High-Resolution CTD/STD Profiles from USNS Silas Bent, 1971

High-resolution conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) and salinity-temperature-depth (STD) data were collected by USNS Silas Bent in the North Pacific Ocean between October and December 1971. The dataset, processed to the NODC F022 standard format, contains near-continuous vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, density, and potentially dissolved oxygen or transmissivity at depth intervals as fine as one meter. Each station record includes cruise metadata, position, date, time, and may include concurrent meteorological and sea surface conditions.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical ocean structure based on high-resolution temperature and salinity profiles.
• Studying oceanographic conditions in the North Pacific during fall 1971 using station position and time data.
• Calculating derived parameters like density (sigma-t) from the reported temperature and salinity values.
• Investigating relationships between surface meteorological conditions and subsurface hydrography using the reported environmental data.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a recognized standard (NODC F022 format).
• Profiles are high-resolution, with data potentially reported at one-meter depth intervals.
• Includes ancillary station metadata like position, time, and environmental conditions.

Limitations

• Column names and exact parameter list are unspecified in the provided metadata.
• The exact number of rows, file size, and license information are unknown.
• Data is from a single, historical cruise over a limited three-month period.

Provenance

Source

NOAA_NCEI

Collection Method

Collected via CTD/STD instruments deployed from USNS Silas Bent.

Time Range

1971-10-01 to 1971-12-17

Freshness

2026-04-01 14:53:54.309311 (metadata update)

Geography

North Pacific Ocean (NW Pacific and NE Pacific)