Antarctic Ocean CTD Casts from 1991-1992

Conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) and other oceanographic data were collected from 343 casts aboard the ship Aurora Australis. The dataset contains 185,102 records submitted by Edwina Tanner of the Antarctic Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania. Data collection occurred between January 6, 1991 and March 6, 1992.

Use Cases

• Analyze vertical profiles of water column conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) from 343 casts.
• Correlate barometric pressure readings with other collected oceanographic variables over time.
• Study temporal changes in Antarctic marine conditions across the 14-month collection period.

Strengths

• 185,102 individual data records provide substantial observational density.
• Data spans a 14-month period from January 1991 to March 1992, capturing seasonal variation.
• Collection involved 343 distinct CTD casts, offering multiple spatial and temporal sampling points.

Limitations

• Specific column names and data types are not documented, complicating direct analysis.
• Data is over 30 years old, limiting its relevance for studying current oceanographic conditions.
• Geographic coverage is restricted to the routes and operations of the Aurora Australis ship.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), submitted by Antarctic Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania.

Collection Method

Data collected via Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) casts from the ship Aurora Australis and submitted via File Transfer Protocol.

Time Range

1991-01-06 to 1992-03-06

Freshness

Data collection ended on March 6, 1992; it is a static historical archive.

Geography

Antarctic region, specific locations determined by the voyage path of the Aurora Australis.