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Ocean Data Access and Tools
NASA data span the geophysical parameters that characterize the global ocean and the physical processes operating within its depths and at its surface. Our datasets and tools help researchers translate these interconnected data points into actionable knowledge.
Ocean Datasets
| Dataset | Version Sort ascending | Platforms | Instruments | Temporal Extent | Spatial Extent | Spatial Resolution | Data Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERS-2 Level 1 Product | 1 | ERS-2 | SAR | 1995-10-01 to 2011-07-04 |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
||
| NRT AMSR2 Unified L2B Global Swath Ocean Products V1 | 1 | GCOM-W1 | AMSR2 | 2020-06-01 |
N: 89 S: -89 E: 180 W: -180 |
netCDF-4 - HDF-EOS5 | |
| SWOT Simulated Level-2 Nadir SSH from MITgcm ECCO LLC4320 for Science Version 1 | 1 | MITgcm | Computer | 2011-11-13 to 2012-11-12 |
N: 77.6 S: -77.6 E: 180 W: -180 |
2 Kilometers x 2 Kilometers | netCDF-4 |
| CAR FIREACE Arctic Ice and Cloud Radiation L1 V1 (CAR_FIREACE_L1C) at GES DISC | 1 | C-131A | CAR | 1998-05-21 to 1998-06-24 |
N: 77.7766 S: 69.8396 E: -154.102 W: -171.705 |
||
| SASSIE Arctic Field Campaign Shipboard Delta-18O Data Fall 2022 | 1 | Ships | MASS SPECTROMETERS, GO-FLO BOTTLES | 2022-09-09 to 2022-10-03 |
N: 73.3 S: 66 E: -144.8 W: -168.1 |
NetCDF-4 | |
| AVISO Level 4 Absolute Dynamic Topography for Climate Model Comparison Number of Observations | 1 | JASON-1, TOPEX/POSEIDON, ENVISAT, GRACE, OSTM/JASON-2, ERS-1, ERS-2 | JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2, ALT (TOPEX), TMR, SSALT, RA-2, GRACE-FO ACC, GRACE SCA, GRACE-FO KBR, AMR, POSEIDON-3, ERS-1 ALTIMETER, ERS-2 Altimeter | 1992-10-01 to 2010-12-30 |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
1 Decimal Degrees x 1 Decimal Degrees | NETCDF |
| S-MODE L2 Temperature and Salinity from Saildrones Version 1 | 1 | Saildrone | ADCP | 2021-09-01 to 2022-10-31 |
N: 38.1 S: 36.3 E: -122.9 W: -125.4 |
netCDF-4 | |
| First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) SOFIA Le Suroit Hydrophone Data | 1 | BUOYS | HYDROPHONES | 1992-06-02 to 1992-06-19 | ASCII | ||
| OMG Level 2 Airborne eXpendable Bathy Thermograph (AXBT) Profiles | 1 | AIRCRAFT | BATHYTHERMOGRAPHS | 2020-09-02 to 2021-09-16 |
N: 83.6 S: 59.1 E: 180 W: 73.6 N: 83.6 S: 59.1 E: -6.9 W: -180 |
netCDF-4 | |
| GPM Ground Validation Met One Rain Gauge Pairs MC3E Version 1 | 1 | GROUND STATIONS | 30.5 cm | TAR/TGZ |
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Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Platform
SWOT provides detailed surface topography and monitors water body changes over time. The platform enables high-resolution ocean monitoring at 15-150 km spatial scales, tracking ocean currents, coastal dynamics, storm surges, and regional sea level changes. On land, SWOT measures water storage changes in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and wetlands, supporting river discharge estimates for water resource assessment.
Researchers explore using SWOT data to derive two-dimensional estimates of sea ice thickness.
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Swath Visualizer provides a visualization of two instruments’ coverage of Earth's surface: the Ka-band Radar Interferometer and altimeter.
SWOT presents opportunities and challenges in characterizing sea surface height anomalies.
Ocean Data Tools
| Tool Sort descending | Description | Services | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SeaDAS | Sea, earth, atmosphere Data Analysis System (SeaDAS) is a comprehensive image analysis package for the processing, display, analysis, and quality control of ocean color data. | Analysis, Visualization, Processing | |
| SOTO | State of the Ocean (SOTO) is an interactive web-based tool that generates informative maps, animations, and plots that communicate and prove the discovery and analysis of the state of the oceans. | Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization | |
| STREAM | STREAM is a rapid water quality monitoring tool that processes satellite imagery to create maps showing chlorophyll-a, Total Suspended Solids, and water clarity at 20-30 meter resolution. | Processing | |
| SWOT Swath Visualizer | The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Swath Visualizer provides a visualization of two instruments’ coverage of Earth's surface: the Ka-band Radar Interferometer and altimeter. | Analysis, Data Curation, Visualization | |
| Worldview | Worldview offers the capability to interactively browse over 1,200 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and download the underlying data. | Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization, Access, Comparison, Monitoring Natural Events |
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