Historical Ocean Temperature Profiles from S. L. Moore Cruises

1954-05-06 to 1955 12-07 temperature-depth profiles collected by the S. L. Moore vessel in the East China Sea, North Pacific Ocean, Philippine Sea, and South China Sea. The National Oceanographic Data Center processed the data into the standard C128 format for mechanical bathythermograph records. This dataset provides structured observations of the ocean's upper thermal layers.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical sea surface temperature and subsurface thermal structure in the Northwest Pacific.
• Studying seasonal or spatial variability of ocean temperature down to approximately 285 meters depth.
• Validating or calibrating oceanographic models with historical in-situ profile data.
• Researching cruise-based observational methods and data formats from the mid-20th century.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a standardized format (NODC C128), ensuring structural consistency.
• Provides a specific temporal coverage of over 1.5 years (May 1954 to December 1955).
• Records include core metadata: cruise information, date, position, and time for each observation.
• Temperature data is recorded at uniform 5-meter depth intervals, facilitating systematic analysis.

Limitations

• Row count, total size, and specific column names are unknown from provided sources.
• Instrument limitation: maximum observation depth is ~285m, restricting analysis to the upper ocean only.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' metadata (2026-04-01 vs. 1955-12-07), creating uncertainty about recent modifications.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument measurements processed by NODC.

Time Range

1954-05-06 to 1955-12-07

Freshness

2026-04-01 15:09:01.635438

Geography

East China Sea, North Pacific Ocean, Philippine Sea, South China Sea