Current velocity and hydrographic observations in the Southwestern North Atlantic Ocean: Subtropical Atlantic Climate Studies (STACS), 1989 (NCEI Accession 9100033)

The primary objective of the STACS program are to increase our understanding of the dynamics of the North Atlantic circulation and the role of the ocean circulation in global climate, to develop the capability to monitor the climatically important processes, and to provide data needed in the development of the coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models to be used for global climate prediction. In particular, the mechanisms by which the ocean transports heat to balance the net radiation deficit at northerly latitudes are being studied.

Data from STACS cruises conducted on NOAA Ship ALBATROSS IV and NOAA Ship MALCOLM BALDRIGE during two cruises - February and August 1989 - are contained in this report. Table 1 shows the type of data collected on each cruise. Techniques used in this cruises are Pegasus, CTD, and XBT data.

Data has been processed by NODC to the NODC standard High-Resolution CTD/STD (F022) format.

The F022 format contains high-resolution data collected using CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) and STD (salinity-temperature-depth) instruments. As they are lowered and raised in the oceans, these electronic devices provide nearly continuous profiles of temperature, salinity, and other parameters. Data values may be subject to averaging or filtering or obtained by interpolation and may be reported at depth intervals as fine as 1m. Cruise and instrument information, position, date, time and sampling interval are reported for each station. Environmental data at the time of the cast (meteorological and sea surface conditions) may also be reported. The data record comprises values of temperature, salinity or conductivity, density (computed sigma-t), and possibly dissolved oxygen or transmissivity at specified depth or pressure levels. Data may be reported at either equally or unequally spaced depth or pressure intervals. A text record is available for comments.