Temperature profiles from XBT casts from the DISCOVERER in the Gulf of Alaska as part of the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) from from 01 March 1978 to 11 June 1978 (NODC Accession 7800494)

Temperature profiles were collected from XBT casts in Gulf of Alaska from the DISCOVERER. Data were collected by the National Ocean Service - Seattle (NOS) in support of the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) from 01 March 1978 to 11 June 1978. 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 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 records are comprised of pairs of temperature-depth values. The XBT data files contain 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. Special instruments permit measurements to be obtained to 1830 m.

本数据集的温度剖面数据源自"发现者"号在阿拉斯加湾开展的投弃式温深仪（expendable bathythermograph, XBT）投放观测。数据由美国国家海洋服务局西雅图分局（National Ocean Service - Seattle, NOS）于1978年3月1日至1978年6月11日期间采集，旨在支撑外大陆架环境评估计划（Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program, OCSEAP）。所有数据经国家海洋数据中心（National Oceanographic Data Center, NODC）处理，转换为NODC标准通用温深仪输出格式（Universal Bathythermograph Output, UBT）。完整格式说明可通过NODC官方网址www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html查询获取。
UBT格式存储的是通过投弃式温深仪（XBT）获取的温度-深度剖面数据。每条观测记录均包含航次信息、观测位置、观测日期与时间。数据记录由温度与深度的成对数值组成。XBT数据文件中的温度值对应非均匀分布的深度测点，这些测点为准确刻画温度变化曲线所需的最少点数，即"拐点"。标准型号XBT可获取的剖面最大深度为450米或760米，特殊定制仪器则可实现1830米深度的测量。