Boknis Pre-SWOT: Baltic Sea Ocean State Estimate from MITgcm LLC4320 Simulation

The Boknis Pre-SWOT Level-4 dataset provides a regional multivariate oceanographic state estimate from a global MITgcm LLC4320 simulation with a focus on the Baltic Sea. The simulation has 90 vertical levels and a nominal 2km horizontal resolution, forced by ERA-Interim reanalysis and synthetic tidal pressure. It includes hourly three-dimensional variables like temperature, salinity, and velocity, along with two-dimensional fields such as sea level anomaly and surface fluxes.

Use Cases

• Modeling ocean circulation and mixing processes based on 3D velocity and salinity fields.
• Analyzing upper-ocean heat budgets based on net heat flux and shortwave radiative flux variables.
• Studying freshwater exchange and salinity distribution based on net freshwater and salt flux data.
• Validating tidal and sea surface height models based on sea level anomaly and bottom pressure anomaly.

Strengths

• Simulation uses a high-resolution 1/48-degree (approx. 2km) global grid with 90 optimized vertical levels.
• Provides hourly output for multiple 3D and 2D oceanographic variables.
• Forced by the ERA-Interim atmospheric reanalysis and includes synthetic tidal forcing.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is from a numerical simulation; accuracy depends on model physics and forcing inputs.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Output from a global MITgcm LLC4320 numerical ocean simulation, spun up from ECCO and forced by ERA-Interim.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 12:55:09.333656; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global simulation with a focus on the Baltic Sea region.