Columbus Ship Upper Ocean Temperature Profiles from 1966

Bathythermograph data provides temperature-depth profiles from the research vessel COLUMBUS in the North Atlantic Ocean on September 27, 1966. The dataset contains pairs of temperature and depth values recorded at uniform 5-meter intervals down to a maximum depth of approximately 285 meters. Data was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center into its standard C128 format for mechanical bathythermograph observations.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical thermal structure of the upper ocean using paired temperature-depth values.
• Studying historical ocean conditions on a specific date via recorded cruise information, position, and time.
• Calibrating or validating models of upper ocean heat content given the instrument's 285-meter depth limit.
• Investigating spatial temperature gradients in the North Atlantic using the provided geographic coordinates.

Strengths

• Data is formatted to a recognized standard (NODC C128 format) ensuring structural consistency.
• Temperature measurements are recorded at a uniform 5-meter depth interval, facilitating direct comparison.
• Each observation includes associated metadata such as cruise, date, position, and time.

Limitations

• Coverage is limited to a single day (1966-09-27) and the upper ocean (max ~285m depth).
• Key quantitative details like row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2026-04 01 vs. 1966-09-27).

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument measurements processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center.

Time Range

1966-09-27 to 1966-09-27

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:25:24.190311

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean (specific positions within cruise track)