Historical North Atlantic Upper Ocean Temperature Profiles from 1955

285 meters is the maximum observation depth for these mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) measurements. The dataset contains temperature-depth profile pairs recorded at 5-meter intervals from the RELIEF cruise in the North Atlantic Ocean between January 30 and February 3, 1955. Data was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into its standard C128 format.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the thermal structure of the upper 285 meters of the North Atlantic Ocean.
• Studying temperature variation with depth using uniform 5-meter interval profiles.
• Correlating ocean temperature conditions with specific cruise dates, positions, and times.

Strengths

• Data is formatted to a documented standard (NODC C128 format) ensuring structural consistency.
• Provides a specific temporal snapshot from a 5-day cruise in early 1955.
• Records complementary metadata including cruise information, date, position, and time for each observation.

Limitations

• Key quantitative details like row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from all sources.
• The dataset is limited to the upper ocean, with a maximum instrument depth of approximately 285 meters.
• Platforms conflict on the 'last updated' metadata, with one source listing 2026 and another listing 1955.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Data gathered using a mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1955-01-30 to 1955-02-03

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:32:09.835666

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean