Historical XBT Ocean Temperature Profiles from Multiple Vessels and Seas

7000884 temperature-depth profiles were collected using expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments from vessels and aircraft across 14 seas and oceans. Data was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center into standard C116 and C118 formats, capturing inflection points to define temperature curves. The dataset provides a snapshot of oceanic thermal structure from February 1968 to July 1970.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical ocean temperature structure by examining paired temperature-depth values at recorded inflection points.
• Studying spatial temperature patterns across 14 listed water bodies, including the North Atlantic and Philippine Sea, using reported position data.
• Investigating temporal changes in sea temperature from 1968 to 1970 using the reported date and time for each observation.
• Comparing temperature profiles from different platform types (e.g., aircraft USS Arnold J. Isbell) using associated cruise information.

Strengths

• Profiles cover a wide geographic scope across 14 distinct seas and ocean basins.
• Data is processed to a documented standard format (NODC C116/C118), ensuring a consistent structure.
• Measurements target specific depth ranges relevant to upper-ocean dynamics, with standard instruments reaching 450 or 760 meters.

Limitations

• Critical metadata conflicts exist: row count, file size, and license are listed as unknown or 'None' across all sources.
• The dataset is historical, with the most recent data point from July 1970, limiting analysis to past conditions.
• Column names are not provided by any source platform, hindering precise data understanding.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected using expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments from listed vessels and aircraft, then processed by NODC.

Time Range

1968-02-02 to 1970-07-11

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:31:48.194453

Geography

Alboran Sea, Caribbean Sea, Coastal Waters of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, East China Sea, English Channel, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Thailand, Japan Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, Norwegian Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea