High-Resolution CTD Profiles from the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Oceanographic profiles were collected from the R/V Cape Henlopen in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean from August to November 1992. The dataset contains high-resolution measurements of temperature, salinity, density, and other parameters, processed to the NODC F022 standard format. Data collection was conducted by Science Applications International Corporation as part of the Physical Oceanography Field Program Offshore North Carolina.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical stratification and water mass structure using temperature and salinity profiles.
• Studying seasonal changes in oceanographic conditions during the fall transition period.
• Calibrating or validating regional ocean circulation models with in-situ conductivity-temperature-depth data.
• Investigating relationships between physical parameters like density (sigma-t) and nutrient distributions.

Strengths

• Data is in a standardized, high-resolution format (NODC F022) with potential sampling at 1-meter intervals.
• Provides nearly continuous vertical profiles from calibrated CTD and STD instruments.
• Includes contextual metadata for each station: position, date, time, and environmental conditions.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file size are not provided by any source.
• The dataset is from a single, short cruise in 1992, limiting temporal and spatial generality.
• Sources conflict on last updated date: Data.gov lists 2026-03 05, while NASA Earthdata lists 1992-11-12.

Provenance

Source

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) with support from the Physical Oceanography Field Program Offshore North Carolina.

Collection Method

Collected using CTD casts and other instruments from the R/V Cape Henlopen, processed by NODC.

Time Range

1992-08-22 to 1992-11-12

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:14:58.970261

Geography

Northwest Atlantic Ocean