Santa Barbara Channel CTD and Bottom Pressure Measurements

SCIOPS collected CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) and bottom pressure data from the Santa Barbara Channel and Santa Maria Basin. The dataset includes observations from multiple transects and cruises, with data organized by cruise code and instrument type. Data collection was funded by the Minerals Management Service and occurred primarily in the 1990s.

Use Cases

• Analyze cross-shelf salinity and temperature gradients using CTD cast data from specific transects like AN and SM.
• Model bottom pressure variations over time by joining data from mooring locations such as GO_IN or GO_OFF.
• Study synoptic oceanographic conditions by correlating CTD cast variables from a single cruise code (e.g., 9408).
• Compare instrument performance by analyzing data files distinguished by Neil Brown ('n') or Ocean Sensors ('o') CTD identifiers.

Strengths

• Data collection designed for synoptic coverage, with transects traversed as close in time as possible.
• CTD casts reached depths of approximately 500 meters in the channel's deepest parts.
• Observational program was closely articulated with numerical simulations for model validation.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is stale, with the last update recorded in December 1998.
• Not all transects were occupied consistently, with some like AB, SA, and AR only added later in the study.
• Specific row counts, column details, and sample sizes are unknown.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS, with funding from the Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS).

Collection Method

Observational data acquired via ship-based CTD casts and towed CTD surveys, organized by cruise.

Time Range

Primarily 1990s, with specific cruise codes using year and month (e.g., 9408 for August 1994).

Geography

Santa Barbara Channel and Santa Maria Basin, California, USA, along specific cross-shelf transects.