Levitus, S., and A. H. Oort, 1977: Global analysis of oceanographic data. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 58 (12), 1270-1284.

Abstract: A project to objectively analyze a large quantity of oceanographic data for the world ocean is described. Preliminary results are encouraging within the limits of data available. Results are being used in a variety of ways but at present primarily for studies of the ocean's role in the global heat balance. A brief discussion of the data used, the method of analysis, and some preliminary results is presented.