SeaBASS Submission Checklist: Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM)
Please fill out the Collection, Measurement, and Analysis methods sections. When finished, rename this file to be specific to your data, following this schema: checklist_CDOM_absorption_EXPERIMENT_CRUISE_SubmissionDate_SeaBASSfileVersion.txt (e.g., checklist_CDOM_absorption_EXPORTS_EXPORTSNA_20241016_R1.txt)

Experiment Name:
Cruise Name:

SAMPLE COLLECTION METHODS
1) How were the samples collected in the field? (e.g. Niskin bottle, surface pump, bucket) If applicable, were samples taken on upcast or downcast?


2) Where were they collected (coastal, offshore, estuarine, etc.) and at what general depths?


3) How were samples filtered? (e.g., vacuum pump, peristaltic, syringe, vacuum jar, etc.)


4) What type of filter and pore size was used to filter? (e.g. flat disk, capsule, syringe filter, etc.)?


5) Approximately how long after collection were the water samples filtered?


6) Approximately how long were the filtered samples stored before analysis?


7) Were samples stored WITHOUT acidification? (Note: Acidification can alter the optical properties of samples.)


7) Were samples kept refrigerated after filtration and kept between 4-10C? 


8) Were samples stored in combusted amber glass bottles?  ( Note: Storing samples in plastic bottle can lead to CDOM leaching from the plastic into the samples. )



SAMPLE ANALYSIS METHODS
1) List instrument manufacturer and model


2) What type of spectrophotometer was used (dual or single beam, waveguide, integrating sphere, etc.)?  


3) For benchtop specs, what was the cuvette size (1, 5, or 10 cm)?  


4) For Waveguides, what was the effective pathlength of the instrument either measured by the manufacturer or by the researcher?


5) Provide instrument settings
Integration time: 
Scan speed: 
Slit width:
Wavelength range and increment: 
Other: 


6) Were the samples re-filtered before the spectrophotometric analysis?


7) Was a solution of Suwanee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA) measured during the analysis? What was the concentration of the solution? See Mannino et al. 2019 for more information.



DATA ANALYSIS METHODS:
1) If there were multiple scans: how many and were they averaged? If so, remember to provide the standard error or deviation values, and use the header ÒbincountÓ to indicate the number of measurements (n) averaged. [PI1](e.g., /bincount=ag:3) 

2) Did you collect replicates? How many? Please do not average the replicates and submit one per SeaBASS file. 


3) Was decadic or Naperian absorption reported?  The raw absorbance values should always be reported with the data.


4) What type of corrections were applied to the data?  If the data was null corrected, the method should be described containing information on the wavelength region the null correction was calculated from and its value. The absorption coefficients can be null corrected; however, the raw absorbance values should be reported without the null correction applied. See REPORTING GUIDELINES below for how to report null correction.


5) If the instrument baseline drifted during the analysis and a final MilliQ scan was used to correct the data, this should be documented and reported.  The information provided should allow data users to take the raw data scans and calculate the final absorption reported by the user.


6) If the spectral slope is reported, what was the range and method for calculating the slope?  Was it a linear fit to log transformed data or a nonlinear exponential fitting routine?  



WAVEGUIDE-SPECIFIC REPORTING (IF APPLICABLE):
1) The salinity correction method should be well documented.  What type of salt solution(s) were used for the correction (artificial sea water, NACL, etc.)?  


2) Was the sample measured with a matched salinity reference or was MilliQ used as a reference and the sample was later corrected with a salt solution spectra or curve?


3) Scan settings should be reported (integration time, accumulations per scan, smoothing, etc.)


4) How many scans per sample, and were the averages and standard deviations or standard errors reported?


5) Was the data corrected with an interpolated regression from the salinity scans? What salinity was used for the regression/correction and what wavelength was used to choose the proper salinity regression?



REPORTING GUIDELINES & REMINDERS (DO NOT FILL IN):
1) The entire raw scan of absorbance should be reported for each discrete measurement. If multiple scans were measured, the average absorbance can be reported along with the standard deviation. Please indicate the number of measurements (n) averaged using the bincount header. (e.g., /bincount=ag:3


2) The absorption coefficient may be reported after null correction have been applied.  Raw absorbance (optical densities) should be submitted without null correction. Intermediate steps in which null correction is applied are not required to be included in the file.


3) A documentation file should be provided describing the methods for collection, filtration, analysis, and steps needed to calculate the final absorption spectra. 


4) Please do NOT apply smoothing algorithms. Smoothing must not be applied to absorbance / optical density (e.g., abs_ag), and should not be applied to absorption coefficients (e.g., ag).


5) If you performed a null correction, or wish to report a calculated spectral slope, please include the calculated values in the metadata header (and include more details on how they were calculated in your documentation.)
* If a null correction was applied, use the form: /null_correction=abs_ag:0.0076. 
* To report Òs_agÓ, include the wavelength range used for the calculation as part of the name, e.g., Òs_ag_300nmmin_600nmmaxÓ. If only 1 s_ag is applicable to the entire data file, then store the information in the metadata headers using the form Ò/s_ag=s_ag_#nmmin_#nmmax:VALUEÓ, replacing # and VALUE with the relevant numbers.


6) Typical fields in a CDOM spectra file include: wavelength, abs_ag, abs_ag_sd, ag


7) If data was corrected against water scans, rather than the instrument being baselined with water, the raw water scans need to report along with the data. This can be done using the abs_blank_ag field or by submitting them as a txt or SeaBASS file and include the file in the ÒdocumentsÓ header. Please note whether the same water scan was used for all samples and if not, report which scans belong to which samples.
Suggestion:[PI1]
If so, remember to provide the standard error or deviation values and bin count.