Ocean Glider Physical Profile Data from Mid-Atlantic Bight Deployment

Physical trajectory profile data was collected by a University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth glider during a 90-day mission from August to September 2019. The dataset contains measurements of oceanographic properties like temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll a to investigate Mid-Atlantic Cold Pool dynamics. The data was assembled by the IOOS National Glider Data Assembly Center and archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.

Use Cases

• Analyze temperature and salinity profiles to map the spatial extent and seasonal variation of the Mid-Atlantic Cold Pool.
• Correlate chlorophyll a and CDOM measurements with physical properties to study biological productivity in the cold pool region.
• Validate regional ocean model outputs using high-resolution in-situ conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data along the glider's 100km trajectory.
• Investigate the relationship between dissolved oxygen levels from the optode sensor and water density for studying hypoxia dynamics.

Strengths

• Data covers a continuous 90-day mission plan in 2019, providing a sustained temporal observation window.
• Includes multi-sensor measurements (CTD, chlorophyll, backscatter, CDOM, oxygen) per profile for integrated analysis.
• Trajectory spans approximately 100km in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, offering spatial coverage of a key oceanographic feature.

Limitations

• The specific row count, column list, and total data volume are not provided in the available metadata.
• Data is from a single glider deployment, limiting spatial coverage to one transect in the study region.
• The dataset is from 2019 and may not reflect current oceanographic conditions.

Provenance

Source

Integrated Ocean Observing System's National Glider Data Assembly Center (IOOS NGDAC) and NOAA NCEI.

Collection Method

Data gathered via an autonomous underwater glider equipped with CTD, fluorometer, and oxygen optode sensors, following a saw-tooth profiling trajectory.

Time Range

2019-08-16 to 2019-09-25 (planned 90-day mission).

Freshness

Data collection ended on 2019-09-25; no update frequency is specified.

Geography

Mid-Atlantic Bight, south of Rhode Island Sound, extending southwestward for about 100km.