ADCP Current Meter Time Series in the Strait of Belle Isle

Acoustic Doppler current profiler data provides a long-term time series of three-dimensional current profiles every 30 minutes at a 4-meter vertical resolution in the Strait of Belle Isle. The dataset includes backscatter intensity and quality flags based on beam sidelobe contamination, extreme velocities, beam correlation, and four-beam transformation success. Data were collected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada using a moored instrument near the north shore in approximately 70-meter deep water.

Use Cases

• Analyze three-dimensional current profiles to model heat, salt, and mass transport budgets into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• Study vertical current structure using the 4-meter resolution profiles to understand water column dynamics.
• Use backscatter intensity data as a proxy for suspended particulate matter or biological activity.
• Apply quality flags based on beam sidelobe contamination and extreme velocities to filter or weight observations for climatological analysis.
• Investigate temporal patterns from the 30-minute interval time series to identify tidal or seasonal current cycles.

Strengths

• Provides high-resolution three-dimensional current profiles every 30 minutes.
• Includes quality control flags based on specific metrics like beam sidelobe contamination and extreme velocities.
• Data collection targeted a remote, observation-sparse region with strong currents and sea ice.

Limitations

• Spatial coverage is limited to a single mooring location near the north shore.
• The dataset's temporal coverage and total duration are not specified in the input.
• Specific row count, column count, and data volume are unknown.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Data collected using a moored Teledyne RDI Workhorse 300 KHz acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) mounted on a subsurface buoy anchored 5 m from the sea floor. Processed using Magtogoek software.

Freshness

Last updated March 24, 2026.

Geography

Strait of Belle Isle, near north shore (56° 37.2 W, 51° 34.7 N), in water approximately 70 m deep.