Temperature profile data collected using XBTs from the KASHU MARU from the Pacific Ocean during the Thermal Structure Monitoring Program in the Pacific (TRANSPAC) project, 19 July 1977 to 27 July 1977 (NODC Accession 8100124)

Temperature profile data were collected using bathythermograph (BT/XBT) casts from KASHU MARU in the Pacific Ocean from July 19, 1977 to July 27, 1977. Data were submitted by Scripps Institution of Oceanography in part of the Thermal Structure Monitoring Program in the Pacific (TRANSPAC) project. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format. Full BT descriptions are available at http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html.

The UBT format contains temperature-depth profile data obtained using expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments. Cruise information, position, date and time were reported for each observation. The data record was comprised of pairs of temperature-depth values. Unlike the MBT Data File, in which temperature values were recorded at uniform 5 m intervals, the XBT data files contained temperature values at non-uniform depths. These depths were recorded at the minimum number of points (''inflection points'') required to accurately define the temperature curve. Standard XBTs can obtain profiles to depths of either 450 or 760 m. With special instruments, measurements can be obtained to 1830 m.

1977年7月19日至7月27日，“KASHU MARU”号科考船在太平洋海域通过温深仪（bathythermograph，BT/XBT）走航观测，采集获得温度剖面数据。本数据集由斯克里普斯海洋研究所（Scripps Institution of Oceanography）提交，隶属于太平洋热结构监测计划（TRANSPAC项目）。数据已由美国国家海洋数据中心（National Oceanographic Data Center，NODC）处理为符合NODC标准的通用温深仪输出（Universal Bathythermograph Output，UBT）格式。完整的温深仪相关说明可访问以下链接：http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html。

UBT格式存储了通过投弃式温深仪（expendable bathythermograph，XBT）获取的温度-深度剖面数据。每条观测记录均附带航次信息、观测位置、观测日期与时间。数据记录由温度-深度值对构成。与MBT数据文件采用均匀5米间隔记录温度值不同，XBT数据文件中的温度值对应非均匀分布的深度。这些深度点为精准刻画温度曲线所需的最少数量的“拐点（inflection points）”。标准XBT可获取的剖面最大深度为450米或760米；若使用专用仪器，测量深度可达1830米。