High-Resolution CTD/STD Profiles from RV Polarstern in the Southern Ocean

From June 29 to September 9, 1986, this dataset contains high-resolution conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) and salinity-temperature-depth (STD) profiles collected by the RV Polarstern in the South Atlantic and Southern Oceans. Processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into the standard F022 format, it provides nearly continuous measurements of oceanographic parameters. The data includes station information, position, date, time, and environmental conditions recorded during the cruise.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, and computed density (sigma-t) to study water mass structure.
• Investigating oceanographic conditions and variability in the South Atlantic and Southern Oceans during the austral winter of 1986.
• Using station position, date, and time data to map the spatial and temporal coverage of the research cruise.
• Correlating environmental data (e.g., meteorological conditions) reported at the time of each cast with the oceanographic measurements.

Strengths

• Data is processed to the NODC's high-resolution standard F022 format, ensuring a consistent structure.
• Provides nearly continuous profiles with depth intervals as fine as 1 meter, offering detailed vertical resolution.
• Covers a specific 73-day research cruise in the Southern Ocean, providing a focused temporal snapshot.

Limitations

• Key quantitative details like row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from all sources.
• The license and original author information are not provided, limiting clarity on reuse permissions and primary provenance.
• The NASA Earthdata entry lacks a description, offering no additional information for synthesis.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), from RV Polarstern cruise.

Collection Method

Collected using CTD and STD instruments lowered and raised in the ocean, processed by NODC.

Time Range

1986-06-29 to 1986-09-09

Freshness

2026-04-01 14:53:54.252104

Geography

South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean