Oceanographic CTD and XBT Data from the R/V Franklin 1990-1992

Australian waters were surveyed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) aboard the R/V Franklin. The dataset contains Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) and expendable bathythermograph (XBT) measurements collected between July 6, 1990 and October 18, 1992. Data is structured by cruise station and has been processed and distributed by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of seawater temperature and salinity using CTD-derived conductivity and depth columns.
• Studying temporal changes in upper ocean thermal structure from XBT temperature and water depth measurements.
• Calibrating satellite-derived sea surface temperature data with in-situ profile data collected at specific stations.
• Investigating water mass properties and ocean circulation patterns in the region during the early 1990s.

Strengths

• Data collection spans a defined 28-month period from July 1990 to October 1992, providing a temporal snapshot.
• Information regarding the specific format of both XBT and CTD files is documented.
• Presence on multiple authoritative platforms (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata) indicates established curation and importance.

Limitations

• The exact row count, file size, and complete column schema are unknown across all sources.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' date, with one listing 1992-10-18 and another listing 2026-03 05, creating uncertainty about metadata maintenance.
• The license and specific author details are not provided.

Provenance

Source

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), submitted by Ms. Edwina Tanner.

Collection Method

Collected via Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) sensors and expendable bathythermographs (XBT) from the R/V Franklin.

Time Range

1990-07-06 to 1992-10-18

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:03:25.628277

Geography

Australian waters, specific region not detailed.