Advancing Turbulence Essential Ocean Variable: A Reference Glider-Based Microstructure Dataset from the Western Mediterranean

Abstract. We present a comprehensive dataset of turbulence microstructure measurements collected with a Micro Rider (MR-1000) from Rockland Scientific (RS) mounted on the Slocum Deep Glider “Teresa” across repeated transects between Sardinia and the Balearic Islands (SMART missions, 2015–2024). This dataset constitutes one of the most extensive autonomous glider-based microstructure archives to date for the Western Mediterranean, containing glider sections up to 1000 m-depth and delivering quality-controlled vertical profiles of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate (ε) and thermal variance dissipation rate (χ) across seasonal cycles and diverse water masses. The data were processed through a rigorous multilevel workflow (L0–L4), following community best practices for processing, quality control, and uncertainty quantification. Final products include estimates of ε from dual shear probes and χ from dual fast thermistor probes, aligned with co-located hydrographic and oxygen measurements. This dataset provides a high-resolution resource for investigating fine-scale mixing, validating parameterizations, improving turbulence representation in models, and modeling physical processes. All data and processing codes are openly provided to support reuse, reproducibility, and integration into global efforts advancing the inclusion of turbulence as an Essential Ocean Variable.