North Atlantic Nutrient Data from NOAA's 1988 Global Change Expedition

Thirty-six stations in the North Atlantic were sampled for key oceanographic parameters during a 1988 NOAA expedition aboard the Mt. Mitchell. The dataset includes measurements for salinity, temperature, oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, silicate, phosphate, and ammonia, submitted by Dr. Dennis W. Frazel of the University of Miami. Associated chlorophyll-a and primary productivity data is documented in a separate but related NCEI accession.

Use Cases

• Analyzing spatial distributions of nitrate and phosphate to understand nutrient limitations in the North Atlantic.
• Correlating salinity and temperature measurements with nutrient concentrations to identify water masses.
• Using silicate and ammonia data to study biogeochemical cycles relevant to phytoplankton communities.
• Establishing a 1988 baseline for comparing modern oceanographic changes in key parameters.

Strengths

• Data originates from a structured scientific expedition with 36 distinct sampling stations.
• Includes eight core oceanographic parameters, providing a multi-variable snapshot.
• Documentation includes the official NOAA data report ERL AOML-15.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are not provided by any source.
• Associated chlorophyll data is stored in a separate accession, requiring a join for full analysis.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date (1988-09-06 vs. 2026-03 05).

Provenance

Source

Dr. Dennis W. Frazel, RSMAS (University of Miami), submitted to NOAA/NCEI.

Collection Method

Ship-based sampling during the NOAA Global Change Expedition across four legs.

Time Range

1988-07-14 to 1988-09-06

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:35:23.684802

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean