IBAMar-SL, A comprehensive ocean variables dataset for the Western Mediterranean Sea.

Original IBAMar-SL was a regional database that compiled over four decades of physical and biochemical profile data obtained during cruises mainly managed by the Balearic Oceanographic Center of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (COB‑IEO/CSIC) since 1982. It initially integrated CTD-derived hydrographic profiles (conductivity, temperature, depth with multiple sensors) and has since expanded to include data from water bottle casts using Niskin or Nansen bottles. Now, the newly upgraded IBAMar-SL database incorporates data beyond the original sampling period. All historical and newly added data have been reprocessed under unified protocols and precision quality control (QC) procedures—both manual and automated checks for spikes, range validity, inversion, and outliers across the entire time span using consistent protocols and applies uniform QC methodologies to each variable—ensuring a homogeneous, quality‑controlled dataset. The result is a comprehensive regional resource that includes key physical variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, turbidity) and biochemical ones (phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, silicate, chlorophyll‑a), ensuring consistency across time and platforms.
The new enhanced version adds results from around 40 additional campaigns and provides data at standard levels (SLs) as defined by Levitus et al., 1998. ranging from 1 to 2800 m depth, permitting consistent comparisons across profiles. To ensure FAIR compliance, the IBAMar-SL file now includes the Cruise Summary Report (CSR) link for each cruise and all related quality-control (QC) flags. Variable names have been mapped to their corresponding SeaDataNet P01 parameter codes and units aligned with P06 controlled vocabularies, standardizing terminology and measurement units across the dataset. These processing steps enhance both the findability and reusability. The use of standardized vocabularies and CSR integration promotes interoperability with SeaDataNet and other international infrastructures, facilitating broader data discovery and reuse.
This upgraded IBAMar-SL database, formatted as ODV spreadsheet, provides users with reliable, long-term data optimized for exploration, download, and incorporation into broader analyses and climate assessments.