NW Atlantic Ocean CTD and Nutrient Data from NOAA Fisheries Cruises

NW Atlantic oceanographic data were collected from eleven research cruises aboard four NOAA ships over a three-year period from June 1986 to December 1989. The dataset includes Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) measurements, nitrate levels, and cloud amount/frequency observations. It was gathered by the National Marine Fisheries Service in Woods Hole and processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into the F022 format.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of seawater conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) for physical oceanography studies.
• Investigating nitrate concentration distributions to assess nutrient availability for primary production.
• Correlating surface meteorological observations like cloud amount/frequency with subsurface oceanographic conditions.
• Studying seasonal or interannual variability in Atlantic Ocean water properties from the mid-1980s.
• Calibrating or validating regional oceanographic models with historical in-situ cruise data.

Strengths

• Data originates from eleven structured research cruises, providing systematic spatial and temporal coverage.
• Covers a multi-year time range (over three years) from 1986 to 1989, allowing for temporal analysis.
• Processed and formatted by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), ensuring a standardized structure (F022 format).
• Cross-platform presence on NASA EarthData and Data.gov indicates recognized importance and curation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not provided by any source, limiting precise assessment.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' metadata, with one listing 2026-03-05 and another listing 1989-12-15.
• The original data format (F022) may require specialized knowledge or tools for modern analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Marine Fisheries Service, Woods Hole, MA; data submitted by Dr. David Mountain.

Collection Method

In-situ measurements collected from ship-based cruises using CTD and other oceanographic instruments.

Time Range

1986-06-19 to 1989-12-15

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:43:42.065301

Geography

NW Atlantic (limit-40 W)