High-Resolution CTD/STD Oceanographic Profiles from the Gulf of Alaska

High-resolution CTD/STD data from the RV Alpha Helix provides nearly continuous vertical profiles of ocean properties in the Gulf of Alaska. The dataset, processed to the NODC F022 standard, likely contains measurements of temperature, salinity, density, and possibly dissolved oxygen or transmissivity at fine depth intervals. Cruise information, station positions, and environmental conditions at the time of each cast are also reported.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical stratification and water mass properties based on temperature and salinity profiles.
• Studying temporal changes in ocean conditions in the Gulf of Alaska from 1984 to 1986 using the time-series data.
• Correlating biological observations with physical environmental data from the reported station positions and depths.
• Calibrating or validating regional oceanographic models with high-resolution in-situ profile data.

Strengths

• Data is high-resolution, with profiles potentially reported at depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.
• Coverage spans a significant time range from October 1984 to March 1986.
• Processed to a recognized standard (NODC F022 format) by a authoritative organization (NOAA/NODC).

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing, including specific column names, row count, file size, and license information.
• The dataset's age (1984-1986) may limit its relevance for studying contemporary oceanographic changes.
• Documentation gaps exist, as the exact parameters beyond core CTD measurements are not explicitly listed.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

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

Time Range

1984-10-26 to 1986-03-18

Freshness

Metadata was last updated on 2026-03-05, though the underlying data collection ended in 1986.

Geography

Gulf of Alaska, specifically the Coastal Waters of S. Alaska