Temperature profile data collected using XBTs from the USNS WILKES from the Pacific Ocean during the Thermal Structure Monitoring Program in the Pacific (TRANSPAC) project, 03 December 1980 to 15 December 1980 (NODC Accession 8100302)

Temperature profile data were collected using bathythermograph (BT/XBT) casts from USNS WILKES in the Pacific Ocean from December 3, 1980 to December 15, 1980. Data were submitted by US NAVY; NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC OFFICE 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1980年12月3日至12月15日期间，由美国海军舰艇USNS WILKES在太平洋海域通过温深仪（bathythermograph, BT/XBT）走航观测获取的温度剖面数据。本数据集由美国海军（US NAVY）及海军海洋学办公室提交，作为太平洋热结构监测计划（TRANSPAC项目）的组成部分。数据集已由国家海洋学数据中心（National Oceanographic Data Center, NODC）处理为NODC标准通用温深仪输出（Universal Bathythermograph Output, UBT）格式。有关BT的完整说明可查阅网址：http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html。

UBT格式存储了通过投弃式温深仪（expendable bathythermograph, 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。与机械式温深仪数据文件（MBT Data File）不同——后者以均匀5米间隔记录温度值，XBT数据文件的温度值对应非均匀深度。这些深度仅记录了精准刻画温度曲线所需的最少数量的拐点（inflection points）。标准XBT可获取深度达450米或760米的剖面数据；若使用专用仪器，测量深度可达1830米。