North Pacific Ocean Temperature Profiles from O'Brien Cruise, 1968

Temperature-depth profiles were collected using a Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) aboard the O'Brien in the North Pacific Ocean. The dataset covers a three-week period in January 1968 and was processed into the NODC standard C128 format by the National Oceanographic Data Center. Data points are recorded at uniform 5-meter depth intervals, providing a structured view of the upper ocean's thermal layers.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical thermal structure of the upper ocean (up to 285m) using paired temperature-depth values.
• Studying short-term ocean temperature variability in a specific region during January 1968.
• Correlating cruise information, date, position, and time with observed temperature profiles for historical reconstructions.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a standardized format (NODC C128), ensuring consistency for analysis.
• Provides precise temporal coverage from 1968-01-09 to 1968-01-31 for a focused study period.
• Measurements are recorded at uniform 5-meter depth intervals, enabling straightforward vertical analysis.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from all sources.
• The MBT instrument's maximum depth of approximately 285 meters limits analysis to the upper ocean only.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (1968-01 31 vs. 2026-04-01), creating ambiguity about metadata maintenance.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument measurements processed by NODC.

Time Range

1968-01-09 to 1968-01-31

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:28:35.469155

Geography

North Pacific Ocean