XBT Ocean Temperature Profiles from J.W. Gibbs Voyage

May 17 to June 6, 1969, this dataset contains temperature-depth profiles collected via expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments during a cruise of the J. W. GIBBS in the North Atlantic Ocean. The data was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into the standard C116 format, which records inflection points to define the temperature curve. It is published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical ocean temperature structure from non-uniform depth measurements.
• Studying short-term, localized thermal conditions in the North Atlantic during spring 1969.
• Calibrating or validating ocean model outputs against historical in-situ profile data.
• Researching data formats and processing methods for historical bathythermograph records.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a recognized standard (NODC C116 format) ensuring structural consistency.
• Provides precise temporal (May 17-June 6, 1969) and spatial (North Atlantic Ocean) coverage for the cruise.

Limitations

• The exact row count, file size, and complete column schema are unknown.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2026-04-01 on Data.gov vs. 1969-06-06 on NASA Earthdata).

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected via expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments during a ship cruise and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1969-05 17 to 1969-06-06

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:28:12.460421

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean