GLOBAL projects_0_acronym String NEC-CoopRes
attribute NC_GLOBAL projects_0_description String The Northeast Consortium encourages and funds cooperative research and monitoring projects in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank that have effective, equal partnerships among fishermen, scientists, educators, and marine resource managers.
The Northeast Consortium seeks to fund projects that will be conducted in a responsible manner. Cooperative research projects are designed to minimize any negative impacts to ecosystems or marine organisms, and be consistent with accepted ethical research practices, including the use of animals and human subjects in research, scrutiny of research protocols by an institutional board of review, etc.
attribute NC_GLOBAL projects_0_geolocation String Georges Bank, Gulf of Maine
attribute NC_GLOBAL projects_0_name String Northeast Consortium: Cooperative Research
attribute NC_GLOBAL projects_0_project_nid String 2045
attribute NC_GLOBAL projects_0_project_website String http://northeastconsortium.org/ (external link)
attribute NC_GLOBAL projects_0_start_date String 1999-01
attribute NC_GLOBAL publisher_name String Biological and Chemical Oceanographic Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
attribute NC_GLOBAL publisher_type String institution
attribute NC_GLOBAL sourceUrl String (local files)
attribute NC_GLOBAL Southernmost_Northing double 41.05
attribute NC_GLOBAL standard_name_vocabulary String CF Standard Name Table v55
attribute NC_GLOBAL subsetVariables String year
attribute NC_GLOBAL summary String Right Whales aerial surveillance tracklines over Cape Cod Bay and adjacent waters from the R/V Shearwater NEC-MB2002-1, 2002 (Northeast Consortium Cooperative Research project).
attribute NC_GLOBAL title String [whales aerial tracklines] - Right Whales aerial surveillance tracklines over Cape Cod Bay and adjacent waters from the R/V Shearwater NEC-MB2002-1, 2002 (NEC-CoopRes project) (Northeast Consortium: Cooperative Research)
attribute NC_GLOBAL version String 1
attribute NC_GLOBAL Westernmost_Easting double -71.5
attribute NC_GLOBAL xml_source String osprey2erddap.update_xml() v1.3
variable region   String  
attribute region bcodmo_name String region
attribute region description String geographic sampling region
attribute region long_name String Region
variable region_line   String  
attribute region_line bcodmo_name String unknown
attribute region_line description String region code plus survey trackline number
attribute region_line long_name String Region Line
variable line   byte  
attribute line _FillValue byte 127
attribute line actual_range byte 1, 16
attribute line bcodmo_name String unknown
attribute line description String survey trackline number
attribute line long_name String Line
variable year   short  
attribute year _FillValue short 32767
attribute year actual_range short 2002, 2002
attribute year bcodmo_name String year
attribute year description String year
attribute year long_name String Year
attribute year nerc_identifier String https://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P01/current/YEARXXXX/ (external link)
variable date_local   String  
attribute date_local bcodmo_name String date_local
attribute date_local description String date of survey, either range of months or precise day, depending on the trackline.
attribute date_local long_name String Date Local
variable latitude   double  
attribute latitude _CoordinateAxisType String Lat
attribute latitude _FillValue double NaN
attribute latitude actual_range double 41.05, 42.6333
attribute latitude axis String Y
attribute latitude bcodmo_name String latitude
attribute latitude colorBarMaximum double 90.0
attribute latitude colorBarMinimum double -90.0
attribute latitude description String latitude of survey trackline, usually for the entire line.
attribute latitude ioos_category String Location
attribute latitude long_name String Latitude
attribute latitude nerc_identifier String https://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P09/current/LATX/ (external link)
attribute latitude source_name String lat_1
attribute latitude standard_name String latitude
attribute latitude units String degrees_north
variable lat_2   float  
attribute lat_2 _FillValue float NaN
attribute lat_2 actual_range float 41.05, 42.6333
attribute lat_2 bcodmo_name String latitude
attribute lat_2 colorBarMaximum double 90.0
attribute lat_2 colorBarMinimum double -90.0
attribute lat_2 description String latitude at end of each trackline
attribute lat_2 long_name String Latitude
attribute lat_2 nerc_identifier String https://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P09/current/LATX/ (external link)
attribute lat_2 standard_name String latitude
attribute lat_2 units String decimal degrees
variable longitude   double  
attribute longitude _CoordinateAxisType String Lon
attribute longitude _FillValue double NaN
attribute longitude actual_range double -71.5, -69.8833
attribute longitude axis String X
attribute longitude bcodmo_name String longitude
attribute longitude colorBarMaximum double 180.0
attribute longitude colorBarMinimum double -180.0
attribute longitude description String longitude, westernmost end of trackline (west is negative), in decimal degress
attribute longitude ioos_category String Location
attribute longitude long_name String Longitude
attribute longitude nerc_identifier String https://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P09/current/LONX/ (external link)
attribute longitude source_name String lon_1
attribute longitude standard_name String longitude
attribute longitude units String degrees_east
variable lon_2   float  
attribute lon_2 _FillValue float NaN
attribute lon_2 actual_range float -70.5, -69.0
attribute lon_2 bcodmo_name String longitude
attribute lon_2 colorBarMaximum double 180.0
attribute lon_2 colorBarMinimum double -180.0
attribute lon_2 description String longitude, easternmost end of trackline (west is negative), in decimal degress
attribute lon_2 long_name String Longitude
attribute lon_2 nerc_identifier String https://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P09/current/LONX/ (external link)
attribute lon_2 standard_name String longitude
attribute lon_2 units String decimal degrees
variable distance_nm   float  
attribute distance_nm _FillValue float NaN
attribute distance_nm actual_range float 11.0, 65.0
attribute distance_nm bcodmo_name String unknown
attribute distance_nm description String distance traveled by survey, in nautical miles
attribute distance_nm long_name String Distance Nm
attribute distance_nm units String nm
variable comments   String  
attribute comments bcodmo_name String comment
attribute comments description String free text comments
attribute comments long_name String Comments

The information in the table above is also available in other file formats (.csv, .htmlTable, .itx, .json, .jsonlCSV1, .jsonlCSV, .jsonlKVP, .mat, .nc, .nccsv, .tsv, .xhtml) via a RESTful web service.


 
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