Historical Ocean Temperature Profiles from the NECHES Cruise

Temperature-depth profiles were collected using a Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) during the NECHES cruise in the North Pacific Ocean, Philippine Sea, and South China Sea. The dataset contains observations processed into the NODC standard C128 format, with measurements recorded at uniform 5-meter intervals down to a maximum depth of approximately 285 meters. Data collection occurred over a one-month period from May 25 to June 28, 1965.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the thermal structure of the upper ocean (0-285m) using paired temperature-depth values.
• Studying spatial temperature gradients across the North Pacific Ocean, Philippine Sea, and South China Sea.
• Investigating short-term oceanographic variability during the May-June 1965 cruise period.
• Providing historical baseline data for climate change studies in the western Pacific.
• Validating or calibrating ocean model outputs for the upper ocean layer using in-situ measurements.

Strengths

• Data is standardized to the NODC C128 format, ensuring consistency for analysis.
• Temperature measurements are recorded at uniform 5-meter depth intervals, facilitating direct comparisons.
• Each observation includes associated cruise, date, position, and time metadata.
• The dataset's cross-platform presence (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata) signals its recognized importance.

Limitations

• Row count, column names, and exact dataset size are unknown from all sources.
• The MBT instrument limits observations to a maximum depth of ~285m, restricting analysis to the upper ocean.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' date (2026-04-01 vs. 1965-06 28), creating uncertainty about metadata maintenance.

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

1965-05-25 to 1965-06-28

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:04:59.521671

Geography

North Pacific Ocean, Philippine Sea, and South China Sea