CLIVAR Ross Sea: Hydrographic and CFC Profiles from 1994

Hydrographic data from 52 days in 1994 includes measurements of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113), dissolved oxygen, salinity, and water temperature from the South Pacific Ocean's Ross Sea. The dataset, collected via CTD and bottle instruments aboard the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer, supports the CLIVAR program's goal of quantifying changes in ocean heat, freshwater, and carbon storage. It provides a discrete sample baseline for studying ocean circulation and anthropogenic tracer distribution in the Southern Ocean.

Use Cases

• Tracing ocean ventilation and water mass age based on CFC-11 and CFC-12 concentrations.
• Calibrating ocean circulation models using hydrographic profiles of salinity and temperature.
• Studying dissolved oxygen variability in the Southern Ocean to assess biogeochemical processes.
• Analyzing the relationship between helium isotopes (Delta Helium-3) and hydrothermal or glacial melt inputs.

Strengths

• Includes multiple anthropogenic tracers (CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113) for dating water masses.
• Data collection spans a 52-day cruise (1994-02-14 to 1994-04-05), providing temporal resolution for the region.
• Dataset is part of the systematic CLIVAR Repeat Hydrography Program, indicating a standardized collection methodology.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row count are unspecified across all sources, limiting immediate usability.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (1994-04-05 vs. 2026-03-05) create uncertainty about metadata maintenance.
• Primary data is from a single cruise in 1994, representing a historical snapshot rather than a time series.

Provenance

Source

Stanley S. Jacobs and William M. Smethie Jr. of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University.

Collection Method

Discrete sample and profile observations collected using CTD and bottle instruments during cruise NBP-94_2.

Time Range

1994-02-14 to 1994-04-05

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:58:14.491076

Geography

South Pacific Ocean, Ross Sea