Temperature profile data collected using XBTs from the MEDELENA from the Pacific Ocean during the Thermal Structure Monitoring Program in the Pacific (TRANSPAC) project, 01 April 1977 to 10 April 1977 (NODC Accession 8100389)

Temperature profile data were collected using bathythermograph (BT/XBT) casts from MEDELENA in the Pacific Ocean from April 1, 1977 to April 10, 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.

1977年4月1日至1977年4月10日期间，科研船MEDELENA在太平洋海域通过温深仪（BT/XBT）观测站位采集得到温度剖面数据。本数据集由斯克里普斯海洋研究所提交，作为太平洋热结构监测计划（TRANSPAC）项目的组成部分。数据由美国国家海洋数据中心（NODC）处理为符合NODC标准的通用温深仪输出（UBT）格式。完整的温深仪说明文档可访问：http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html。

UBT格式存储了通过投弃式温深仪（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-深度值对构成。与MBT数据文件不同——MBT数据文件以均匀5米的间隔记录温度值——XBT数据文件的温度值对应非均匀深度。其深度仅记录为精准刻画温度曲线所需的最少点位（即“拐点”）。标准投弃式温深仪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。