Oceanographic Transit Data with Bathymetric Mapping

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer collected this dataset during its EX1601 transit and mission patch test in the North Pacific Ocean. The mission focused on bathymetric mapping of fracture zones and shakedown testing for newly installed oceanographic equipment. Data collection occurred from January 20 to February 7, 2016, and is managed by NOAA NCEI.

Use Cases

• Analyzing bathymetric profiles of the Murray or Molokai Fracture Zones for geological research.
• Calibrating and validating performance data from new ADCPs, single beam sonars, and Doppler speed logs.
• Studying conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) profiles from strategic locations along the transit path.
• Assessing sea conditions and operational parameters during a long-duration oceanographic transit.

Strengths

• Data collection was part of a systematic equipment shakedown for multiple new systems, including four EK 60 sonars and two ADCPs.
• The dataset captures a specific 19-day transit period with planned bathymetric mapping objectives.
• Its presence on multiple federal data platforms (NASA EarthData and Data.gov) indicates curation and archival importance.

Limitations

• Critical structural details like column names, row counts, and file sizes are unavailable from all sources.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, listing both 2016-02-07 and 2026-04-01.
• The specific license governing data use is not declared in any provided source.

Provenance

Source

NOAA_NCEI

Collection Method

Collected via normal underway operations and mapping patch testing aboard NOAA Ship OKEANOS EXPLORER.

Time Range

2016-01 20 to 2016-02-07

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:30:50.838747

Geography

North Pacific Ocean, specifically targeting the Murray or Molokai Fracture Zones during transit to Hawaii.