Measurements of atmospheric and oceanic nitrous oxide and halocarbon compounds made during the Challenger 6A research cruise in the North Atlantic Ocean during April 1977

Measurements of atmospheric and oceanic nitrous oxide and halocarbon compounds were collected during the Challenger 6A research cruise in the North Atlantic Ocean. The dataset was produced by researchers P. Balls, Peter Liss, A.J. Lovelock, and J.E. Lovelock. Data collection occurred from April 4 to April 12, 1977.

Use Cases

• Analyze latitudinal and longitudinal gradients of nitrous_oxide concentration in surface ocean waters.
• Correlate atmospheric halocarbon levels with oceanic measurements to study air-sea gas exchange.
• Establish a historical baseline for trace gas concentrations in the North Atlantic using data from April 1977.
• Map the spatial distribution of measured compounds across the cruise track from 56.2N to 52.3N latitude.

Strengths

• Data collection covers a defined 9-day period in April 1977.
• Spatial coverage is specified from 56.2N to 52.3N latitude and 5.3W to 14.2W longitude.
• Dataset includes measurements for multiple compound classes (nitrous oxide and halocarbons).

Limitations

• Dataset is temporally limited to a single cruise in April 1977, offering only a snapshot.
• Specific sample size, measurement frequency, and data granularity are unknown.
• Data format and structure are unspecified, complicating direct analysis.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS, via NASA EarthData.

Collection Method

Measurements taken during the Challenger 6A research cruise.

Time Range

1977-04-04 to 1977-04-12

Freshness

Data is from 1977; it is a historical snapshot with no stated updates.

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean, 56.2N to 52.3N latitude, 5.3W to 14.2W longitude.