Temperature profiles from expendable bathythermograph (XBT) casts from the KANE in the Mediterranean Sea in support of the Integrated Global Ocean Services System (IGOSS) from 17 October 1977 to 31 October 1977 (NODC Accession 7700861)

XBT data were collected from the KANE in support of the Integrated Global Ocean Services System (IGOSS). Data were collected by the US Navy; Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) from 17 October 1977 to 31 October 1977. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html.

The UBT file format is used for temperature-depth profile data obtained using expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments. Standard XBTs can obtain profiles at depths of about 450 or 760 m. With special instruments, measurements can be obtained to 1830 m. Cruise information, position, date, and time are reported for each observation. The data record comprises pairs of temperature-depth values. Unlike the MBT data file, in which temperature values are recorded at uniform 5m intervals, the XBT Data File contains temperature values at non-uniform depths. These depths are at a minimum number of points ("inflection points") required to record the temperature curve to an acceptable degree of accuracy. On output, however, the user may request temperature values either at inflection points or interpolated to uniform depth increments.

抛弃式温深计（expendable bathythermograph，XBT）数据采集自KANE平台，用于支撑综合全球海洋服务系统（Integrated Global Ocean Services System，IGOSS）。该数据由美国海军海军海洋学办公室（Naval Oceanographic Office，NAVOCEANO）于1977年10月17日至1977年10月31日采集。随后由国家海洋数据中心（National Oceanographic Data Center，NODC）处理为符合NODC标准的通用温深计输出（Universal Bathythermograph Output，UBT）格式。完整格式说明可通过NODC官网获取，网址为www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html。

UBT文件格式用于存储通过抛弃式温深计（XBT）获取的温度-深度剖面数据。标准XBT可获取约450米或760米深度的剖面数据；搭载专用仪器时，测量深度可达1830米。每份观测记录均包含航次信息、观测位置、日期与时间。数据记录由温度-深度值对构成。与以固定5米间隔记录温度值的机械式温深计（MBT）数据文件不同，XBT数据文件的温度值对应非均匀深度，这些深度点为以可接受精度完整记录温度曲线所需的最少“拐点”数量。但在输出环节，用户可选择获取拐点处的原始温度值，或通过插值得到均匀深度增量下的温度值。