This dataset comprises of physical oceanographic parameter measurements and meteorological data collected as part of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) South Orkney Ecosystem Studies project from RRS James Clark Ross cruise JR15004. Data were collected surrounding the South Orkney Islands within the Scotia Sea, and coverage was between 19/01/2016 until 21/02/2016. This dataset contains downcast Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) profiles from 45 stations, and measurements of underway navigation, meteorology and sea surface hydrography through the ship's underway system. Measurements include water temperature, conductivity, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), transmittance, fluorescence and oxygen concentrations, as well as air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, total incidence radiation (TIR), wind speed and direction. The data collected during the cruise were used to examine the factors that determine the distribution of krill and other pelagic organisms across a range of time and space scales. All data were collected by originators at the British Antarctic Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Southwest Fisheries Science Center, and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway.

The dataset comprises hydrographic measurements including current velocity, temperature, salinity and sea level data. Results of one iodine experiment are also included. The data were collected in the area of the Faroe Islands, Shetland, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea between May 2000 and November 2001 over a series of 31 cruises using the research vessels Scotia (UK), Magnus Heinason (Faroes), Johan Hjort and G.O.Sars (Norway). Measurements included five repeated conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sections in the Faroe Shetland Channel, North of Faroes, Gimsøy and Svinøy and Fugløya - Bear Island. Fifty one moorings containing current meters, acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), bottom pressure recorders and inverted echosounders were deployed along the sections. Ten RAFOS floats were also deployed in the Lofoten Basin to measure Lagrangian currents. During the Johan Hjort cruise in May 2000 about 300 water samples were collected in order to measure 129Iodine concentration (relative to 127I). Analysis was carried out by the Centre de Spectrométrie Nucléaire et de Spectrométrie de Masse, France. Observational data from the standard tidal stations at Tórshavn, Lerwick, Bodø and Ny-Ålesund were also used in the analysis. The main objective of MAIA was the development of an inexpensive, reliable system for monitoring the inflow of Atlantic water to the northern seas, based on coastal sea-level data. The project involved contributions from a number of international institutions. The resulting data set was collated at BODC and published on CD-ROM in March 2003.