Great Bay Coastal Buoy Oceanographic and Meteorological Measurements

Hourly oceanographic and meteorological data collected from a buoy at 43.0853°N, 70.8639°W in the Gulf of Maine near Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The dataset includes variables such as air temperature, wind speed, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll, with observations compared to a 13-year historical record. Data collection is managed by SCIOPS, with the buoy seasonally recovered in December and redeployed each spring.

Use Cases

• Analyze seasonal patterns in water temperature and salinity from the buoy's multi-depth instruments.
• Model relationships between wind speed, wind direction, and water column parameters like dissolved oxygen and turbidity.
• Detect anomalies in chlorophyll or nitrate levels by comparing current hourly readings to the 13-year historical baseline.
• Correlate atmospheric conditions like air temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure with in-water measurements.
• Study diurnal cycles in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM).

Strengths

• Hourly temporal resolution for frequent sampling.
• Multi-year context with data compared to a 13-year historical record.
• Multi-parameter suite measuring 16+ physical, chemical, and biological variables.

Limitations

• Seasonal data gaps occur during buoy recovery in December and redeployment in spring.
• Geographic scope is limited to a single buoy location in the Great Bay estuary.
• Unknown total row count and specific data format details.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS, via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Hourly measurements from instruments deployed at multiple depths on a coastal buoy.

Time Range

Current observations plus a 13-year historical comparison period; exact start date unknown.

Freshness

Data are updated regularly, but specific update frequency is not stated.

Geography

Great Bay, Gulf of Maine, near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA (43.0853°N, 70.8639°W).