North Pacific Ocean Current Meter Time Series from 1996

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution submitted current meter data collected from moorings in the North Pacific Ocean, starting on November 13, 1996. The dataset uses the NODC F015 format for Eulerian current measurements, recording east-west and north-south vector components at 10-15 minute intervals. NOAA NCEI maintains this dataset, which may also include water temperature, pressure, and salinity measurements.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ocean current vector components (u, v) to study circulation patterns.
• Investigating temporal variability of currents using high-frequency (10-15 minute) time series data.
• Correlating current data with concurrent water temperature, pressure, or salinity measurements.
• Validating or calibrating regional oceanographic and climate models with in-situ mooring data.

Strengths

• Data represents a long-term, high-frequency time series starting from a specific date (1996-11-13).
• Uses a standardized format (NODC F015) designed for detailed ocean current metadata, including position, depth, and sensor characteristics.
• Dataset is hosted by authoritative organizations (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOAA NCEI) and appears on multiple platforms.

Limitations

• Exact row count, file size, and complete column schema are unknown.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between sources (1996-11 13 and 2026-03-06), creating uncertainty about maintenance.
• License information is not provided, which may restrict certain uses.

Provenance

Source

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, submitted to NOAA NCEI.

Collection Method

Eulerian method measurements from current meter moorings at fixed points.

Time Range

From 1996-11-13 onward.

Freshness

2026-03 06 00:26:32.417479

Geography

North Pacific Ocean.