Metrological Evaluation of Deep-Ocean Thermometers

An accurate metrological investigation was performed on several units of the two de facto standards for deep-ocean temperature measurements—the SBE35 (the reference thermometer) and the SBE3 (the working thermometer) from SeaBird Scientific. Four SBE35 units were repeatedly calibrated against state-of-the-art fixed-point cells (triple point of water at 0.01 °C and melting point of gallium at 29.7646 °C), with calibration uncertainties of approximately 0.2 mK and 0.5 mK, respectively. Three SBE35 units and one SBE3 unit were calibrated in the temperature range 0 °C to 30 °C, again with sub-millikelvin calibration uncertainties, in a recently-developed water–bath calibration facility. All these calibrations evidenced (1) the deviation of each unit from its original manufacturer’s calibration (up to 1.7 mK), which were found to be inconsistent with the manufacturer’s uncertainty claims and (2) unexplained irreproducibilities, which could not be attributed to the calibration system of up to 1.5 mK. The effect of high pressures (up to 60 MPa) on the response of two SBE35 units was investigated by pressurizing the SBE35 units inside a purpose-built compact pressure enclosure. The results of the pressure investigation confirmed the existence of a small device-dependent pressure effect (approximately 0.3 mK at 60 MPa) and the need for individual temperature–pressure calibration of each SBE35 unit.

The physics of temperature

Heat: a measure of the total kinetic energy of a body. Measured in joules (J). It depends on the mass of the body and the specific heat capacity of the body. Temperature: a measure of the average kinetic energy within a body. It describes the potential for heat energy to move from one body to another down a gradient from an area of high temperature to an area of lower temperature. It is measured using a temperature scale which is defined against fixed physical events such as absolute zero or the triple point of water. Heat capacity: the amount of heat energy necessary to be added to an entire body to increase the temperature by one degree Kelvin (J/K). Specific heat capacity: the amount of heat energy necessary to be added to one kilogram of a body to increase the temperature by one degree Kelvin (J/K/kg). Absolute zero: a hypothetical temperature at which all molecular movement stops (zero kinetic energy). This is not possible in reality. The ice point: this is the temperature at standard pressure (101.3 kPa) at which water exists in both a solid (ice) and a liquid form. Designated as 0 oC or 32 oF. The steam point (boiling point): the temperature at standard pressure (101.3 kPa) at which water exists in botha liquid and a vapour form. Designated as 100 oC or 212 oF. Triple point of water: the temperature at a pressure of 611 Pa (0.006 atm) at which water exists in a solid (ice), liquid and a vapour form. Designated as 0.01 oC.