Southern Ocean XBT Temperature Profiles from 1999 CLIMA Cruise

Temperature profiles were collected using Sippican T7 Expendable Bathythermographs from the research vessel Italica during a 1999 cruise between New Zealand and the Ross Sea. The dataset, part of the Italian CLIMA project, contains high-resolution vertical measurements with a 65 cm resolution down to 760 meters, quality-controlled for consistency and spikes. Data collection occurred over a one-week period from January 5 to January 11, 1999.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical temperature structure and thermal stratification in the Southern Ocean.
• Calibrating or validating regional oceanographic and climate models for the Ross Sea sector.
• Studying short-term oceanic variability during the Antarctic summer.
• Investigating the performance and data characteristics of Sippican T7 XBT probes.

Strengths

• High vertical resolution of 65 cm provides detailed thermal structure.
• Data underwent quality control for consistency between adjacent profiles and spike editing.
• Collection was part of a coordinated national research program (Italian PNRA CLIMA project).

Limitations

• Spatial coverage has gaps due to interruptions from severe sea conditions.
• The dataset is limited to a single, brief 7-day cruise in January 1999.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata exists between platforms (1999 vs. 2026).

Provenance

Source

Italian National Antarctic Research Programme (PNRA) CLIMA project, collected from R/V Italica.

Collection Method

Sippican T7 Expendable Bathythermograph (XBT) launches.

Time Range

1999-01-05 to 1999-01-11

Freshness

2026-03-01 17:21:59.204847

Geography

Southern Ocean and Southwest Pacific Ocean, between New Zealand and the Ross Sea.