What is the difference between Profile and Centroid MS data?

March 4, 2008

by Arvin Moser, Team Manager, Application Scientists, ACD/Labs

MS data collected off an instrument is presented as either profile or centroid mode. Shown below are two mass spectra illustrating an ion cluster for profile data and a centroid mass spectrum created from the profile data.

In profile mode, a peak is represented by a collection of signals over several scans. The advantage of profile data is it is easier to classify a signal as a true peak from noise off the instrument.

In centroid mode, the signals are displayed as discrete m/z with zero line widths. The advantage of centroid data is the file size is significantly smaller as there is less information describing a signal.