NBP9904: Antarctic Multibeam Sonar Underway Data from R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer

The 1999 NBP9904 research leg collected underway data from the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer icebreaker, which operates year-round for the U.S. Antarctic Program. The dataset, sourced from NASA EarthData and last updated in May 1999, contains multibeam sea test data from a voyage that started and ended in Punta Arenas, Chile. It supports global change studies in biological, chemical, physical, and oceanographic disciplines.

Use Cases

• Map seafloor bathymetry based on multibeam sonar test data.
• Analyze oceanographic conditions along the vessel's track based on underway data collection.
• Support Antarctic climate change studies by providing foundational geospatial data for biological, chemical, and physical research.

Strengths

• Data originates from a dedicated NSF-supported research icebreaker, the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer.
• Supports multidisciplinary global change studies across biological, chemical, physical, and oceanographic fields.

Limitations

• Last updated 1999-05-08 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS via NASA EarthData

Collection Method

Underway data collection from a research vessel.

Time Range

1999 (specific leg NBP9904)

Freshness

1999-05-08 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Antarctic region, voyage from Punta Arenas, Chile to Punta Arenas, Chile