NBP0606: Plankton and Iron Data from the Southern Drake Passage and Scotia Sea

Underway data from the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer's NBP0606 research cruise in the southern Drake Passage and Scotia Sea. The dataset likely contains measurements of plankton community structure and iron distribution. The cruise was supported by the NSF and operated by SCIOPS, with data last updated in August 2006.

Use Cases

• Modeling iron distribution patterns in Antarctic waters based on underway sampling.
• Analyzing plankton community structure in relation to environmental gradients in the Scotia Sea.
• Studying temporal changes in marine ecosystems during the 2006 research cruise.
• Correlating biological and chemical oceanographic data from the southern Drake Passage.

Strengths

• Data originates from a dedicated NSF-supported research icebreaker, suggesting controlled collection.
• Focus on a specific, scientifically significant region: the southern Drake Passage and Scotia Sea.
• Platform tags indicate a combination of biological and chemical oceanographic data.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Last updated 2006-08-13 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS, via NASA Earthdata platform.

Collection Method

Underway data collection from the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer research vessel.

Time Range

2006 (specific cruise leg NBP0606).

Freshness

Last updated 2006-08 -13 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Southern Drake Passage and Scotia Sea, starting and ending in Punta Arenas, Chile.