North Atlantic Ocean Temperature Profiles from SEARCHER Cruise

Bathythermograph (MBT) data from the SEARCHER cruise in the North Atlantic Ocean, collected between November 21 and December 12, 1962. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration processed this data to the NODC standard C128 format, which records temperature at uniform 5-meter depth intervals up to approximately 285 meters. This dataset provides paired temperature-depth values for studying the thermal structure of the ocean's upper layers.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical thermal structure of the upper ocean using paired temperature-depth values.
• Studying historical ocean temperature variability in the North Atlantic during a specific cruise period.
• Validating or calibrating models of upper-ocean heat content from the early 1960s.
• Correlating cruise information, date, position, and time with observed temperature profiles.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a standardized format (NODC C128), ensuring consistency for analysis.
• Provides a focused time series from a specific 22-day research cruise in 1962.
• Temperature measurements are recorded at uniform 5-meter depth intervals, facilitating direct comparison.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, column names, and exact file size are unavailable across all platforms.
• The mechanical bathythermograph instrument limits observations to a maximum depth of approximately 285 meters, restricting analysis to the upper ocean.
• Platforms disagree on the 'last updated' date, with one showing 2026 and another showing 1962, creating uncertainty about metadata maintenance.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Collected using a mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument during the SEARCHER cruise and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1962-11 21 to 1962-12-12

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:41:44.442078

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean