The accession contains data gathered over a period of nine years by various agencies from the US, Britain and Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Data was collected between July 2, 1969 and March 2,1978. Multiple German ships such as ANTON DOHRN, GAUSS, FRIEDRICH HEINCKE, WALTER KOERTE, METEOR, VICTOR HENSEN and unknown platforms were used to collect the data. Water depth and other data were collected using a number of sampling devices such as bottle, BathyThermograph (BT), Mechanical BathyThermograph (MBT), meteorological sensors, Secchi diski and eXpendable Bathy Thermograph (XBT). XBT data collected by R/V METEOR between March 3-7, 1977 is included. Data has been processed by NODC to the NODC standard Bathythermograph (MBT) (C128) and Bathythermograph (XBT) (C116) formats. The C116/C118 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. Prior to July 1994, XBT data were routinely processed to one of these standard types. XBT data are now processed and loaded directly in to the NODC Ocean Profile Data Base (OPDB). Historic data from these two data types were loaded into the OPDB. The C128 format is used for temperature-depth profile data obtained using the mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument. The maximum depth of MBT observations is approximately 285 m. Therefore, MBT data are useful only in studying the thermal structure of the upper layers of the ocean. Cruise information, date, position, and time are reported for each observation. The data record comprises pairs of temperature-depth values. Temperature data in this file are recorded at uniform 5 m depth intervals.