Equatorial Pacific Ocean Temperature and Depth Profiles from Bathythermographs (1981-1989)

Bathythermograph data from ships and aircraft provide water temperature and depth profiles for the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The dataset was collected by NOAA as part of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean Climate Studies (EPOCS) and Acid Rain Experiments. It covers a time range from July 1981 to April 1989 within the TOGA Area Pacific, spanning 30°N to 30°S.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical temperature structure (depth vs. temperature) in the upper ocean.
• Studying temporal changes in ocean thermal properties over an eight-year period.
• Investigating spatial variability of ocean conditions across the equatorial Pacific basin (30°N to 30°S).
• Supporting climate studies related to phenomena like El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• Providing in-situ data for comparison with satellite-derived sea surface temperature measurements.

Strengths

• Data collection spans a multi-year period from 1981 to 1989, capturing decadal-scale ocean variability.
• Profiles were gathered using multiple platforms (NOAA ships DISCOVERER and OCEANOGRAPHER, and aircraft), providing spatial coverage.
• The dataset is archived and made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a recognized authoritative source.

Limitations

• The exact number of rows, columns, and file size is unknown across all platform descriptions.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata: one source lists 1989-04-19, while another lists 2026-04-01, indicating potential inconsistency in metadata management.
• Specific column names and data formats (beyond C116 and C118 file types) are not detailed, limiting immediate understanding of the data structure.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce, via the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.

Collection Method

Collected using expendable (XBT) and airborne expendable (AXBT) bathythermographs from ships and aircraft.

Time Range

1981-07-01 to 1989-04-19

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:10:27.012791

Geography

TOGA Area - Pacific (30°N to 30°S), encompassing the North Pacific Ocean and South Pacific Ocean.