NOAA_NCEI provides a 1963 limnological survey of Great Bear Lake, a 29,500 km² Arctic lake. The Arctic Unit of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada conducted the program, occupying 103 stations from July to September 1963. Observations were made from the vessel M.V. Radium Gilbert, equipped with an oceanographic winch and echo sounder.
Use Cases
- Analyze station data like depth and location to map the lake's bathymetry and identify the 427 m maximum depth point. Classify water conditions across the lake using station identifiers like 003, 011, and 004 to model the gradient from oligotrophic to eutrophic states. Corolate seasonal ice-cover timing from 1963 with station occupation dates to study early thaw impacts on limnological parameters. Model nutrient or temperature profiles using vertical cast data from the 103 occupied stations. Study historical navigation and survey methods in Arctic conditions using equipment records like the Kelvin-Hughes echo sounder and Decca Radar.
Strengths
- Survey covers 103 distinct geographic stations within the lake.
- Data provides specific physical metrics for the lake, including its 29,500 km² area and 427 m maximum depth.
- Temporal context is precise, noting an early ice break-up allowing navigation by July 12, 1963.
Limitations
- Dataset is historically static, representing a single survey season from 1963.
- Specific measured parameters (columns) and sample sizes per station are unknown.
- Geographic coverage is limited to Great Bear Lake, reducing generalizability.
Provenance
- Source
- Canadian Oceanographic Data Center, via NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).
- Collection Method
- Field survey conducted from the vessel M.V. Radium Gilbert, using an oceanographic winch, echo sounder, and navigation equipment.
- Time Range
- 1963 (Survey began in June, navigation possible by July 12, stations occupied through the season).
- Freshness
- Historical dataset; last updated 1963-09-10.
- Geography
- Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada.