Creator: POCLOUD
Keywords: Ocean Currents

Data at a Glance

Description

Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) is a global surface current database and NASA funded research project. OSCAR ocean mixed layer velocities are calculated from satellite-sensed sea surface height gradients, ocean vector winds, and sea surface temperature gradients using a simplified physical model for geostrophy, Ekman, and thermal wind dynamics. Daily averaged surface currents are provided on a global 0.25 x 0.25 degree grid as an average over an assumed well-mixed top 30 m of the ocean from 1993 to present day. OSCAR currents are provided at three quality levels: final, interim and nrt with a respective latency of each of approximately 1 year, 1 month, and 2 days. OSCAR is generated by Earth & Space Research (ESR) https://www.esr.org/research/oscar/. More details on the source datasets, file structure, and methodology can be found in oscarv2guide.pdf.

Product Summary

Platforms

NOAA-14 ,

JASON-1 ,

TOPEX/POSEIDON ,

NOAA-17 ,

GRACE ,

OSTM/JASON-2 ,

DMSP 5D-2/F10 ,

DMSP 5D-2/F11 ,

ERS-2 ,

GFO ,

NOAA-16 ,

NOAA-19 ,

ENVISAT ,

QUIKSCAT ,

DMSP 5D-2/F14 ,

ERS-1 ,

DMSP 5D-2/F13 ,

NOAA-20 ,

METOP-A ,

JASON-3

Instruments

AVHRR-2 ,

JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer ,

POSEIDON-2 ,

ALT (TOPEX) ,

TMR ,

SSALT ,

AVHRR-3 ,

GRACE-FO ACC ,

GRACE-FO KBR ,

GRACE SCA ,

AMR ,

POSEIDON-3 ,

SSM/I ,

ERS-2 Altimeter ,

GFO Altimeter ,

RA-2 ,

SEAWINDS ,

ERS-1 ALTIMETER ,

POSEIDON-3B

Spatial Extent

N: 89.75 S: -89.75 E: 180 W: -180

Spatial Resolution

0.25 Decimal Degrees x 0.25 Decimal Degrees

Geographic Region

GLOBAL OCEAN

Coordinate System

CARTESIAN

Granule Spatial Representation

CARTESIAN

Temporal Extent

2021-01-01 to Present

Data Partner

Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA (NASA/JPL/PODAAC) ,

Earth and Space Research (ESR)

Concept ID

C2102958977-POCLOUD

Data State

ACTIVE

Number of Files/Granules

1805

Processing Level

Published

2021-07-27

Science Keywords

Ocean Currents

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

Select a Citation Style:

Dohan, K. (2021). Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) Surface Currents - Near Real Time 0.25 Degree (Version 2.0) [Data set]. NASA Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/OSCAR-25N20 Date Accessed: 2025-12-14

Documents

USER'S GUIDE

User Guide

DATA CITATION GUIDELINES

Data Use and Citation Guidelines

Variables

Variables are a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something. For example, temperature and pressure are variables of the atmosphere. Parameters and variables can be used interchangeably. Variable level attributes provide individual information for each variable.

The Name in this table is the variable name. Fill value indicates missing or undefined data points in a variable. Valid range is the range of values the variable can store. Scale factor is used to increase or decrease the size of an object and can be used to correct for distortion. For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Sort descending	Description	Units	Data Type	Fill Value	Valid Range	Scale Factor
u	Velocities are an average over the top 30m of the mixed layer	m s-1	double	-999	-3 to 3	1
ug	Geostrophic velocities calculated from absolute dynamic topography	m s-1	double	-999	-3 to 3	1
v	Velocities are an average over the top 30m of the mixed layer	m s-1	double	-999	-3 to 3	1
vg	Geostrophic velocities calculated from absolute dynamic topography	m s-1	double	-999	-3 to 3	1