Drake Passage Ocean Surface Measurements From 1976 FDRAKE Expedition

Drake Passage surface data collected during the First Dynamic Response And Kinematic Experiment (FDRAKE) in 1976 aboard the YELCHO. The dataset includes surface temperature, salinity, and silicate measurements from two separate legs spanning February 27 to April 8, 1976. Data was submitted by the Department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University and archived by NOAA NCEI.

Use Cases

• Analyze surface_temperature and salinity variations across the Drake Passage to study frontal dynamics.
• Correlate silicate measurements with other oceanographic parameters to investigate nutrient cycling.
• Model time-series data from the two expedition legs to understand seasonal transitions in the Southern Ocean.
• Use the geospatial track of the YELCHO to validate historical ocean current models for the region.

Strengths

• Data spans a focused 41-day period during a key 1976 oceanographic experiment.
• Includes three distinct surface ocean parameters: temperature, salinity, and silicate.

Limitations

• Small temporal scope limited to early 1976.
• Original data format is a 13-page computer printout with no digital records indicated.
• No column names or sample data provided for structure verification.

Provenance

Source

Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, via NOAA NCEI.

Collection Method

Surface measurements collected from shipboard instruments aboard the YELCHO.

Time Range

1976-02-27 to 1976-04-08

Freshness

1976-04-08

Geography

Drake Passage, Southern Ocean.