EPOCS Project Pacific Ocean Current Meter Data 1988-1989

368 days of ocean current measurements were collected from moored instruments in the tropical Pacific Ocean between 30°N and 30°S. The Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory submitted this data, which was processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center into the standard F015 format. This dataset captures east-west and north-south current vector components at 10-15 minute intervals, along with potential temperature and salinity readings.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the strength and variability of equatorial ocean currents using the east-west (u) and north-south (v) vector components.
• Studying the vertical structure of the water column by examining data from different sensor depths reported for each mooring station.
• Investigating relationships between ocean currents and water properties using concurrent measurements of temperature and salinity.
• Validating or calibrating ocean circulation models with in-situ time-series data collected at fixed geographical positions.

Strengths

• Data collection follows a standardized methodology, processed to the NODC F015 format ensuring consistency.
• Provides a continuous, high-resolution time series with measurements typically reported every 10-15 minutes over a full year.
• Includes precise station metadata such as position, bottom depth, and sensor depth for spatial context.

Limitations

• The exact number of rows, columns, and total data volume is not specified across any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2026-03 05 and another listing the collection end date of 1989-05-26.

Provenance

Source

Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Collection Method

Data collected from moored current meter casts using the Eulerian method (fixed-point measurement).

Time Range

1988-05-24 to 1989-05-26

Freshness

2026-03-05 22:23:26.424353

Geography

TOGA Area - Pacific (30°N to 30°S)