R/V Melville CTD and Ocean Station Data from the South Atlantic

High-resolution CTD/STD and ocean station data were collected during a R/V Melville cruise in the South Atlantic Ocean from January 24 to February 19, 1986. The dataset, processed by the NODC into standard F022 and C100 formats, contains physical-chemical measurements at discrete depth levels, including temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients. Most observations originate from Nansen bottle casts, with a smaller portion from electronic CTD/STD recorders.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of temperature and salinity (sigma-t) to study water mass structure and ocean circulation.
• Investigating nutrient concentrations (phosphate, silicate, nitrate, nitrite) and dissolved oxygen for biogeochemical process studies.
• Correlating meteorological conditions (air temperature, pressure, wind) reported at cast time with surface oceanographic observations.
• Using interpolated data at standard depth levels for comparative oceanographic studies and model validation.

Strengths

• Data is processed to established NODC standard formats (F022 and C100), ensuring consistency and interoperability.
• Includes both directly observed measurements and interpolated values at standard depth levels, facilitating analysis.
• Covers a specific, focused time range of nearly one month during a dedicated research cruise.

Limitations

• Key quantitative metrics like row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from the provided sources.
• Sources disagree on the last updated date: one platform lists 2026-03-05 (likely a metadata refresh), while another lists the data collection end date of 1986-02-19.
• Approximately 95% of data comes from Nansen bottle casts, which have lower vertical resolution compared to modern CTD profiles.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), originally from NODC.

Collection Method

Collected via ship-based Nansen bottle casts and electronic CTD/STD recorders during a research cruise, then processed to standard formats.

Time Range

1986-01-24 to 1986-02-19

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:23:48.962873

Geography

South Atlantic Ocean, specific to the R/V Melville cruise track.