Temperature profile data collected using XBTs from the MAINE from the Pacific Ocean during the Thermal Structure Monitoring Program in the Pacific (TRANSPAC) project, 14 July 1977 to 22 July 1977 (NODC Accession 8100364)

Temperature profile data were collected using bathythermograph (BT/XBT) casts from MAINE in the Pacific Ocean from July 14, 1977 to July 22, 1977. Data were submitted by Scripps Institution of Oceanography as 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.

本数据集为1977年7月14日至7月22日期间，太平洋海域“缅因”号（MAINE）通过投放温深仪（bathythermograph, BT/XBT）获取的温深剖面数据。该数据由斯克里普斯海洋研究所（Scripps Institution of Oceanography）提交，作为太平洋热结构监测计划（TRANSPAC）项目的一部分。国家海洋数据中心（National Oceanographic Data Center, NODC）已将数据处理为符合NODC标准的通用温深仪输出（Universal Bathythermograph Output, UBT）格式。完整的温深仪说明可访问以下网址：http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html。

UBT格式包含由投放式温深仪（expendable bathythermograph, XBT）获取的温深剖面数据。每份观测记录均包含航次信息、观测位置、日期与时间，数据记录由多组温深数值对构成。与机械温深仪（Mechanical Bathythermograph, MBT）数据文件不同：MBT数据文件以均匀5米间隔记录温度值，而XBT数据文件的温度值对应非均匀深度，这些深度点为精准刻画温度曲线所需的最少点数，即“拐点”。标准投放式温深仪可获取最大深度为450米或760米的温深剖面；若使用专用仪器，测量深度可达1830米。