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.

Visit Ocean Learning Resources to better understand the metadata for each data collection.

Ocean Datasets

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Dataset Sort descending	Version	Platform	Instrument	Temporal Extent	Spatial Extent	Spatial Resolution	Data Format
PACE validation of UV Aerosol Absorption Properties	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2023-12-31 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Pace Validation Science Team: Particles and Biological Rates	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2025-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Pacific Color 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
Palmer Station Antarctica (PAL) Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1991-12-03 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Panama City, Florida optical measurements in 1993	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1993-10-05 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
PAR data from buoys along the west coast of Canada	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1998-05-05 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Parametrized Rain Impact Model for SMAP L2 V1.0	1.0	SMAP	SMAP L-BAND RADIOMETER	2015-03-31 to 2021-10-01	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) onboard the Pelican research vessel	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2006-04-27 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
PATagonia EXperiment (PATEX) Project	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2004-11-03 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
PBseaice	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2019-01-01 to 2025-07-01	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Pearl River Estuary Pollution Project (PREPP)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2001-02-08 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
PEM Tropics B In-Situ P-3B Meteorology and Navigation Data	1	P-3B	TAMMS	1999-03-05 to 1999-04-12	N: 40 S: -21 E: -72 W: -166		GTE
Penobscot Bay Optical Survey	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2007-11-15 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Photochemistry measurements made along the mid-Atlantic and New England coastal regions	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2002-06-24 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Phytoplankton community composition across environmental gradients in the central Arctic basin	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2022-07-01 to 2022-09-30	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Phytoplankton Monitoring in the North Sea (PMNS)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1993-04-13 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
PICO Mooring data for the SPURS-1 N. Atlantic field campaign	1.0	MOORINGS	CTD, MMS	2012-09-14 to 2013-09-30	N: 25 S: 24 E: -27 W: -38	1 Meters x 1 Meters	netCDF-4
PICOLO (Production Induite en Zone de Convergence par les Ondes Longues Oceaniques) Program	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1997-11-17 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Pigment measurements from 1989 and 1990 in the Gulf of St Lawrence	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1989-09-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
PISTON 2018 Research Vessel (RV) Thompson ship datasets of ocean, atmosphere, and air-sea interaction	1	R/V Thompson	SEA-POL, CTD, ADCP, CHAM, SO, ROSR, W-Band Radar, CEILOMETERS, RADIOMETERS, RAWINSONDES, DISDROMETERS, GPS, Hemisphere VS1000, Gill WindMaster Pro, Vaisala HMT330, ORG-815-DA, Vaisala PTB330, NOAA PSL Sea Snake, SBE-21, Riegl LD90-3100VHS-FLP, Eppley PIR, Vaisala HMT337	2018-08-18 to 2018-10-13	N: 22.7 S: 7.3 E: 136.997 W: 120.06		netCDF-4, Text File, TAR
PISTON 2018-2019 Autonomous Platform Ocean Datasets	1	MOORINGS, OCEAN PLATFORMS	NOAA PROFILER, SOLO-II	2018-08-23 to 2018-11-09	N: 16.6721 S: 3.9491 E: 134.7463 W: 123.2587		NetCDF-4
PISTON 2019 Research Vessel (RV) Sally Ride Data	1	R/V Sally Ride	CTD, ADCP, SEA-POL, CHAM, SO, ROSR, HSRL, W-Band Radar, CEILOMETERS, RAWINSONDES, DISDROMETERS, LIDAR, GPS, Hemisphere VS1000, Gill WindMaster Pro, Vaisala HMT337, Vaisala HMT330, ORG-815-DA, Vaisala PTB330, NOAA PSL Sea Snake, SBE-21, Riegl LD90-3100VHS-FLP, Eppley PIR	2019-08-31 to 2019-09-26	N: 21.41 S: 14.98 E: 130 W: 125.628		NetCDF-4, TAR, Text File
Plumes and Blooms	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1996-08-09 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Polarimetric Validation of the PACE Observatory	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2023-12-31 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
POLARIS Analysis Model Data	1	NASA ER-2, Data Analysis		1997-01-06 to 1997-09-26	N: 90 S: -29.202 E: 180 W: -180		AMES

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

View All Data Tools

Tool Sort descending	Description	Services
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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