Argos Satellite Tracking Data for Yellow-billed Loons (Gavia adamsii) - Processed Data

Abstract

This metadata document describes the data contained in the processedData folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 92 satellite transmitters attached to adult Yellow-billed Loons on their breeding range in Arctic Alaska and Canada, 2002-2017. The raw data were processed to accomplish two goals: flag implausible location estimates and decode raw sensor data. Three Comma Separate Value (CSV) tables are included in the processedData folder of this data package: 1) the diag_filteredLocations table contains one record for every location estimate collected, accompanied by a binary flag that denotes an algorithm's plausibility check. Each record also includes a 'Tracking_Status' variable that denotes whether the location was collected from a live animal, a dead animal, or shed transmitter, 2) the decodedSensor table contains decoded sensor data such as a transmitter's temperature, battery voltage, and motion (activity), and 3) the deploymentAttributes table contains one record for each transmitter deployment in a CSV formatted table. The deployment attributes file contains information such as when the transmitter was attached to the animal, when tracking of a live animal ended, and a variety of variables describing the animal and transmitter. This table is identical to the deploymentAttributes table in the rawData folder of this data package.