A 2012 dataset from ASAC Project 2794, hosted by NASA EarthData and the Australian Antarctic Data Centre, combines biological and physical oceanographic measurements. It uses animal-borne satellite-linked Conductivity-Temperature-Depth Satellite Relay Data Loggers (CTD-SRDLs) on adult female elephant seals to measure foraging patterns and net energy gain. The data aims to link predator foraging success to inter-annual variation in winter sea-ice extent and bottom water formation in the Southern Ocean.
Use Cases
- Modeling predator foraging success based on spatial energy gain data.
- Analyzing relationships between seal foraging patterns and satellite-derived sea-ice information.
- Studying mechanisms of winter bottom water formation using high-resolution CTD data from animal-borne sensors.
- Investigating inter-annual variation in biological productivity linked to winter ice conditions.
Strengths
- Combines high-resolution biological (foraging) and physical (CTD) data streams from the same source.
- Data collection uses innovative, tested animal-borne satellite-linked technology (CTD-SRDLs).
- Project aims to address specific, complex feedback processes in a climate-vulnerable ecosystem.
Limitations
- Last updated 2012-03-31 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- AU_AADC (Australian Antarctic Data Centre) via nasa_earthdata, from ASAC Project 2794.
- Collection Method
- Collected via animal-borne Conductivity-Temperature-Depth Satellite Relay Data Loggers (CTD-SRDLs) deployed on adult female southern elephant seals.
- Freshness
- 2012-03-31 23:59:59.999000
- Geography
- Southern Ocean, Antarctic region.