Switchyard project data includes CTD profiles collected via helicopter and Twin Otter aircraft in the Arctic Ocean near Alert and the Lincoln Sea. The program studied circulation between Ellesmere Island and the North Pole through annual springtime surveys from 2003 to 2012, with a hiatus in 2007 due to weather. Profiles measured conductivity, temperature, depth, and dissolved oxygen down to 1000m.
Use Cases
- Model Arctic ocean circulation patterns based on conductivity, temperature, and depth profiles
- Analyze dissolved oxygen variations in the Lincoln Sea based on sensor data
- Study sea ice and upper ocean interactions across the continental slope near 65W, 84N
- Compare hydrographic conditions from helicopter-based (2003-2006) and aircraft-based (2008-2012) collection methods
Strengths
- Data collection spans a multi-year period from 2003 to 2012
- Profiles reach depths of up to 1000 meters, providing vertical ocean structure
- Includes dissolved oxygen measurements from a Seabird SBE 19plus CTD sensor
- Coverage includes a specific section across the continental slope and opportunistic locations in the Lincoln Sea
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
- Last updated 2012-05-16 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
Provenance
- Source
- SCIOPS
- Collection Method
- Data collected using helicopters and Twin Otter aircraft, with CTD lowered via winch or Airborne Expendable CTD Probes dropped into leads.
- Time Range
- 2003-2012
- Geography
- Region between Alert (Ellesmere Island) and the North Pole, Lincoln Sea, north end of Nares Strait.