Atlantic Ocean: Vertical sections and data sets for selected lines

, page under construction

Send email to ltalley@ucsd.edu.

Return to atlas index for the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian

Hydrographic data (CTD and discrete bottle data: oxygen, salinity and nutrients) from selected long sections and publically available WOCE Hydrographic Program data were gridded using a modified version of Roemmich's (1983) application of objective mapping to hydrographic station data. The current set of plots represents just those which were compiled individually over about one year, and so they are not computed uniformly. Gridded data files are not included for now because of the non-uniformity (unlike for the Pacific sections).

Downloading the postscript files: if your web browser attempts to plot the postscript files and you want to save them instead, instructions for netscape are: click with the 3rd right mouse button instead of the leftmost one and answer the dialog question.

Bottle data for each of the sections is made available through this site, in NODC's format and in a straight ascii table which does not include all of the header information in the NODC files but which is easier to manipulate. The few public WHP data sets are available through the WHP Special Analysis Centre in Hamburg and at the WHP SAC mirror site at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The non-WHP CTD data sets are available in the program "ctdsearch" on the nemo data server at SIO through a public login with a menu.

Map of sections
Map of WOCE combined A16 and A23 section.

Method

Plots of vertical sections (gridded data files to be added later)

Zonal sections

B
LineLocationShipDatesChief Scientist
natl_53n53 N Erika DanJan-Apr, 1962Worthington
natl_47n48 NHudsonApr, 1982Hendry
natl_36n36 NAtlantis IIJun-Jul, 1981Wunsch
natl_24n24 NAtlantis IIAug-Sep, 1991Roemmich
natl_11n11 NOceanusMar-Apr, 1989Hall
satl_11s11 SOceanusMar-Apr, 1983McCartney
satl_24s24 SOceanusFeb-Mar, 1983McCartney
SAVE 110S-5NKnorrNov-Dec, 1987Takahashi/Rhines
SAVE 218S-10SKnorrDec-Jan, 1988Smethie/Jacobs
SAVE 3/424S-30SKnorrJan-Feb, 1988Jenkins/Olson
SAVE 448S-30SMelvilleDec-Jan, 1989Key/Piola
S450W and 35WMeteorJan-Mar, 1990Roether

Meridional sections

LineLocationShipDatesChief Scientist
natl_64w64 W EndeavorApr, 1985McCartney/Stommel
natl_53w53 W OceanusMay, 1983McCartney/Stommel
natl_35w35 W KnorrJul-Aug, 1983McCartney
atl_25w20-25 W Oceanus/Melville1988-1989McCartney/Talley/Tsuchiya/Smethie
a16_a2320-25 W Oceanus/Melville,Ross1988-1989,1995McCartney/Talley/Tsuchiya/Smethie/Heywood/King
natl_12w12 W CharcotMay-Jun, 1988Colin de Verdiere/Arhan
satl_42w12 W MelvilleFeb-Mar, 1989Smethie/McCartney
A21_drakeDrake PassageMeteorJan, 1990Roether
satl_0Ajax - 0EKnorr1983-84Reid
SR257S and 10EMeteorJan-Mar, 1990Roether

Plots are available online in gif format; postscript versions can also be downloaded.

WOCE Hydrographic Programme Office
WOCE Data Information Unit hydrographic data page
WHP Special Analysis Centre
nemo WHP SAC mirror site at SIO
U.S. WOCE Homepage
nemo oceanographic data server at SIO
Scripps Institution of Oceanography local servicees

natl_53n

Erika Dan cruise, 1962, Worthington. Bottle data only.

NODC SD2 bottle data: natl_53n.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): natl_53n.dat

Property gif plot compressed postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y
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natl_47n

NODC SD2 bottle data: hud2_47n.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): hud2_47n.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y

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natl_36n

NODC SD2 bottle data: at_36n.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): at_36n.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (3000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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natl_24n

NODC SD2 bottle data: at_24n.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): at_24n.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (3000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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natl_11n

NODC SD2 bottle data: tas11.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): tas11.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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satl_11s

NODC SD2 bottle data: oc133_11s.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): oc133_11s.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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satl_24s

NODC SD2 bottle data: oc133_24s.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): oc133_24s.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y

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SAVE 1

NODC SD2 bottle data: save1.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): save1.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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SAVE 2

NODC SD2 bottle data: save2.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): save2.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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SAVE 3

Combination of SAVE 3 and SAVE 4 to make a single section at about 30S.

NODC SD2 bottle data: save3.sd2, save4.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): save3.dat, save4.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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SAVE 4

NODC SD2 bottle data: save4.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): save4.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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natl_64w

NODC SD2 bottle data: en129_64w.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): en129_64w.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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natl_53w

NODC SD2 bottle data: oc133_53w.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): oc133_53w.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) N Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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natl_35w

NODC SD2 bottle data

Flat text bottle data

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y

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WOCE combined sections: A16 and A23

Combination of four data sets: mctt (N. Atlantic, done in two legs but combined in one data set; Hydros 3 and Hydros 4, WOCE A23).

