Atlantic Ocean Bathythermograph Data from the 1986 WOCE Experiment

Four ships collected water depth and temperature profiles across the North and South Atlantic Ocean between August 14 and December 4, 1986. The dataset originates from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and was submitted by Dr. Reiner Onken of the University of Kiel, Germany. Data is available in the NODC C125 Bathythermograph-XBT-Selected Depths file format.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical temperature profiles (depth vs. temperature) in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Studying oceanographic conditions during the 1986 World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE).
• Validating or providing historical context for ocean circulation and climate models.
• Examining spatial temperature variations across the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Atlantic.

Strengths

• Data collection involved four different research vessels, providing spatial coverage across the Atlantic.
• Profiles were collected over a defined 4-month period in 1986, offering a temporal snapshot.
• Data originates from a major international oceanographic program (WOCE), indicating scientific importance.

Limitations

• The exact number of profiles (rows) and specific column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the dataset's temporal coverage: one title suggests a range from 1984-08-14 to 1986-12-04, while descriptions state collection occurred only between 1986-08 14 and 1986-12-04.

Provenance

Source

Dr. Reiner Onken, University of Kiel, Germany; submitted to the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC).

Collection Method

Collected via expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments deployed from ships.

Time Range

1984-08-14 to 1986-12-04

Freshness

2026 -03-05 23:51:51.179425

Geography

Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North and South Atlantic Ocean.