We are in the process of migrating all NASA Earth science data sites into Earthdata from now until end of 2026. Not all NASA Earth science data and resources will appear here until then. Thank you for your patience as we make this transition.
Read about the Web Unification Project
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.
Ocean Datasets
| Dataset Sort descending | Version | Platform | Instrument | Temporal Extent | Spatial Extent | Spatial Resolution | Data Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVISO Level 4 Absolute Dynamic Topography for Climate Model Comparison Standard Error | 1 | JASON-1, TOPEX/POSEIDON, ENVISAT, GRACE, OSTM/JASON-2, ERS-1, ERS-2 | JASON-1 Microwave Radiometer, POSEIDON-2, ALT (TOPEX), TMR, SSALT, RA-2, GRACE-FO ACC, GRACE SCA, GRACE-FO KBR, AMR, POSEIDON-3, ERS-1 ALTIMETER, ERS-2 Altimeter | 1992-10-01 to 2010-12-31 |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
1 Decimal Degrees x 1 Decimal Degrees | NETCDF |
| Bass Strait 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: -38.00927 S: -41.99857 E: 147.8438 W: 143.8646 |
2 Kilometers x 2 Kilometers | netCDF-4 |
| Belgium Aqualooks Experiment 2021 | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2021-09-06 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Benthic ecology measurements near Panama City and Florida Keys | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2005-06-27 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bering Ecosystem STudy (BEST) project | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2008-07-04 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bering Sea measurements in 1995 | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 1996-07-21 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bering Sea measurements in 1996 | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 1995-07-19 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bermuda Bio-Optics Project (BBOP) | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 1988-10-20 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bermuda Testbed Mooring | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 1999-04-01 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Biodiversity Survey of the Cape - Mapping Dissolved Organic Carbon sources and cycling in aquatic biodiversity hotspots across South Africa's Greater Cape Floristic Region | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2023-10-12 to 2023-11-14 |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Biogeochemistry and Optics South Pacific Experiment | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2004-10-26 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Biological Global Ocean Ship-based Hydrographic Investigations Program (Bio-GO-SHIP) | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2016-01-01 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| BiOMAP | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2022-01-01 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bio-optical chlorophyll-a polarization measurements | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2013-08-12 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bio-optical properties of the different water masses in the Gulf of St. Lawrence | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 1990-06-28 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Black Sea High Resolution SST L4 Analysis 0.0625 deg Resolution | 2.0 | Aqua, MSG, Terra, NOAA-19, METOP-A, ENVISAT | MODIS, SEVIRI, AVHRR-3, AVHRR, AATSR | 2007-12-31 |
N: 48.812 S: 38.75 E: 42.375 W: 26.375 |
0.062 Decimal Degrees x 0.062 Decimal Degrees | netCDF-4 |
| Black Sea Ultra High Resolution SST L4 Analysis 0.01 deg Resolution | 2.0 | Aqua, MSG, Terra, NOAA-19, METOP-A, ENVISAT | MODIS, SEVIRI, AVHRR-3, AVHRR, AATSR | 2007-12-31 |
N: 48.812 S: 38.75 E: 42.375 W: 26.375 |
0.01 Decimal Degrees x 0.01 Decimal Degrees | netCDF-4 |
| Boknis 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: 58 S: 53.5 E: 14.5 W: 9.2 |
2 Kilometers x 2 Kilometers | netCDF-4 |
| BOUSSOLE project | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2001-07-22 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Bowdoin buoy measurements | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2007-02-01 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) measurements near the Bahamas in 1998 | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 1998-04-02 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 1993-08-11 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| California Current Ecosystem (CCE) - Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER) | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2006-05-11 to Present |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
|||
| CALIPSO CALIOP Regional Particulate Backscattering Coefficient (Bbp) Data, version 1 | 1 | CALIPSO | CALIOP | 2006-04-28 to 2018-09-14 |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
netCDF-4 | |
| Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange Study | 0 | BUOYS, MOORINGS, Water-based Platforms, AUVS, ROVS, Ships | 2002-09-01 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.
Researchers explore using SWOT data to derive two-dimensional estimates of sea ice thickness.
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.
SWOT presents opportunities and challenges in characterizing sea surface height anomalies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Earthdata Forum
Our online forum provides a space for users to browse thousands of FAQs about research needs, data, and data applications. You can also submit new questions for our experts to answer.
Submit Questions to Earthdata Forumand View Expert Responses