OSCAR third degree resolution ocean surface currents

(OSCAR_L4_OC_third-deg)
146 Publications Cited this Dataset
Citation metrics available for years (2014-2021)
Version1
Processing Level4
Start/Stop Date2011-Dec-06 to Present
Short NameOSCAR_L4_OC_third-deg
DescriptionOSCAR (Ocean Surface Current Analysis Real-time) contains near-surface ocean current estimates, derived using quasi-linear and steady flow momentum equations. The horizontal velocity is directly estimated from sea surface height, surface vector wind and sea surface temperature. These data were collected from the various satellites and in situ instruments. The model formulation combines geostrophic, Ekman and Stommel shear dynamics, and a complementary term from the surface buoyancy gradient. Data are on a 1/3 degree grid with a 5 day resolution. OSCAR is generated by Earth Space Research (ESR) https://www.esr.org/research/oscar/oscar-surface-currents/. This collection contains data in 5-day files. For yearly files, see https://doi.org/10.5067/OSCAR-03D1Y
DOI10.5067/OSCAR-03D01
MeasurementOCEANS > OCEAN CIRCULATION > OCEAN CURRENTS
Platform/Sensor
NOAA-14
Platform
Name: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-14 (NOAA-14)
Orbit Period: 102.0 minutes
Inclination Angle: 99.0 degrees
/
AVHRR-2
SENSOR
Name: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-2 (AVHRR-2)
Swath Width: 2400.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

JASON-1
Platform
Name: JASON-1 (JASON-1)
Orbit Period: 112.43 minutes
Inclination Angle: 66.04 degrees
/
JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer
SENSOR
Name: JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer (JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer)
Swath Width: 22.9 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

JASON-1
Platform
Name: JASON-1 (JASON-1)
Orbit Period: 112.43 minutes
Inclination Angle: 66.04 degrees
/
POSEIDON-2
SENSOR
Name: JASON-1 RADAR ALTIMETER (POSEIDON-2)

TOPEX/POSEIDON
Platform
Name: Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX/POSEIDON)
Orbit Period: 112.43 minutes
Inclination Angle: 66.04 degrees
/
ALT (TOPEX)
SENSOR
Name: TOPEX Radar Altimeter (ALT (TOPEX))
Swath Width: 5.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

TOPEX/POSEIDON
Platform
Name: Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX/POSEIDON)
Orbit Period: 112.43 minutes
Inclination Angle: 66.04 degrees
/
TMR
SENSOR
Name: TOPEX Microwave Radiometer (TMR)
Swath Width: 5.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

TOPEX/POSEIDON
Platform
Name: Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX/POSEIDON)
Orbit Period: 112.43 minutes
Inclination Angle: 66.04 degrees
/
SSALT
SENSOR
Name: POSEIDON Solid State Radar Altimeter (SSALT)
Swath Width: 5.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

NOAA-17
Platform
Name: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-17 (NOAA-17)
Orbit Period: 101.2 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.7 degrees
/
AVHRR-3
SENSOR
Name: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-3 (AVHRR-3)
Swath Width: 2400.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

GRACE
Platform
Name: Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)
Orbit Period: -1.0 minutes
Inclination Angle: 89.0 degrees
/
GRACE-FO ACC
SENSOR
Name: GRACE-FO SuperSTAR Accelerometer (GRACE-FO ACC)
Swath Width: -1.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

GRACE
Platform
Name: Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)
Orbit Period: -1.0 minutes
Inclination Angle: 89.0 degrees
/
KBR
SENSOR
Name: K-Band Ranging system (KBR)
Swath Width: -1.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

GRACE
Platform
Name: Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)
Orbit Period: -1.0 minutes
Inclination Angle: 89.0 degrees
/
GRACE SCA
SENSOR
Name: Star Camera Assembly (GRACE SCA)

DMSP 5D-2/F10
Platform
Name: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program-F10 (DMSP 5D-2/F10)
Orbit Period: 102.0 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.8 degrees
/
SSM/I
SENSOR
Name: Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I)
Swath Width: 1394.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

OSTM/JASON-2
Platform
Name: Joint Altimetry Satellite Oceanography Network - 2 (OSTM/JASON-2)
Orbit Period: 112.43 minutes
Inclination Angle: 66.04 degrees
/
AMR
SENSOR
Name: Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMR)

