Historical Bathythermograph Data from J. WILLIS Cruise (1958-1960)

Temperature-depth profiles were collected using a Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) during the J. WILLIS cruise from March 1958 to May 1960. The dataset covers the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of St. Lawrence, and North Atlantic Ocean, processed into the NODC standard C128 format. Data points are recorded at uniform 5-meter depth intervals down to a maximum of approximately 285 meters.

Use Cases

• Analyzing seasonal thermal structure changes in the upper 285m of the Caribbean Sea using temperature-depth pairs.
• Mapping historical sea surface temperature gradients across the Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic Ocean.
• Correlating cruise position and time data with other historical oceanographic records for basin-scale studies.
• Calibrating or validating models of upper-ocean heat content for the late 1950s era.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a known, documented standard (NODC C128 format) ensuring structural consistency.
• Provides a focused temporal snapshot (over 2 years) from a specific research cruise for controlled analysis.
• Temperature readings are recorded at uniform 5-meter depth intervals, facilitating direct profile comparisons.

Limitations

• Maximum observation depth is limited to ~285m, restricting analysis to the ocean's upper layers only.
• Critical metadata such as exact row count, column names, and license information are unavailable across all platforms.
• The last updated date conflicts between sources (2026 on data.gov vs. 1960 on NASA Earthdata), casting doubt on maintenance.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected via Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) instrument and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1958-03-11 to 1960-05-28

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:29:15.148520

Geography

Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of St. Lawrence, North Atlantic Ocean