CTD and XBT Oceanographic Data from the Gulf of Mexico, 1992-1993

Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) and bathythermograph (XBT) data were collected for the Distribution/Abundance of Marine Mammals in Gulf of Mexico (GULFCET I) project. The dataset includes 239 CTD casts and 566 XBT drops submitted by Dr. Giulietta Fargion of Texas A&M University, Galveston. Data collection occurred from April 15, 1992, to December 12, 1993, under grant MMS 14-35-0001-30619.

Use Cases

• Modeling ocean temperature and salinity profiles based on CTD and XBT measurements.
• Analyzing seasonal and spatial water column variability in the Gulf of Mexico over the two-year period.
• Correlating oceanographic conditions with marine mammal distribution and abundance patterns.
• Validating regional oceanographic models using in-situ conductivity, temperature, and depth data.

Strengths

• Includes a substantial number of individual measurements: 239 CTD casts and 566 XBT drops.
• Covers a defined two-year time range from April 1992 to December 1993.
• Data originates from a specific, funded research project (GULFCET I) with a named principal investigator.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the specific Gulf of Mexico project.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Data collected via CTD casts and XBT drops, submitted via internet by the principal investigator.

Time Range

1992-04-15 to 1993-12-12

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-05 23:32:33.144307; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Gulf of Mexico