Data

1. OSCAR source data

Except for the mean SSH and SST fields which partially include in situ data, all the datasets are built from satellite data throughout the October 1992-present period.

- Merged altimetry AVISO product (data access)

The merged AVISO product blends into a unique gridded data set the surface topography observations from multiple satellite missions, including TOPEX/POSEIDON and JASON-1 data, the ERS-2, ENVISAT and GFO data. This product is presently utilized to build the OSCAR dataset from October 1992 to about 1 week before present day. The absolute dynamic topography dataset is directly downloaded from the AVISO server. The mean dynamic topography (MDT) that is used to complete the absolute topography is an updated version of the MDT described in Rio et al. (2003).

- Scatterometer vector wind products

QuikScat/FSU-COAPS product (data access)

The QuikScat gridded dataset from COAPS (FSU) is used from August 2001 to present.

SSM/I Atlas product (data access)

This dataset is derived from the variational analysis Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) winds (Atlas et al. 1996), version 3.5, and provides wind data from October 1992 to at least July 2001.

- NCEP SST optimum interpolation product (data access)

This dataset is built from satellite and in situ data (follow the link for detail), and provides SST data from October 1992 to present.

 

2. Reference data:

-- World Wide Drifter Buoy Deployment data (data access)

This is the dataset compiling the drifting buoy measurements. Velocity data are relative to about 15m depth: the 10m-drogue which is attached to the buoy has its shallowest end at 10m (and deepest at 20m). These data constitute appropriate observations for validating the OSCAR currents, which are relative to the 30m depth surface layer. Follow the link above for details.

-- Mooring current data from TAO/TRITON/PIRATA (data access)

These current time series at various depths between the surface and 30m are compared to the OSCAR currents, which are relative to the 0-30m layer. The 1-day mooring time series are preliminarily smoothed using a 5-day running mean. Comparison results are available at various locations in the equatorial Pacific and Atlantic.