High-Resolution CTD/STD Ocean Profiles from Gulf of Alaska

Gulf of Alaska coastal waters were sampled by the RV Alpha Helix from March 4-5, 1988. The dataset contains high-resolution vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, density, and potentially dissolved oxygen or transmissivity, processed to the NODC F022 standard. Data provides a detailed snapshot of water column properties at fine depth intervals, likely down to 1 meter.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical stratification and water mass properties based on temperature and salinity profiles.
• Calculating derived oceanographic parameters like density (sigma-t) from the core measurements.
• Studying short-term oceanographic conditions in the Gulf of Alaska using the detailed station metadata (position, time, environmental data).
• Validating regional ocean models or remote sensing data with in-situ, high-resolution profile data.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a recognized standard format (NODC F022), ensuring consistency.
• Provides high-resolution vertical profiles, with depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.
• Includes comprehensive station metadata such as position, time, and potential meteorological conditions.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: specific column names, row counts, file size, and license are unknown.
• Temporal coverage is extremely limited to a two-day cruise in 1988.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (1988 vs. 2026), casting doubt on metadata maintenance.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. Data collected by RV Alpha Helix.

Collection Method

In-situ measurements collected using CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) and STD (Salinity-Temperature-Depth) instruments, processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC).

Time Range

1988-03-04 to 1988-03-05

Freshness

Last updated metadata on one platform is 2026-04-01, but the underlying data is from 1988.

Geography

Coastal Waters of Southern Alaska, Gulf of Alaska