High-Resolution Ocean CTD/STD Profiles from the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska

High-resolution CTD/STD data from the ACONA project, covering the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. The dataset contains nearly continuous profiles of oceanographic parameters processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center to its F022 standard format. It was collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration between November 1975 and July 1979.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of temperature and salinity to study water mass structure and ocean stratification.
• Investigating historical density (sigma-t) variations for climate change and ocean circulation research.
• Correlating station data (position, date, time) with environmental conditions like meteorological observations.
• Examining potential dissolved oxygen or transmissivity records to assess water quality and biological activity.
• Using the high-resolution (potentially 1-meter interval) depth/pressure data for detailed process studies.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a standardized, well-documented format (NODC F022), ensuring consistency.
• Provides high-resolution vertical profiles, with data potentially reported at depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.
• Covers a multi-year time range (1975-1979) for analysis of seasonal and interannual variability.
• Includes metadata for each station such as cruise information, position, and sampling interval.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided in the available metadata.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' field: Data.gov lists 2026-04-01, while NASA Earthdata lists the collection end date of 1979-07 19.
• The availability of parameters like dissolved oxygen or transmissivity is noted as 'possibly' present, indicating potential inconsistency.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Data collected using Conductivity-Temperature-Depth and Salinity-Temperature-Depth instruments from the ACONA project, processed by NODC.

Time Range

1975-11-02 to 1979-07-19

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:11:34.851723

Geography

Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.