STURTEVANT Historical Bathythermograph Profiles in the North Pacific

285 meters is the maximum depth for observations in this dataset of mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) data from the vessel STURTEVANT. The National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) processed the data into its standard C128 format, which records temperature at uniform 5-meter depth intervals. Profiles were collected in the North Pacific Ocean over a 15-year period from August 1945 to February 1960.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temperature-depth profiles of the upper ocean (up to 285m) for thermal structure studies.
• Investigating long-term temperature trends in the North Pacific Ocean from the mid-20th century.
• Correlating cruise information, date, position, and time with paired temperature-depth values for specific observations.
• Studying the seasonal or interannual variability of the ocean's mixed layer using standardized 5-meter interval data.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a consistent standard format (NODC C128), ensuring uniform 5-meter depth intervals for comparison.
• Covers a significant 15-year time range (1945-08-01 to 1960-02-03) for historical climate analysis.
• Includes precise metadata for each observation: cruise information, date, position, and time.

Limitations

• Key technical specifications are missing: total row count, file size, and specific column names are unknown.
• The maximum observation depth of approximately 285 meters limits analysis to the upper ocean layers only.
• A conflict exists on the 'last updated' date: one source states 2026-03-05 (likely a metadata refresh), while another states 1960-02-03 (the data collection end date).

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce, via the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC).

Collection Method

Temperature-depth profiles collected using the Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) instrument from the vessel STURTEVANT.

Time Range

1945-08-01 to 1960-02-03

Freshness

2026-03 05 23:14:01.075119

Geography

North Pacific Ocean