TIGER Program CTD and XBT Data from Gulf of Mexico Cruises

NOAA NCEI provides particulate organic carbon, cloud amount/frequency, and other oceanographic data collected in the Gulf of Mexico. The dataset originates from the Texas Institutions Gulf Ecosystem Research (TIGER) program, with measurements taken from the RV GYRE during two cruises from January 26 to March 20, 1992. Data includes Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) records with transmissivity measured in volts, as well as bathythermograph (XBT) data, processed into standard NODC file formats.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) for oceanographic research.
• Studying particulate organic carbon concentrations in the Gulf of Mexico water column.
• Examining cloud amount and frequency data for correlating atmospheric and oceanic conditions.
• Using bathythermograph (XBT) data for historical analysis of ocean thermal structure.
• Investigating transmissivity measurements (in volts) as an indicator of water clarity or particle load.

Strengths

• Data is processed into standardized NODC file formats (F022-CTD-Hi Resolution and C116), ensuring compatibility with oceanographic tools.
• Provides a focused temporal snapshot from two dedicated research cruises over a nearly two-month period in 1992.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA EarthData and Data.gov signals its importance and curation as a reference dataset.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing, including column names, row count, and dataset size, hindering immediate analysis.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between sources (1992-03-20 and 2026-03-05), creating uncertainty about provenance updates.
• License information is not provided, which may restrict use.

Provenance

Source

Mr. David J. Voegele, Texas A&M University, submitted via NOAA NCEI.

Collection Method

Collected via shipboard Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) and expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments from RV GYRE.

Time Range

1992-01-26 to 1992-03-20

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:17:48.321914

Geography

Gulf of Mexico