Ocean Temperature Profiles from XBT Casts, 1973

From February 13 to June 10, 1973, temperature-depth profiles were collected via expendable bathythermograph (XBT) casts from the NOAA Ship OCEANOGRAPHER. The data, processed into the NODC Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format, consist of paired temperature-depth values recorded at inflection points to define the temperature curve. These profiles were gathered as part of the International Decade of Ocean Exploration (IDOE) and can reach depths of 450, 760, or 1830 meters.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical ocean thermal structure based on paired temperature-depth values.
• Studying temporal variability of upper-ocean temperatures from the specific 1973 cruise period.
• Calibrating or validating ocean models using in-situ profile data from XBT instruments.
• Researching the International Decade of Ocean Exploration (IDOE) and its data contributions.

Strengths

• Provides a precise temporal coverage from February 13 to June 10, 1973.
• Data is structured to a recognized historical standard, the NODC UBT format.
• Profiles contain detailed inflection-point data intended to accurately define the temperature curve.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA Earthdata signals its archival importance.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, license, and specific column names are unavailable across all sources.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata between platforms (1973 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about curation timeliness.
• The dataset is limited to a single four-month cruise, offering a narrow temporal snapshot.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected via expendable bathythermograph (XBT) casts from NOAA Ship OCEANOGRAPHER.

Time Range

1973-02-13 to 1973-06-10

Freshness

2026-04-01 14:59:28.996549

Geography

Cruise track of NOAA Ship OCEANOGRAPHER (specific locations not detailed).