USNS Eltanin Upper Ocean Temperature Profiles from 1970-1971

March 1970 to April 1971 temperature-depth profiles collected by the USNS Eltanin using Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) instruments. The dataset, processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into C128 format, covers the Southern Ocean, South Pacific, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Great Australian Bight, and Tasman Sea. It provides standardized observations for studying the thermal structure of the ocean's upper 285 meters.

Use Cases

• Analyzing seasonal temperature changes in the upper ocean layer across multiple Southern Hemisphere basins.
• Mapping the thermal structure (e.g., mixed layer depth, thermocline) for regional oceanographic studies.
• Validating or providing historical context for ocean model simulations of the upper 285 meters.
• Studying cruise-specific oceanographic conditions along the USNS Eltanin's survey track.

Strengths

• Data is standardized to the NODC C128 format, ensuring consistent structure and units.
• Provides a 13-month time series (March 1970 to April 1971) from a dedicated research vessel.
• Covers a wide geographic area across six major ocean regions in the Southern Hemisphere.

Limitations

• Profile depth is limited to approximately 285 meters, restricting analysis to the upper ocean only.
• Column names, row count, file size, and specific license information are not provided by any source.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata exists between platforms (2026 vs. 1971).

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected via Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) instruments aboard the USNS Eltanin and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1970-03-02 to 1971-04-11

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:58:19.657090

Geography

Great Australian Bight, Indian Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean, South Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean, Tasman Sea