Seasonal Sigma-T Climatology of the Canadian Pacific EEZ (1980-2010)

Seasonal sigma-t climatology for the Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone was computed from historical CTD, bottle, XBT, and Argo observations from 1980 to 2010. The data are provided as high-resolution raster layers at 1/300 degree, with seasonal averages calculated as medians across 65 subregions and up to 52 vertical levels.

Use Cases

• Model seasonal density variations using sigma-t raster layers for oceanographic simulations in the Canadian Pacific EEZ.
• Analyze vertical density profiles across up to 52 depth levels to study water column stratification patterns.
• Compare seasonal climatology (spring, summer, fall, winter) derived from median yearly values for climate impact studies.
• Integrate high-resolution 1/300 degree raster data with other geospatial layers for marine spatial planning.

Strengths

• Data spans a 30-year temporal range from 1980 to 2010, providing a long-term climatological baseline.
• High spatial resolution of 1/300 degree for detailed analysis within the Canadian Pacific EEZ.
• Calculations incorporate data from multiple authoritative sources including NOAA, MEDS, and IOS archives.
• Seasonal averages are computed as medians of yearly values across 65 subregions, reducing outlier influence.

Limitations

• Uncertainties are introduced from spatial interpolation of observational data to varying distances from measurement points.
• The dataset is a static climatology and does not contain individual observational records or time-series data for specific years.
• Data format (FGDB/GDB, ESRI REST) may require specialized GIS software for access and analysis.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, compiled from NOAA, Marine Environmental Data Service (MEDS), and Institute of Ocean Sciences archives.

Collection Method

Computed from historical conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD), bottle, expendable bathy-thermograph (XBT), and Argo float observations. Seasonal medians were calculated in 65 subregions and up to 52 vertical levels with smoothing and interpolation.

Time Range

1980 to 2010

Freshness

Dataset represents a 1980-2010 climatology; metadata was last updated in 2026.

Geography

Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a subset of the Northeast Pacific Ocean.