High-Resolution CTD Profiles from Bering Sea Research Cruise

105 oceanographic stations in the Bering Sea collected detailed conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) profiles during the ISHTAR and St. Lawrence Island Polynya projects. The data was gathered from the R/V Alpha Helix over a period from May 3 to June 8, 1994, with Dr. Jackie Grebmeier of the University of Tennessee as Principal Investigator. Data includes near-continuous profiles of temperature, salinity, density, and other parameters at depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.

Use Cases

• Analyze vertical salinity and temperature gradients from CTD profiles to identify water masses and mixing layers in the Bering Sea.
• Calculate density (sigma-t) from temperature and salinity data to study water column stability and potential for convective overturning.
• Correlate dissolved oxygen or transmissivity measurements with depth to assess biological activity and particulate matter distribution.
• Use station position, date, and time data to map the spatial and temporal evolution of the St. Lawrence Island polynya during the cruise period.
• Combine meteorological and sea surface condition data with subsurface CTD profiles to investigate air-sea interaction effects on ocean structure.

Strengths

• Data from 105 distinct oceanographic stations provides spatial coverage.
• High-resolution profiles with measurements reported at depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.
• Includes multiple derived parameters like computed density (sigma-t) alongside primary measurements.

Limitations

• Data is from a single 36-day cruise in 1994, offering only a seasonal snapshot with no long-term temporal context.
• Specific sample size (number of depth readings per cast) and potential instrument calibration issues are unknown.
• Geographic scope is limited to the Bering Sea cruise track of the R/V Alpha Helix.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), sourced from the University of Alaska, Institute of Marine Science.

Collection Method

Collected using ship-deployed high-resolution Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) instruments lowered and raised through the water column.

Time Range

1994-05-03 to 1994-06-08

Freshness

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Geography

Bering Sea, specifically the cruise track of the R/V Alpha Helix (HX-177).