About GTSPP Best Copy Files

The GTSPP Long-Term Archive, operated by US NODC, holds, in the beginning, the real-time data from ISDM received three times per week. Delayed mode data include the full resolution data from XBTs or CTDs from the ships, or fully processed and quality controlled data from the organizations that provided the real time low resolution data to the GTS. If a low resolution real time copy of the data are already in the CMD the better quality or higher resolution copy replaces the real time one as the best copy. The best copy data files are assembled to provide the most complete data sets without duplication and comprise the best temperature and salinity stations for each month for which data is available in the data base, from either real-time (BATHY or TESAC) data, or delayed mode, full resolution profiles of (PI-submitted) XBT and CTD data. Where matching stations are found, the delayed mode, full resolution profile is included and the real-time, lower resolution profile is excluded, to make it the "best copy" available.