Data sets are available at whpo.ucsd.edu

Click here to download a tar file of all of the gzipped postscript plots.
To extract: tar -xvf a16_a23_plots.tar.

Property gif plot gzip postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (3000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Neutral density (Gamma_n; Jackett and McDougall) Y Y
Oxygen (umol/kg) Y Y
Silicate(umol/kg) Y Y
Phosphate(umol/kg) Y Y
Nitrate(umol/kg) Y Y

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atl_25w

Combination of three data sets: mctt (N. Atlantic, done in two legs but combined in one data set; Hydros 3 and Hydros 4).

NODC SD2 bottle data: mctt_25w.sd2, hydros4_25w.sd2, hydros3_25w_42w.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): mctt_25w.dat, hydros4_25w.dat, hydros3_25w_42w.dat

Property gif plot gzip postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Neutral density (Gamma_n; Jackett and McDougall) Y Y
Oxygen (umol/kg) Y Y
Silicate(umol/kg) Y Y
Phosphate(umol/kg) Y Y
Nitrate(umol/kg) Y Y
Nitrite(umol/kg) Y Y

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natl_12w

NODC SD2 bottle data: bordest_12w.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): bordest_12w.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y

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satl_42w

This section was part of the Hydros 3 (SAVE 5) cruise in the South Atlantic.

NODC SD2 bottle data: hydros3_25w_42w.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): hydros3_25w_42w.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (3000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Oxygen (ml/l) Y Y
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a21_drake

WHP section A21 in Drake Passage on the Meteor (collected with SR4 and part of S4).
Expocode: 06MT11-5
January 23 - March 6, 1990.
Chief scientist: W. Roether.
Data are in the public domain in WHP format through the WHP Special Analysis Centre in Hamburg and at the WHP SAC mirror site at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

NODC SD2 bottle data: a21.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): a21.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y

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satl_0 (Ajax)

Ajax expedition. R/V Knorr:
Leg 1 (7 Oct 1983 - 5 November 1983);
Leg 2 (11 Jan 1984 - 15 Feb 1984)
Joseph Reid, chief scientist

NODC SD2 bottle data: ajax1.sd2 and ajax2.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): ajax1.dat and ajax2.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (1000) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
Neutral density (Gamm-N) Y Y
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SR2

WHP section SR2 on the Meteor (collected with A21 and part of SR2).
Expocode: 06MT11-5
January 23 - March 6, 1990.
Chief scientist: W. Roether.
Sections for portion of S4 between 50W and 35W are not included here.
Data are in the public domain in WHP format through the WHP Special Analysis Centre in Hamburg and at the WHP SAC mirror site at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

NODC SD2 bottle data: a21.sd2

Flat text bottle data (no header information other than station number, location and date): a21.dat

Property gif plot postscript file
Potential temperature Y Y
Salinity Y Y
Potential density (0) Y Y
Potential density (2000) Y Y
Potential density (3000) Y Y
Potential density (4000) Y Y
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Methods

Gridding

The original station data were either CTD profiles, mostly at 2 dbar intervals, or discrete bottle data, with up to 36 bottles per station. The data were objectively mapped using Roemmich's (1983) method adapted for producing sections which subjectively were most like those which are hand contoured, and hence smoothed somewhat by eye.

It is assumed that the chief scientist chose appropriate horizontal sampling, with tighter spacing across regions of strong gradients.

CTD and discrete data are mapped differently to account for the sampling differences. The same decay scale and horizontal/vertical scale ratio are used for both.

CTD data: The 2 dbar profiles are first smoothed vertically with a Gaussian with half-width 10 dbar. Data are used from 6 stations at a time, and 6 depths. The mean which is removed is just that of this small rectangle.

Discrete bottle data: Data from 6 stations are used at one time. An Akima cubic spline is fit to the deepest station of the group, and this profile is removed from all stations in the group as a representation of the mean for the group. The residuals are then mapped and the mean added back in.

The programs for gridding the data are available from Lynne Talley (ltalley@ucsd.edu).

Potential density calculations

The potential densities calculated relative to 0, 2000 and 4000 dbar use potential temperature referenced to these pressures and then density referenced to these pressures, respectively. The McDougall neutral density parameter is also used.

References

Jackett, D. R. and T. J. McDougall, 1996. A neutral density variabile for the world's oceans. J. Phys. Oceanogr., submitted.
Roemmich, D., 1983. Optimal estimation of hydrographic station data and derived fields. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 13, 1544-1545.
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Back to Vertical Sections Index

Lynne D. Talley, ltalley@ucsd.edu
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California, San Diego
Last updated 21 October, 1996