NOAA Ship Delaware II North Atlantic Temperature Profiles 1980

Bathythermograph (XBT) data from NOAA Ship Delaware II captures ocean temperature-depth profiles in the North Atlantic Ocean. The dataset was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into the standard C116 format, which records temperature at non-uniform inflection points to define the thermal curve. It represents a specific cruise conducted from March 18 to May 7, 1980.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical temperature structure changes in the North Atlantic during spring 1980.
• Calibrating or validating ocean model hindcasts using precise historical inflection-point profiles.
• Studying the methodology of expendable bathythermograph (XBT) data collection and its evolution prior to 1994.
• Researching cruise-based marine observations from NOAA vessels like the Delaware II.

Strengths

• Data processed to a documented NODC standard format (C116) ensuring a defined structure.
• Provides specific temporal coverage for a dedicated research cruise from 1980-03-18 to 1980-05-07.
• Records temperature at inflection points, optimizing data density to accurately define the thermal curve.
• Cross-platform presence (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata) indicates recognized archival importance.

Limitations

• Exact row count, column names, and file size are not provided by any source.
• The dataset is a historical snapshot from a single, short cruise over 50 days.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata: Data.gov shows 2026-04-01 (likely a refresh), while NASA Earthdata shows the original collection end date of 1980-05-07.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Collected using expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments from NOAA Ship Delaware II and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1980-03-18 to 1980-05-07

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:19:25.179121

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean