YAQUINA MBT Ocean Temperature Profiles from 1969

Four days of mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) data capture the thermal structure of the upper ocean near YAQUINA in the North Pacific. The dataset, processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into its standard C128 format, contains temperature-depth pairs recorded at uniform 5-meter intervals. It was collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from September 15 to 18, 1969.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical temperature gradient in the upper 285 meters of the ocean.
• Studying short-term thermal variability over a four-day cruise period.
• Correlating temperature profiles with specific cruise, date, position, and time metadata.
• Providing a historical baseline for upper ocean heat studies in the region.

Strengths

• Data is processed to a documented standard format (NODC C128), ensuring structural consistency.
• Temperature values are recorded at a uniform 5-meter depth interval, facilitating direct comparison.
• Each observation includes associated metadata: cruise information, date, position, and time.

Limitations

• The dataset's exact row count and column names are not provided by any source.
• Instrument limitation: MBT data is only useful for the upper ocean, with a maximum observation depth of approximately 285 meters.
• Conflicting freshness: One platform lists a last update in 2026, while another shows the original collection date in 1969, suggesting metadata may not reflect data modifications.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Collected using a Mechanical Bathythermograph (MBT) instrument and processed by NODC.

Time Range

1969-09-15 to 1969-09-18

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:50:30.238165

Geography

North Pacific Ocean, YAQUINA location.