High-Resolution Ocean CTD Profiles from RV Alpha Helix

Nearly continuous oceanographic profiles were collected by the RV Alpha Helix in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska during a June 1980 cruise. Data was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into the standard F022 format, which can include measurements at depth intervals as fine as one meter. This dataset is hosted by NOAA NCEI and also appears on NASA EarthData, indicating its cross-platform relevance.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical gradients of temperature and salinity to understand water mass structure.
• Calculating density (sigma-t) from the provided parameters to study ocean stratification and mixing.
• Correlating station-specific data (position, date, time) with meteorological conditions for synoptic ocean-atmosphere studies.
• Using high-resolution depth or pressure level data to calibrate or validate regional ocean models.

Strengths

• Data is in a standardized NODC format (F022), ensuring consistent structure and metadata.
• Profiles offer high-resolution measurements, potentially at intervals as fine as 1 meter.
• Coverage includes two distinct and important marine regions: the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided by any source, limiting preliminary assessment.
• The license and original author are not documented, which may restrict certain uses.
• A conflict exists: the 'last updated' date is 2026-03 06 on Data.gov but 1980-07-02 on NASA EarthData, suggesting inconsistent metadata management.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), collected from RV Alpha Helix.

Collection Method

High-resolution data collected using CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) and STD (salinity-temperature-depth) instruments, processed to NODC standard format F022.

Time Range

1980-06-17 to 1980-07-02

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:19:02.088068

Geography

Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska