IMOS - Ships of Opportunity – Expendable Bathythermographs Sub-Facility

Updated: 2025-10-01

The IMOS Ships of Opportunity Expendable Bathythermographs Sub-Facility was formerly known as the Underway Expendable Bathythermographs (XBT), a research and data collection project working within the former IMOS Ship of Opportunity Multi-Disciplinary Underway Network Sub-Facility. Five major (HRX) high-resolution XBT lines provide boundary to boundary profiling and closely spaced sampling to resolve mesoscale eddies, fronts and boundary currents. The lines are repeated 4 times per year by an on-board technician. The routes sample each major boundary current system using available commercial vessel traffic. All of the transects transmit data in real-time.