The stacst file is a free-format ascii file exact column locations are not important, but it does make it easier to use the file, if they are column dependent. The first line contains cruise name information, this must be in this format. All subsequent lines contain information pertinent to each station and cast. Use two commas (,,) if a field is missing. FIRST LINE: +...+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+ 1111111111111111111111 2222222222222222222222 33 444 5555 4 77 888 9999 NBP03-04A, SBI Survey Nathaniel B. Palmer 5 Jul 2003 - 20 Aug 2003 1 Cruise Name 2 Ship Name 3 Beginning cruise date (da) 4 Beginning cruise date (Mon) 5 Beginning cruise date (year) 6 - 7 Ending cruise date (da Mon yr) 8 Ending cruise date (da Mon yr) 9 Ending cruise date (da Mon yr) ALL SUBSEQUENT LINES (one line per station, bottom of cast information) 1 22 333333 44444444444 55 55.555 6 777 77.777 8 9999 AAAA BBB CCCC DDDD EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE 1 Station Number 2 Cast Number 3 Date (YYMMDD) 4 Cast Type 5 Latitude (Decimal Minutes) 6 Latitude Hemisphere (N OR S) 7 Longitude (Decimal Minutes) 8 Longitude Hemisphere (E OR W) 9 Cast Time at bottom of cast A Ocean bottom Depth (Meters) B Distance above bottom C Pressure of deepest CTD level D Pressure of deepest bottle level E Sampling performed other than salinity, oxygen, nutrients, and chlorophyll The Ocean bottom Depth is calculated by converting the maximum pressure to depth then adding the distance above bottom which is obtained from the altimeter. If there were altimeter problems on a cast (such as the package hitting the bottom and the altimeter reading off scale) the bottom depth is from the ship's bathy system and is uncorrected meters, that is assuming sound velocity at 1500 meters/second.