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
Marine Information Research Center (MIRC) measurements	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1999-07-05 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Marine Optical Characterization Experiment (MOCE)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1992-08-08 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Marlon Lewis drifting buoys 1992	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1992-08-28 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Marmara Sea Pre-SWOT Level-4 Hourly MITgcm LLC4320 Native Grid 2km Oceanographic Dataset Version 1.0	1.0	MITgcm	Computer	2011-09-13 to 2012-11-15	N: 42.49986 S: 38.50841 E: 29.48958 W: 25.51042	2 Kilometers x 2 Kilometers	netCDF-4
Martha's Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2003-05-10 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
MASTER: Airborne Science, Western US, April, 2004	1	NASA ER-2	MASTER	2004-04-01 to 2004-04-13	N: 45.089 S: 27.0591 E: -101.25 W: -129.375		multiple
MASTER: Airborne Science, Western US, October, 2003	1	NASA ER-2	MASTER	2003-10-03 to 2003-11-01	N: 47.6461 S: 29.5352 E: -106.875 W: -126.913		multiple
MASTER: Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling Campaign, 2007	1.1	NASA ER-2	MASTER	2007-07-29 to 2007-08-18	N: 40.98 S: -6.49964 E: -78.6917 W: -118.551		multiple
Measurements across the Gulf Stream in 2007	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2007-03-21 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements along the Big Bend Wildlife Preservation area, Florida	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2010-03-08 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements along the Massachusetts and Maine coast	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2007-04-26 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements along the New Hampshire and Massachusetts coast in 2009	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2009-04-13 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements during the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2010-05-12 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from Hawaii to the Gulf of Alaska in 2001	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2001-08-05 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from Monterey Bay from 2001 to 2003	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2001-09-05 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from Mumford Cove, Connecticut	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2015-10-27 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Atlantic Ocean made by the University of Maryland (UMD)	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2003-01-05 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Bahamas in 2004	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2004-03-14 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Baltic Sea in 1999	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1999-07-24 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Chesapeake Light Tower	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2000-02-29 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Gulf Of Maine during 2008 and 2009	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2008-09-16 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Ligurian Sea	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1999-09-09 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Outer Banks and coastal regions of North Carolina onboard the R/V Sabrina	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		2002-09-18 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the Sea of Japan between 1999 and 2000	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1999-06-22 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Measurements from the western equatorial Pacific Ocean	0	BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships		1996-04-17 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

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
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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