A global eddy-collocated temperature and salinity profile dataset (v1.0): integrating multiplatform in situ observations with satellite-tracking mesoscale eddies

By He, Liu, Zhan +6Earth system science dataOct 29, 2026

Score████░░░░░░4.3

VerdictWorth a reader's time today.

Abstract

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.

Qingyou He, Yunchen Liu, Weikang Zhan, Yinghui He, Zhenting Mo, Peiya Zhang, Shuqun Cai, Lijing Cheng, Haigang Zhan

The editor's rubric

Heuristic review

Leverage3 / 5: A method or resource many groups across the field will adopt within a year.; 16% of this desk’s rubric
Magnitude2 / 5: Solid incremental gain on a meaningful problem.; 20% of this desk’s rubric
Evidence3 / 5: Solid: multiple benchmarks or cohorts, ablations, fair baselines, released code or data.; 20% of this desk’s rubric
Novelty3 / 5: A genuinely new approach to an open problem.; 10% of this desk’s rubric
Trajectory2 / 5: Some room to improve with obvious engineering.; 14% of this desk’s rubric
Stakes3 / 5: Meaningful benefit to many people within a few years.; 20% of this desk’s rubric

Dimension	Level	Weight	What that level means
Leverage	███░░3/5	16%	A method or resource many groups across the field will adopt within a year.
Magnitude	██░░░2/5	20%	Solid incremental gain on a meaningful problem.
Evidence	███░░3/5	20%	Solid: multiple benchmarks or cohorts, ablations, fair baselines, released code or data.
Novelty	███░░3/5	10%	A genuinely new approach to an open problem.
Trajectory	██░░░2/5	14%	Some room to improve with obvious engineering.
Stakes	███░░3/5	20%	Meaningful benefit to many people within a few years.

Editor’s rationale

Heuristic triage from title and abstract text only, not a reading of the paper. Cues found: method (we propose); novelty (open problem); verification (error bars); scale (scalable); stakes (global scale, energy, climate).

How the score was computed

rank-2026-10-18

Score████░░░░░░4.3

Score = 10 × (75% × adjusted merit / 10 + 15% × attention + 10% × freshness)

Desks place stronger verdicts first, then use this score to order work within the same verdict.

Merit: 5.3 / 10; Weighted rubric, evidence-gated.
Adjusted merit: 4.6 / 10; Shrunk toward the desk prior by editor confidence (44%).
Attention: 0%; Citations, upvotes, points, mentions.
Freshness: 85%; Half-life decay since publication.

Citations0 (reference 15, via openalex, Oct 31, 2026, 07:20 UTC)

The record

Reviewed by heuristic-v10 on Oct 31, 2026, 07:20 UTC. Paper type: method.
Categories: Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes, Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics, Marine and coastal ecosystems, Oceanography, Earth and Planetary Sciences
BRIEF, No.2 in the Climate & Energy edition of October 31, 2026.