Northwest Atlantic Ocean Current, Temperature, and Salinity Time Series

1960 to present data includes approximately 5,800 current meter and acoustic doppler time series, 4,500 coastal temperature time series, and 200 tide gauge records for the Northwest Atlantic and Arctic. The Ocean Science Division at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography maintains this inventory of oceanographic time series, which is updated regularly.

Use Cases

• Analyze current meter time series alongside temperature and salinity sensor data to model ocean circulation patterns.
• Use coastal temperature time series from thermographs to study long-term warming trends in the Northwest Atlantic.
• Incorporate tide gauge records to correlate sea level variations with current and temperature data for coastal studies.
• Apply time series forecasting models to acoustic doppler data for predicting current velocity changes.

Strengths

• Approximately 10,300 core time series records (5,800 current, 4,500 temperature, 200 tide).
• Broad temporal coverage from 1960 to the present, enabling long-term climate and oceanographic studies.
• Spatial coverage spans the North Atlantic and Arctic from 30° to 82° N, capturing a significant oceanic region.
• Regularly updated database maintained by a government ocean science division.

Limitations

• A small number of tide gauge records (200) compared to current and temperature series, limiting certain coastal analyses.
• Geographic coverage is focused on the Northwest Atlantic and Arctic, with only minor data from other global regions.
• Specific column structure and data granularity per time series are not detailed in the available metadata.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ocean Science Division at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography.

Collection Method

Inventory of oceanographic time series data held by the division, including instrument deployments.

Time Range

1960 to present.

Freshness

Updated on a regular basis; last metadata update was 2026-03-24.

Geography

Primarily the North Atlantic and Arctic from 30° to 82° N, with minor global data.