Atlantic Zone Bottom Temperature Time Series for Quebec Region

Quebec's Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program provides bottom temperature time series from 3 fixed stations and 46 transect stations in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. Data includes station location, date, depth, and temperature measurements, with mean values calculated for June and autumn surveys from 2014 to 2023. The program, run by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, began sampling in 1998 to track marine environmental changes.

Use Cases

• Analyze long-term bottom temperature trends at specific Station locations like the Rimouski fixed station using the Date(UTC) and Temperature columns.
• Model spatial temperature variability across the Estuary and Gulf by correlating Temperature with Latitude and Longitude coordinates from the 46 transect stations.
• Assess seasonal differences in bottom temperature by comparing data from the June survey layer (2014-2023) and the autumn survey layer (2014-2023).
• Investigate the relationship between water column properties by joining Temperature data with Depth/Profondeur(m) and Sounding(m) measurements.

Strengths

• Time series data spans from the program's start in 1998, providing over two decades of temporal coverage for trend analysis.
• Includes data from 49 distinct geographic points: 3 fixed stations and 46 stations grouped into transects.
• Data collection follows a documented AZMP sampling protocol using CTD profiles, ensuring methodological consistency.
• Provides derived data products like 10-year mean bottom temperature layers for the June and autumn survey periods.

Limitations

• The dataset has temporal gaps; for example, the June survey layer excludes data from the year 2020, which was not sampled.
• Spatial coverage is limited to the Quebec region's responsibility area within the broader Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program.
• The raw data volume (row count) and specific column details beyond the listed seven are not provided in the input.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP).

Collection Method

Data collected via CTD profiles according to the AZMP sampling protocol at fixed and transect stations.

Time Range

Sampling began in 1998; derived layers cover 2014-2023 (excluding 2020 for June survey).

Freshness

Data is updated as of March 24, 2026, with surveys conducted annually in June and autumn.

Geography

Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, under the Quebec region of the AZMP.