New York Bight Ocean Current and Environmental Measurements from 1977-1978

78 days of ocean current direction and speed data were collected from fixed platforms by the National Ocean Service for the MESA New York Bight project. Measurements were processed by NODC into the F005 Current Meter Data format, representing Eulerian flow measurements. The data collection period spanned from November 3, 1977, to January 31, 1978.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal patterns in current direction and speed at 10-15 minute intervals to understand tidal and wind-driven circulation.
• Correlating water temperature and salinity measurements with current data to study density-driven flows.
• Using reported wind direction and speed data to model wind stress forcing on surface currents.
• Investigating relationships between dominant wave parameters (height, period) and near-bottom current velocities.
• Mapping sensor depth and position data to create vertical current profiles for specific mooring stations.

Strengths

• Data collected at high temporal resolution, typically every 10-15 minutes.
• Includes multiple concurrent environmental parameters like temperature, salinity, and wind data alongside currents.
• Records contain precise metadata including position, water depth, and sensor depth for each station.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to a single winter season (78 days).
• Spatial coverage is restricted to fixed platform locations in the New York Bight, limiting geographic generalizability.
• Data is over 45 years old, and sensor technology has significantly advanced since collection.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), originating from the National Ocean Service (NOS).

Collection Method

Collected from moored current-measuring instruments (e.g., Aanderaa current meters) on fixed platforms using the Eulerian measurement method.

Time Range

1977-11-03 to 1978-01-31

Freshness

null

Geography

Fixed platforms in the New York Bight region.