Shipborne XBT Depth and Temperature Measurements from the NE Pacific, 1990

Bathythermograph (XBT) data records water depth and temperature collected from the ship SEA-LAND PACIFIC in the NE Pacific Ocean. Measurements were gathered as part of the Shipboard Environmental data Acquisition System (SEAS) III program during a one-month cruise from September 19 to October 21, 1990. The dataset was originally submitted by the U.S. Navy Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center and is now available online from NOAA NCEI.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical temperature profiles (depth vs. temperature) for ocean thermal structure research.
• Studying sea surface temperature variability in the NE Pacific region during fall 1990.
• Validating and calibrating historical oceanographic models using in-situ XBT measurements.
• Investigating water column properties along the ship's track (NE Pacific limit-180).

Strengths

• Data originates from a defined scientific program (SEAS III), supporting methodological consistency.
• Provides a focused one-month time series (1990-09-19 to 1990-10-21) for detailed temporal analysis.
• Dataset is hosted by authoritative organizations (NOAA NCEI, NASA Earthdata), indicating curation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are unknown across all sources.
• Conflicting last update dates exist between platforms (1990-10-21 vs. 2026-03-05).
• License information is not provided.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Navy, Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center, Monterey, CA (via Mr. Paul Stevens).

Collection Method

Collected via shipborne expendable bathythermograph (XBT) as part of the SEAS III program.

Time Range

1990-09-19 to 1990-10-21

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:05:01.836033

Geography

NE Pacific Ocean (limit-180), Philippine Sea.