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Cruise Plot Comparisons

Cruise Plot Comparisons

Owned by Kester Scandrett
Last updated: 21 Mar, 2025
2 min read

Cruise plot comparisons are useful when the user wants to compare a series of continuous sampling data with model output over some distance in the domain. In ViewPlan mode the user may define a "cruise line", which corresponds to the location of data sampling transects that have been undertaken on the waterbody. EE is now able to extract the data from the user defined line and compare with the measured data. This tool can be accessed in Model Analysis | Model Calibration | Cruise Plot Comparisons as shown in Cruise Plot Comparisons#Figure 1.



Figure 1. Cruise Plot Comparisons Form.


The user should click on the Define/Edit button to set the cruise plot data as shown in Cruise Plot Comparisons#Figure 2. EE allows the use of two different kinds of cruise plot data. These are defined by station or by track. The user should define a cruise number ID for each data set. This ID will correspond to the USGS defined station IDs. If using native USGS data sets the user should select type 1 for the cruise data type. In this case the format is as shown in Cruise Plot Comparisons#Figure 3. If using track data the data form should be as shown for type 2.

The data path should be set for text files that are tab delimited format required for the following parameter as explained above and shown in Cruise Plot Comparisons#Figure 2. All the common parameter types are shown in Cruise Plot Comparisons#Figure 3. This information box is displayed with the user RMCs on the parameter field.



Figure 2. Cruise Plot Comparisons – Setting Definitions and Date File Format.



Figure 3. Cruise Plot Comparisons – Time Series Plot.


An example Cruise Plot is shown below (Figure 5) for two parameters: temperature (parameter 2) and salinity (ppt) (parameter 1). Cruise Plot Comparisons#Figure 4 shows a cruise plot track in San Francisco Bay. Cruise Plot Comparisons#Figure 5 shows a measured salinity track data from the USGS website and underneath the model output for a study on the San Joaquin – Sacramento Delta.

The colored contour represents the longitudinal and vertical distributions of salinity from the bottom to the surface of the water column. Red represents high salinity concentration, and blue represents low salinity concentration. Color patterns from left to right represent longitudinal variability, following the cruise line. Color variations from top to bottom show the vertical variability of salinity from the water surface to the bottom. In the cruise plot, all the major locations that are located on the cruise path are displayed as the vertical dashed line.



Figure 4. Cruise Plot Track in ViewPlan.



Figure 5. Cruise Plot Comparisons – Time Series Plot.

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