High-Resolution Ocean CTD/STD Profiles from RV Alpha Helix

November 29 to December 12, 1988, this dataset contains high-resolution conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) and salinity-temperature-depth (STD) profiles from the RV Alpha Helix in the Gulf of Alaska and North Pacific Ocean. The National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) processed the data into the standard F022 format, which can report measurements at depth intervals as fine as one meter. It is published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is also listed on NASA EarthData.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of temperature and salinity to study water mass distribution.
• Calculating seawater density (sigma-t) from measured parameters for ocean circulation models.
• Correlating oceanographic cast data with reported meteorological and sea surface conditions.
• Examining spatial variability of ocean properties across the Gulf of Alaska cruise track.
• Using the detailed station metadata (position, date, time, sampling interval) for temporal and geospatial analysis.

Strengths

• Data is in the standardized NODC High-Resolution CTD/STD (F022) format, ensuring consistency.
• Profiles provide near-continuous measurements at high resolution, with potential depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.
• Includes ancillary data such as cruise information, position, and environmental conditions for each station.

Limitations

• Key metrics like row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided by any source.
• The license and author information are unknown across all platforms.
• A conflict exists on the 'last updated' date: Data.gov lists 2026-04-01, while NASA EarthData lists the collection end date of 1988-12 12.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Data collected via CTD and STD instruments deployed from RV Alpha Helix and processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC).

Time Range

1988-11-29 to 1988-12-12

Freshness

2026-04-01 14:53:12.083529

Geography

Gulf of Alaska and North Pacific Ocean