Gulf of Mexico Ocean Currents and Profiles, 1987-1988

Gulf of Mexico oceanographic data were collected from moored current meters, CTD, and bathythermograph instruments between April 1987 and November 1988 for the Gulf of Mexico Physical Oceanography project. The dataset includes time-series measurements of current vectors, temperature, salinity, and pressure, processed by NOAA's National Oceanographic Data Center into standard formats. These observations provide a detailed physical profile of the Gulf's water column over a 19-month period.

Use Cases

• Analyzing time-series of east-west (u) and north-south (v) current vector components to study Gulf of Mexico circulation patterns.
• Using high-resolution CTD profiles of conductivity, temperature, and depth to characterize water mass properties and stratification.
• Examining bathythermograph (XBT) data for vertical temperature structure and thermocline depth variability.
• Correlating sensor depth, bottom depth, and position data to understand the spatial context of Eulerian current measurements.

Strengths

• Data collection spans a significant 19-month period from April 1987 to November 1988, capturing seasonal variability.
• Measurements follow established NOAA NODC standard formats (F015, F022, C100, C116/118), ensuring structured and documented data.
• High-resolution CTD profiles can report parameters at depth intervals as fine as 1 meter.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and the complete set of column names are not provided by any source.
• Conflicting metadata exists for the 'last updated' date, with one source reporting 2026-03-05 and another reporting 1988-11-02.
• License information is not specified on any platform.

Provenance

Source

Science Applications, INC - Raleigh NC; processed by NOAA National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC).

Collection Method

Collected using moored current meter casts, CTD, STD, and bathythermograph (XBT) instruments.

Time Range

1987-04-04 to 1988-11-02

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:40:56.257486

Geography

Gulf of Mexico