Baltic Sea

Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column; Salinity of the water column; Temperature of the water column; Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column

Radiometers; CTD; discrete water samplers; spectrophotometers

The central hydrographic data is mainly measured during cruises in the Baltic Sea. The data bank includes the data for the Helcom Baltic Monitoring Programme (BMP). Data contains water bottle profiles mainly from standard depths. CTD data from the same depths are included when available. The oldest data contains salinity, temperature and oxygen observations from over 3700 stations during 1898 to 1962. The full set of parameters are available from 1962. Number of stations is about 23000 in 2003. For the Baltic Monitoring Programme (BMP, new version is called COMBINE Programme) data are collected during three or four annual cruises. Helicopter is used for BMP data collecting when the sea is ice covered. Other cruises are determined yearly and are connected to specific projects. The data (from 1962 on) has been checked. Most of the parameters are accredited (EN ISO/IEC 17025).

Anon (1990) Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission, 1990. Second periodic assessment of the state of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea, 1984-1988. Background document., Balt.Sea Environ. Proc. No. 35B.

Finnish Meteorological Institute
Erik Palmenin aukio P.O. Box 503
Helsinki

FI-00101
Finland