OSTM/JASON-2
Platform
Name: Joint Altimetry Satellite Oceanography Network - 2 (OSTM/JASON-2)
Orbit Period: 112.43 minutes
Inclination Angle: 66.04 degrees
/
POSEIDON-3
SENSOR
Name: JASON-2 RADAR ALTIMETER (POSEIDON-3)
Swath Width: 5.1 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

DMSP 5D-2/F11
Platform
Name: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program-F11 (DMSP 5D-2/F11)
Orbit Period: 102.0 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.8 degrees
/
SSM/I
SENSOR
Name: Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I)
Swath Width: 1394.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

ERS-2
Platform
Name: European Remote Sensing Satellite-2 (ERS-2)
Orbit Period: 100.3 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.5 degrees
/
RADAR ALTIMETERS
SENSOR
Name: RADAR ALTIMETERS (RADAR ALTIMETERS)

GFO-1
Platform
Name: GEOSAT FOLLOW-ON-1 (GFO-1)
Orbit Period: 33220.0 minutes
Inclination Angle: 108.0 degrees
/
RADAR ALTIMETERS
SENSOR
Name: RADAR ALTIMETERS (RADAR ALTIMETERS)

NOAA-16
Platform
Name: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-16 (NOAA-16)
Orbit Period: 102.1 minutes
Inclination Angle: 99.0 degrees
/
AVHRR-3
SENSOR
Name: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-3 (AVHRR-3)
Swath Width: 2400.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

NOAA-19
Platform
Name: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-19 (NOAA-19)
Orbit Period: 102.12 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.74 degrees
/
AVHRR-3
SENSOR
Name: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-3 (AVHRR-3)
Swath Width: 2400.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

ENVISAT
Platform
Name: Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT)
Orbit Period: 100.59 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.55 degrees
/
RA-2
SENSOR
Name: Radar Altimeter-2 (RA-2)
Swath Width: 5.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

QUIKSCAT
Platform
Name: QUIKSCAT (QUIKSCAT)
Orbit Period: 100.93 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.6 degrees
/
SEAWINDS
SENSOR
Name: SeaWinds Scatterometer (SEAWINDS)
Swath Width: 1800.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

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ProjectOcean Surface Current Analyses-Real time (OSCAR)
Data ProviderPublisher: Earth Space Research
Creator: ESR
Release Place: JPL
Release Date: 2009-May-01
Resource: https://archive.podaac.earthdata.nasa.gov/podaac-ops-cumulus-docs/oscar/preview/L4/oscar_third_deg/docs/oscarthirdguide.pdf

FormatnetCDF-4
Keyword(s)oscar, ocean currents, sea surface currents, currents
Questions related to this dataset? Contact podaac@podaac.jpl.nasa.gov
Resolution
Spatial Resolution: 0.33 Decimal Degrees x 0.33 Decimal Degrees
Temporal Resolution: Daily - < Weekly
 
Coverage
Region: GLOBAL
North Bounding Coordinate: 80 degrees
South Bounding Coordinate: -80 degrees
West Bounding Coordinate: -180 degrees
East Bounding Coordinate: 180 degrees
Time Span: 2011-Dec-06 to Present
Granule Time Span: 1992-Oct-21 to 2024-Apr-21
 
Projection
Projection Type: Gridded
Ellipsoid: WGS 84
 
Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. Please cite the data as follows, and cite the reference papers when it is appropriate.
Citation ESR. 2009. OSCAR third deg. Ver. 1. PO.DAAC, CA, USA. Dataset accessed [YYYY-MM-DD] at https://doi.org/10.5067/OSCAR-03D01

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For more information see Data Citations and Acknowledgments.

Journal Reference Bonjean, F., and G. S. E. Lagerloef.. 2002. Diagnostic model and analysis of the surface currents in the tropical Pacific Ocean, American Meteorological Society, 32.

VersionDatasetVersion DateStatus
1OSCAR third degree resolution ocean surface currents2021-07-23ACTIVE2021-07-23T20:03:00.000Z
1OSCAR third degree resolution ocean surface currents - yearly files2022-05-20ACTIVE2022-05-20T01:10:00.000Z