Historical Ocean Temperature Profiles from the R/V Forster

Over 8 years of historical ocean temperature-depth profiles were collected by the vessel FORSTER in the North Pacific Ocean. The National Oceanographic Data Center processed this mechanical bathythermograph data into the standard C128 format. Each observation provides paired temperature and depth values at 5-meter intervals, capturing the thermal structure of the ocean's upper layers.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical sea surface temperature and subsurface thermal structure in the North Pacific.
• Studying seasonal or interannual variability of the ocean's mixed layer from 1952 to 1960.
• Validating or providing context for ocean model simulations of mid-20th century conditions.
• Correlating cruise information, date, position, and time with specific temperature-depth profile observations.

Strengths

• Data covers a consistent 8-year time series from 1952-06-28 to 1960-10-10.
• Profiles are standardized to the NODC C128 format, ensuring uniform 5-meter depth intervals for comparability.
• Includes precise metadata for each observation: cruise information, date, geographic position, and time.

Limitations

• Key quantitative details like total row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from all sources.
• The mechanical bathythermograph instrument limits observations to a maximum depth of approximately 285 meters, restricting analysis to the upper ocean.
• Platforms provide conflicting 'last updated' metadata (2026-03-06 vs. 1960-10-10), creating uncertainty about data currency.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

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

Time Range

1952-06 28 to 1960-10-10

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:20:05.525291

Geography

North Pacific Ocean