SPURS-1: Tenuse Glider Salinity and Temperature Profiles

SPURS-1 collected oceanographic data in a 900 x 800-mile region of the subtropical North Atlantic centered at 25N, 38W. The Tenuse Slocum glider autonomously gathered about 1400 vertical profiles from the surface to 200 meters between August and October 2012. Its trajectory profile data includes georeferenced Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) observations of salinity and temperature.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical salinity structure based on CTD profiles from the surface to 200m.
• Studying temporal evolution of ocean properties using the 1-2 profiles/hour sampling rate.
• Mapping the spatial trajectory of an autonomous glider within the defined North Atlantic study area.
• Validating satellite-derived salinity fields from Aquarius/SAC-D and SMOS with in-situ measurements.
• Investigating processes maintaining high-salinity surface maxima in low-rainfall, high-evaporation regions.

Strengths

• Contains approximately 1400 vertical profiles, providing high temporal resolution (1-2 profiles/hour).
• Integrates in-situ glider data with satellite remote sensing for multi-scale characterization.
• Focuses on a well-defined, scientifically significant region (subtropical North Atlantic salinity maximum).

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are unspecified across all sources.
• Conflicting metadata: one platform lists a last updated date of 2026-04-09, while another lists 2012-10-04.
• Dataset size and row counts are uniformly listed as unknown or None.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data collected by a Tenuse (Slocum) autonomous underwater glider deployed from the R/V Thalassa and recovered by the R/V Knorr.

Time Range

2012-08-21 to 2012-10-04

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: 2026-04-09 (datagov) and 2012-10-04 (nasa_earthdata).

Geography

Subtropical North Atlantic, within a 900 x 800-mile square study area centered at 25N, 38W.