A global eddy-collocated temperature and salinity profile dataset (v1.0): integrating multiplatform in situ observations with satellite-detected mesoscale eddies
Abstract. Mesoscale eddies are a fundamental component of ocean circulation and play a crucial role in shaping the three-dimensional distribution of ocean temperature and salinity. However, observational constraints have long limited systematic, global-scale quantification of eddy-induced thermohaline variability. Here, we present a global eddy-collocated historical temperature and salinity profile dataset spanning 29 years (1993–2021), constructed by integrating in situ hydrographic profile observations with satellite-derived mesoscale eddy tracking products. The dataset contains 2.35 million quality-controlled temperature-salinity profiles, each collocated with the nearest mesoscale eddy on the sampling day that may have influenced the observed water column. The profiles provide broad global coverage, with most 2°×2° grid boxes containing more than 150 observations, enabling statistically robust analyses from regional to global scales. Validation against well-documented regional eddy signatures shows that the dataset consistently reproduces well-established eddy-induced temperature and salinity anomaly structures across diverse ocean regions. Example applications demonstrate the dataset’s capability to investigate the spatial heterogeneity and vertical extent of eddy-induced thermohaline anomalies, eddy impacts on mixed-layer depth and stratification, eddy contributions to subsurface extreme temperature events, and eddy-driven heat and material transports. This dataset provides a comprehensive observational foundation for advancing quantitative assessments of mesoscale eddy impacts on regional to global ocean physical environment, heat budgets, and climate change.