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.

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Ocean Datasets

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Dataset Sort descending	Version	Platform	Instrument	Temporal Extent	Spatial Extent	Spatial Resolution	Data Format
Ocean Biogeochemistry in the California Current System 2007-2010 L4 Monthly	1	MITgcm, BLING	NOT APPLICABLE	2007-01-01 to 2010-12-31	N: 39.95 S: 27.2 E: -114 W: -129	0.0625 Decimal Degrees x 0.0625 Decimal Degrees
Ocean color calibration and validation measurements off the New Jersey and New York coasts	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2005-03-30 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Ocean LiDAR measurements Pacific Ocean	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1994-11-19 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Ocean Margin Exchange Phase II (OMEX II) Project	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1998-06-27 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) Surface Currents - Final 0.25 Degree (Version 2.0)	2.0	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	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	1993-01-01 to 2022-08-05	N: 89.75 S: -89.75 E: 180 W: -180	0.25 Decimal Degrees x 0.25 Decimal Degrees	netCDF-4
Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) Surface Currents - Interim 0.25 Degree (Version 2.0)	2.0	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	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	2020-01-01 to Present	N: 89.75 S: -89.75 E: 180 W: -180	0.25 Decimal Degrees x 0.25 Decimal Degrees	netCDF-4
Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) Surface Currents - Near Real Time 0.25 Degree (Version 2.0)	2.0	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	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	2021-01-01 to Present	N: 89.75 S: -89.75 E: 180 W: -180	0.25 Decimal Degrees x 0.25 Decimal Degrees	netCDF-4
Ocean Surface pCO2 and Air-Sea CO2 Flux in the Northern Gulf of America, 2006-2010	1	Aqua	MODIS	2006-01-01 to 2011-01-01	N: 32 S: 25 E: -86 W: -96		netCDF-4 classic
Ocean Twilight Zone: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2021-05-01 to 2024-07-01	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Oceansat-2 Scatterometer Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 2	2	IRS-O2	OSCAT	2010-01-16 to 2014-02-20	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: 0 , N: 90 S: -90 E: 0 W: -180	12500 Meters x 12500 Meters	netCDF-4
OCEANX_2025	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Odyssee Saint Laurent	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2019-02-03 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Office of Naval Research (ONR) - Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) measurements	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1996-08-08 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Office of Naval Research (ONR) measurements in the Penobscot River System	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2006-01-09 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Old Dominion University (ODU) - Chesapeake Bay Mouth (CBM) measurements	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2004-05-05 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Oligotrophic Southern Pacific Ocean measurements onboard the French R/V Latalante	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1994-11-14 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
OMG Airborne eXpendable Conductivity Temperature Depth (AXCTD) Profiles	1	Aircraft	AXCTD	2016-09-13 to 2021-12-31	N: 83.6 S: 59.1 E: 180 W: 73.6 , N: 83.6 S: 59.1 E: -6.9 W: -180		netCDF-4
OMG Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) Profiles	1	InSitu	CTD	2015-07-25 to 2020-08-23	N: 79.841 S: 60.351 E: 53.406 W: -74.576		netCDF-4
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
OMG Narwhals oceanographic data from moorings, 2018-2020	1.0	MOORINGS	CTD, TEMPERATURE LOGGERS	2018-08-01 to 2020-08-31	N: 76.103817 S: 75.841817 E: -58.410533 W: -61.726983		netCDF-4
OMG Narwhals Shipboard Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) profiles, 2018-2020	1.0	MOORINGS	CTD, TEMPERATURE LOGGERS	2018-08-01 to 2020-08-31	N: 76.103817 S: 75.841817 E: -58.410533 W: -61.726983		netCDF-4
OMG Ocean Water Properties Data from Alamo Floats Version 1	1	InSitu	FLOAT_CTD	2017-08-30 to 2022-08-31	N: 79.841 S: 60.351 E: 53.406 W: -74.576		ASCII
OMG Ocean Water Properties Data from APEX Floats Version 1	1	InSitu	FLOAT_CTD	2020-08-13 to 2021-10-31	N: 79.841 S: 60.351 E: 53.406 W: -74.576		ASCII
OMG Swath Gridded Multibeam Echo Sounding (MBES) Bathymetry	1	OMGSHIP_MBES	MBES	2015-07-25 to 2021-08-31	N: 83.6 S: 59.1 E: -6.9 W: -73.6		netCDF-4
OMG Swath Gridded Singlebeam Echo Sounding (SBES) Bathymetry	1	OMGSHIP_SBES	SBES	2015-08-04 to 2016-08-16	N: 83.6 S: 59.1 E: 180 W: 73.6 , N: 83.6 S: 59.1 E: -6.9 W: -180		netCDF-4

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.

Potential of SWOT for Sea Ice Monitoring Unveiled

Researchers explore using SWOT data to derive two-dimensional estimates of sea ice thickness.

Earthdata grapic identifier on patterned background

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.

global sea surface height data collected by SWOT

Facing the Challenges of Using High-Resolution Sea Surface Height Observations From SWOT

SWOT presents opportunities and challenges in characterizing sea surface height anomalies.

Ocean Data Tools

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Tool Sort descending	Description	Services
AppEEARS	The The Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples (AppEEARS) offers users a simple and efficient way to perform data access and transformation processes.	Search and Discovery, Subsetting, Customization, Downloading, Visualization
CASEI	The Catalog of Archived Suborbital Earth Science Investigations (CASEI) is a comprehensive inventory of contextual information for NASA's Earth Science airborne and field campaigns.	Search and Discovery, Cataloging
CyAN File Search	The CyAN File Search tool allows users to choose an area over the continental United States and Alaska to retrieve cyanobacteria datasets archived by the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) project.	Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization
CyFi Explorer	CyFi Explorer enables users to view corresponding Sentinel-2 satellite imagery for each cyanobacteria estimate, and estimate cyanobacteria density.	Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization
Giovanni	Giovanni is a web application for accessing, visualizing, and analyzing Earth science remote sensing data without downloading the data.	Search and Discovery, Analysis, Access, Visualization, Downloading, Subsetting
Hydrocron	Hydrocron is an API that repackages hydrology datasets from SWOT into formats that make time-series analysis easier.	Subsetting, Visualization
Ocean Color Level 3 and 4 Browser	The Ocean Color Level 3 and 4 Browser allows users to view, download, or order global composites at various spatial and temporal scales (level 3) or get results from analyses of lower-level data (level 4).	Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization
Panoply	Panoply is a cross-platform application that plots geo-referenced and other arrays from netCDF, HDF, GRIB, and other datasets.	Visualization, Customization, Reformatting, Subsetting, Comparison
SeaBASS	SeaBASS is public archive of ocean and atmosphere data captured in situ. The archive is maintained by NASA's Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG).	Downloading
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

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