Gulf of Alaska CTD Profiles from RV Alpha Helix Cruise

High-resolution conductivity-temperature-depth and salinity-temperature-depth profiles collected by the RV Alpha Helix in the Gulf of Alaska. The dataset was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center to its standard F022 format. Data collection occurred over a three-day cruise from March 26 to March 28, 1985.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of temperature and salinity for water mass identification.
• Calculating density (sigma-t) from measured parameters to study ocean stratification.
• Correlating station data, including position and time, with meteorological conditions for event analysis.
• Examining potential dissolved oxygen or transmissivity records for biogeochemical studies.

Strengths

• Data is in the standardized NODC F022 format, ensuring consistent structure and quality control.
• Profiles provide near-continuous measurements at fine depth intervals, potentially as fine as 1 meter.
• Dataset includes metadata for each station: cruise information, position, date, time, and sampling interval.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file size are not documented on the source platforms.
• The license governing data use is not specified in the provided metadata.
• Data is from a single, short cruise in 1985, limiting temporal and spatial scope.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected using CTD and STD instruments deployed from the RV Alpha Helix and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1985-03-26 to 1985-03-28

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:18:16.280035

Geography

Gulf of Alaska