ASTTEX Oceanographic Profiles and Bottle Data from 2003

The Agulhas-South Atlantic Thermohaline Experiment (ASTTEX) dataset provides measurements of heat, salt, and mass fluxes entering the South Atlantic Ocean via the Agulhas Retroflection. It includes hydrographic profile data (CTDO, XBT, XCTD) and bottle samples for salinity and dissolved oxygen collected during a 2003 research cruise. The experiment was conducted by researchers including Dr. Donna Witter of Kent State University and supported by NOAA.

Use Cases

• Analyzing thermohaline flux variability using conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profile data.
• Calibrating satellite altimetry (Topex-Poseidon/Jason) with in-situ salinity and dissolved oxygen measurements from bottle samples.
• Studying mesoscale eddy dynamics in the Agulhas region using long-term sea surface height anomaly context data.
• Validating ocean circulation models with direct measurements of current velocity and water properties.

Strengths

• Data collection was part of a coordinated 27-month field experiment with sixteen moorings, providing a multi-year context.
• Includes a 12-year analysis (1992-2004) of Agulhas eddies from satellite altimetry for large-scale context.
• Hydrographic measurements are paired with direct current meter data from a validation mooring for cross-verification.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not provided by any source, limiting technical assessment.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' date, with one listing 2003-01-15 and another listing 2026-03 06, suggesting potential metadata inconsistency.
• License information is not specified, which may restrict certain uses.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Data collected via a moored array of instruments (PIES, ACMs, VACMs, CT sensors) and hydrographic surveys (CTDO, XBT, XCTD, bottle samples) during research cruises, supplemented by satellite altimetry analysis.

Time Range

Primary cruise data from 2003-01-02 to 2003-01-15, with supporting altimetry analysis covering 1992 to 2004.

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:13:08.023347

Geography

Atlantic Ocean, specifically the Agulhas Retroflection region into the South Atlantic.