Massachusetts Coastal Oceanographic Time Series Data from USGS
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Description
Hourly time-series oceanographic data for the Massachusetts coast, collected by the USGS or used in its projects, is available online through the USGS Coastal Marine Time Series Browser. The data includes variables such as current, temperature, pressure, conductivity, and light transmission. Specific deployments range from July 1980 to the present, with a long-term observation series beginning in January 1990.
Use Cases
Modeling coastal circulation patterns in Massachusetts Bay using current and temperature time-series data.
Analyzing seasonal water quality changes via conductivity and light transmission (beam attenuation) measurements.
Studying internal wave dynamics during the August-September 1998 experiment using pressure and current data.
Assessing long-term environmental trends from the 1990-present MWRA observation series with multiple concurrent variables.
Strengths
Long-term observational record spanning from 1990 to the present for the MWRA series.
Data follows NOAA PMEL EPIC conventions and NetCDF standards, ensuring interoperability.
Limitations
Temporal coverage is fragmented, with many deployments lasting only months (e.g., Feb-Apr 1986, Jan-May 1987).
Specific row counts, file sizes, and complete column lists are not provided in the description.
Geographic coverage is limited to specific sites along the Massachusetts coast.
Provenance
Source
United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Collection Method
Collected by the USGS or used in conjunction with USGS projects, stored as NetCDF files using NOAA PMEL EPIC conventions.
Time Range
Deployments range from July 1980 to present, with the longest series starting January 1990.
Freshness
The 'Long Term Observations (MWRA)' series is noted as ongoing ('Present'), but update frequency is not specified.
Geography
Coastal waters of Massachusetts, including Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts Bay, and Stellwagen Bank.
Data is stored in NetCDF format requiring compatible software for access and analysis. Primary access is through the USGS Coastal Marine Time Series Browser web interface.