IDOE/NORPAX TRANSPAC: Pacific Ocean XBT Temperature Profiles, 1976-1979

Scripps Institution of Oceanography collected 1,038 days of ocean temperature-depth profiles using expendable bathythermographs (XBTs) from vessels like the PRESIDENT TAFT. Data were processed into the NODC Universal Bathythermograph Output format, which records temperature at non-uniform 'inflection points' to define the thermal curve efficiently. This dataset supports the International Decade of Ocean Exploration's North Pacific Experiment and Thermal Structure Monitoring Program.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical thermal structure in the Pacific Ocean based on paired temperature-depth values.
• Studying temporal changes in ocean heat content from 1976 to 1979 using the time-series of profiles.
• Calibrating or validating ocean circulation models with in-situ temperature data from the TRANSPAC project.
• Investigating the performance and data structure of historical XBT instruments versus mechanical bathythermographs (MBTs).

Strengths

• Covers a specific, multi-year time series from August 8, 1976 to June 21, 1979.
• Data processed to a recognized standard format (NODC Universal Bathythermograph Output) by a national agency.
• Profiles can reach significant depths, with standard instruments to 760m and special ones to 1830m.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing: exact row count, column names, file size, and specific license are unknown.
• The 'last updated' date conflicts between sources (1979 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about maintenance.
• Data density is non-uniform, recorded at inflection points rather than fixed depth intervals, which may complicate some analyses.

Provenance

Source

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, submitted to/processed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC).

Collection Method

Collected using bathythermograph (BT/XBT) casts from research vessels.

Time Range

1976-08-08 to 1979-06-21

Freshness

2026-04-01 14:57:14.126973

Geography

Pacific Ocean