The Scientific Ice Expeditions (SCICEX) Program was a series of five multidisciplinary scientific cruises that utilized US Navy operational submarines as platforms for sampling the Arctic Ocean. The program's numerous principal investigators worked towards the overarching goal of characterizing the upper layers of the Arctic Ocean as completely as possible.

This data set includes hydrographic data obtained during the 1997 and 1998 (third and fourth) SCICEX cruises, aboard the USS Archerfish and the USS Hawkbill, respectively. Water column profile data were collected using a submarine-launched conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) probe. Probe depths were computed based on a known fall rate, temperature (T) and conductivity values were measured by probe sensors, and salinity was computed from these values. Derived variables, including pressure (calculated from depth and latitude), potential temperature, sigma-t (a representation of density), and sigma-theta (sigma-t calculated with potential temperature), are also included.

Profile data were generally collected to a depth of 1000 m at 1-m depth intervals, with variable horizontal distance between the profiles. Data were collected between September 3 and October 2, 1997, and between August 1 and September 2, 1998, along extensive transects within the Arctic Ocean.