Western Equatorial Pacific Oceanographic Profiles from 1990-1993

Oceanographic profile data from the Australian OZGOFS/JGOFS research project, comprising three cruises in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean. The dataset includes high-resolution CTD profiles and bottle sample measurements for temperature, salinity, nutrients, chlorophyll-a, and other parameters. Data was collected by the R.V. Franklin across three expeditions between October 1990 and November 1993.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical water column structure using CTD profile data in 2-meter bins for temperature, salinity, and density (sigma-t).
• Studying phytoplankton biomass distribution via depth-matched chlorophyll-a profiles derived from calibrated fluorescence data.
• Investigating nutrient cycling and hydrochemistry using bottle sample data for salinity, nutrients, chlorophyll, pigments, and primary production.
• Examining ocean current patterns using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data presented in 8-meter bins at 20-minute averages.
• Conducting spatiotemporal analysis of oceanographic conditions across the study area between 2°S-6°N along 147°E and 10°S-10°N along 155°E.

Strengths

• Includes high-resolution vertical profiling with CTD data binned at 2-meter intervals.
• Chlorophyll-a profiles are calibrated using regression models from extracted water samples, with methods documented in metafiles.
• Covers a multi-year time series from three dedicated research cruises (1990, 1992, 1993).
• Integrates multiple measurement types: CTD profiles, ADCP transects, and bottle samples for hydrochemistry.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are not provided by any source platform.
• Sensor availability varied by cruise; parameters like PAR or fluorescence are absent where the sensor was not mounted.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist: one source lists 2026-03-05, while another lists the end of the data collection period in 1993-11 23.

Provenance

Source

NOAA NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information), from the OZGOFS/JGOFS research project.

Collection Method

Data collected using bottle samples and high-resolution CTD casts from the R.V. Franklin research vessel.

Time Range

1990 to 1993

Freshness

2026 -03-05 23:06:35.586522

Geography

Western Equatorial Pacific, specifically between 2°S and 6°N along 147°E and between 10°S and 10°N along 155°E.