High-Resolution Ocean CTD Profiles from Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska

Seven high-resolution CTD casts provide nearly continuous profiles of temperature, salinity, and density from 13 stations in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. The data was collected by Dr. C. Peter McRoy of the University of Alaska's Institute of Marine Science from the ships ALPHA HELIX and LITTLE DIPPER. Measurements were taken between June 27, 1994, and January 6, 1995, as part of the ISHTAR project.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of temperature and salinity to identify water masses and thermocline structure in the Bering Sea.
• Calculating density (sigma-t) from the CTD measurements to study ocean stratification and stability.
• Correlating dissolved oxygen or transmissivity readings with depth to assess biological activity and water clarity.
• Using reported position, date, and time data to map the spatial and temporal distribution of oceanographic casts.
• Investigating relationships between reported surface meteorological conditions and subsurface water column properties.

Strengths

• Data provides high-resolution profiles with measurements potentially reported at 1-meter depth intervals.
• Includes 7 CTD data sets from 13 distinct geographic stations.
• Covers a temporal range of over six months, capturing seasonal variation.

Limitations

• Small sample size of only 7 CTD casts limits statistical power for broad conclusions.
• Data is over 25 years old, which may not represent current oceanographic conditions.
• Specific parameters like dissolved oxygen or transmissivity are not guaranteed for all casts.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), originally from Dr. C. Peter McRoy, University of Alaska.

Collection Method

Collected via high-resolution Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) instruments lowered from research vessels.

Time Range

1994-06-27 to 1995-01-06

Freshness

Data collection ended on 1995-01-06; no updates expected.

Geography

Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea.