That the salinity sensor calibration of a large number of
floats might contain the same erroneous offset is highly unlikely.
Shifting the time series to higher salinities is equivalent
to shifting the float trajectories westward relative to the
WOA mean field. Systematic errors in the positioning system
of many floats are also highly unlikely. The conclusion
has to be that theWOA mean field places the salinity gradient
region to the west of the situation observed in 2003–2005.