SPURS-1: Seaglider Salinity and Temperature Profiles in the North Atlantic

Three Seaglider autonomous profilers collected vertically resolved conductivity, temperature, and pressure data during the SPURS-1 campaign from 2012 to 2013. The study focused on a 900 x 800-mile region of the subtropical North Atlantic centered at 25N, 38W to investigate processes maintaining the surface salinity maximum. This in-situ data, combined with satellite observations, characterizes salinity structure across spatio-temporal scales.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical salinity and temperature profiles to study ocean mixing processes.
• Validating satellite remote sensing data from Aquarius and SMOS with in-situ measurements.
• Investigating the salinity balance in a high-evaporation, low-rainfall ocean region.
• Tracking autonomous Seaglider trajectories and dive patterns around a central mooring.
• Modeling processes responsible for maintaining the subtropical surface salinity maximum.

Strengths

• Data integrates in-situ Seaglider profiles with satellite remote sensing for multi-scale analysis.
• Campaign involved a series of 5 cruises over a defined 900 x 800-mile study area, providing focused spatial coverage.
• Three Seagliders performed repeated dives to 1000m, offering high-resolution vertical time-series.

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are not specified in the provided metadata.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2013-08-24 and 2026-04-09) suggest potential metadata inconsistency.
• Dataset size and row counts are unknown, limiting assessment of data volume.

Provenance

Source

SPURS (Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study) project, likely associated with NASA and POCLOUD.

Collection Method

Data collected by three autonomous Seagliders deployed and retrieved during research cruises (Knorr, Endeavor).

Time Range

2012 - 2013

Freshness

2026-04 09 22:32:32.114335

Geography

Subtropical North Atlantic, within a 900 x 800-mile square centered at 25N, 38W.