SPURS-2: Neutrally Buoyant Float Profiles from the Eastern Tropical Pacific

One neutrally buoyant float collected continuous temperature and salinity profiles in the eastern tropical Pacific for 3.5 months during the SPURS-2 field campaign. The float, deployed in August 2016 and recovered in December 2016, drifted approximately 1800 km east of the central mooring at 10N,125W. Data from this NASA-funded oceanographic study aims to elucidate mechanisms behind near-surface salinity variations in rainfall-dominated ocean regions.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical structure of salinity and temperature in the ocean mixed layer based on continuous CTD profiles.
• Studying the drift and dispersion of water masses in the tropical Pacific using GPS surface position data.
• Validating and calibrating satellite-derived salinity measurements from Aquarius, SMAP, and SMOS missions.
• Investigating the impact of high seasonal rainfall and strong zonal currents on near-surface ocean dynamics.

Strengths

• Data is part of a coordinated NASA field campaign (SPURS-2) employing state-of-the-art in-situ sampling technologies.
• Provides a continuous 3.5-month time series of oceanographic measurements from a single instrument platform.
• Combines in-situ data with remotely sensed satellite fields for multi-scale characterization.

Limitations

• Dataset size, row count, and specific column names are not provided in any source.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2016-12-29 vs. 2026-04-09), creating uncertainty about metadata freshness.
• Data is limited to a single float deployment, offering a detailed but spatially limited perspective.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Data collected by a neutrally buoyant (Mixed Layer) float deployed and recovered during research vessel cruises.

Time Range

August 2016 to December 2016

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:26:53.491254

Geography

Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, focused near 10N,125W, with float drift covering approximately 1800 km eastward.