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
Integrated Multi-Mission Ocean Altimeter Data for Climate Research complete time series Version 5.2	5.2	OSTM/JASON-2, JASON-1, TOPEX/POSEIDON, JASON-3, Sentinel-6A	AMR, POSEIDON-3, JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2, TMR, POSEIDON-3B	1992-09-25 to Present	N: 66 S: -66 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Integrated Multi-Mission Ocean Altimeter Data for Climate Research Version 5.2	5.2	OSTM/JASON-2, JASON-1, TOPEX/POSEIDON, JASON-3, Sentinel-6A	AMR, POSEIDON-3, JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2, TMR, POSEIDON-3B	1992-09-25 to Present	N: 66 S: -66 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Integrated Multi-Mission Ocean Altimeter Data for Climate Research Version 6.0	6.0	OSTM/JASON-2, JASON-1, TOPEX/POSEIDON, JASON-3, Sentinel-6A	AMR, POSEIDON-3, JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2, TMR, POSEIDON-3B	1992-09-25 to 2025-05-22	N: 66 S: -66 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Integrated Multi-Mission Ocean Altimeter Data for Climate Research Version 6.1	6.1	OSTM/JASON-2, JASON-1, TOPEX/POSEIDON, JASON-3, Sentinel-6A	AMR, POSEIDON-3, JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2, TMR, POSEIDON-3B	1992-09-25 to 2026-01-04	N: 66 S: -66 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Interdisciplinary Research in Earth Science, Long Island Sound	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2017-09-12 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Intermediate Trophic Levels: Interconnections with Fronts, Eddies, and Primary Production	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2018-04-01 to 2018-05-09	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Ice Snow Product in Native Data Format	1	NOAA-10, NOAA-11, NOAA-12, NOAA-14, NOAA-15, NOAA-16, NOAA-17, NOAA-18, NOAA-7, NOAA-8, NOAA-9	AVHRR	1983-07-03 to 2009-12-28			Binary
Investigaciones Mexicanas de la Corriente de California (IMECOCAL)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2002-01-21 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) Observed Climate Change Impacts Database, Version 2.01	2.01	Models	Computer	2007-01-01 to 2014-12-31	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		Excel
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) Observed Climate Change Impacts Database	1.0	Models	Computer	1970-01-01 to 2014-12-31	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		Excel, WMS
IPRC/SOEST Aquarius V5.0 Optimally Interpolated Sea Surface Salinity 7-Day global Dataset	5.0	SAC-D	AQUARIUS_RADIOMETER	2011-08-27 to 2015-06-07	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.5 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees	netCDF-4
Iron Fertilization Experiment (IronEx)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1995-05-15 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Iron in the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUCFe)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2006-08-25 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
ISLSCP II Air-Sea Carbon Dioxide Gas Exchange	1	NOT APPLICABLE	NOT APPLICABLE	1995-01-01 to 1995-12-31	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		multiple
ISLSCP II Global Sea Ice Concentration	1	COMPUTERS, Nimbus-7, DMSP	Computer, SMMR, SSM/I	1986-01-01 to 1995-12-31	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		Shapefile
ISLSCP II Sea Surface Temperature	1	NOT APPLICABLE	NOT APPLICABLE	1971-01-01 to 2000-12-31	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		Shapefile
ISS HICO Level-0 Raw Data, version 1	1	ISS	HICO	2009-09-25 to 2014-09-13	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		binary
ISS HICO Level-1B Data, version 2	2	ISS	HICO	2009-09-25 to 2014-09-13	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
ISS HICO Level-2 Regional Ocean Color (OC) Data, version 2018.0	2018.0	ISS	HICO	2009-09-25 to 2014-09-13	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
JASON-1 ENHANCED JASON MICROWAVE RADIOMETER	1	JASON-1	JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer	2002-01-15 to 2012-02-11	N: 66.15 S: -66.15 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Jason-1 GDR SSHA version E NetCDF	E	JASON-1	JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2	2002-01-14 to 2012-03-03	N: 66.15 S: -66.15 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Jason-1 GDR SSHA version E NetCDF Geodetic	E	Jason-1 Geodetic	JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2	2012-05-07 to 2013-06-21	N: 66.15 S: -66.15 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Jason-1 GDR version E NetCDF	E	JASON-1	DORIS, JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2	2002-01-14 to 2012-03-03	N: 66.15 S: -66.15 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Jason-1 GDR version E NetCDF Geodetic	E	Jason-1 Geodetic	DORIS, JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2	2012-05-07 to 2013-06-21	N: 66.15 S: -66.15 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
Jason-1 SGDR version E NetCDF	E	JASON-1	TRSR, DORIS, JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2	2002-01-14 to 2012-03-03	N: 66.15 S: -66.15 E: 180 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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