High-Resolution CTD Profiles from North and South Atlantic Ocean Cruises

High-resolution Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) profiles were collected in the North Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico from November 24, 1987 to April 12, 1989. Data originates from the GULFCETI, SAVE, and HYDROS projects, collected aboard the R/V Knorr and R/V Melville and submitted by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The processed dataset provides near-continuous vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, density, and other parameters at depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical ocean structure by examining temperature and salinity profiles at specified depth or pressure levels.
• Studying water mass distribution and ocean ventilation in the Atlantic using computed sigma-t density values.
• Investigating relationships between physical parameters and biological indicators using optional dissolved oxygen or transmissivity data.
• Correlating subsurface conditions with surface observations using reported meteorological and sea surface data from each station.
• Examining spatial and temporal variability across cruise legs by combining position, date, time, and station information.

Strengths

• Provides high-resolution vertical profiles with data reported at depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.
• Covers a multi-year time range from 1987-11-24 to 1989-04-12 across multiple oceanographic projects.
• Data is processed and available in the standardized NODC F022-CTD-Hi Resolution file format.
• Includes metadata for each station such as cruise information, position, date, time, and sampling interval.

Limitations

• Exact row count, column names, and dataset size are unknown across all sources.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2026-04-01 on data.gov vs. 1989-04-12 on NASA Earthdata).
• License information and the specific author beyond the submitting institution are not provided.

Provenance

Source

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, submitted by Kristen M. Sanborn; archived by NOAA NCEI.

Collection Method

Collected using ship-deployed CTD instruments lowered and raised through the water column.

Time Range

1987-11 24 to 1989-04-12

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:14:55.057874

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico