CARINA/64PE19960618: CTD and Bottle Ocean Profile Data

NODC Accession 0115585 contains chemical, physical, and profile data from a single-day research cruise in the Bay of Biscay and North Atlantic Ocean. The dataset, part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and CARINA projects, includes measurements of dissolved oxygen, nutrients, salinity, and water temperature. Data were collected using CTD and bottle instruments from the R/V Pelagia by the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research.

Use Cases

• Calibrating ocean circulation models based on hydrographic pressure and temperature profiles.
• Studying nutrient cycling (nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicate) in the North Atlantic Ocean.
• Analyzing ocean carbon system dynamics using co-located carbon dioxide measurements implied by the CARINA project context.
• Validating satellite-derived sea surface salinity data with in-situ bottle sample measurements.

Strengths

• Data is part of the major, internationally coordinated WOCE Hydrographic Program, which covered approximately 23,000 stations from 94 cruises.
• Includes a specific, well-documented set of eight core oceanographic variables (e.g., DISSOLVED OXYGEN, NITRATE, SALINITY).
• Collection methodology is explicitly stated, using standard oceanographic instruments (CTD and bottle).

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is extremely limited to a single day (1996-06-18), representing a snapshot.
• Column names and exact data structure are not provided in the available metadata.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (1996 vs. 2026) across platforms create uncertainty about metadata maintenance.

Provenance

Source

H.M. (Hendrik M.) van Aken of the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ).

Collection Method

Discrete sample and profile observations collected using CTD and bottle instruments during cruise CARINA/64PE19960618.

Time Range

1996-06-18 to 1996-06-18

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:47:04.520141

Geography

Bay of Biscay and North Atlantic Ocean