Northwest Atlantic Ocean Currents Climatology from 1990-2015 Model

Monthly mean ocean currents climatology for the Northwest Atlantic, derived from the BNAM eddy-resolving model. The dataset provides averages over the 1990-2015 period at eight selected depths and a 1/12-degree spatial resolution. It was developed by the Bedford Institute of Oceanography to support Fisheries and Oceans Canada monitoring programs.

Use Cases

• Analyze climatological surface current patterns across the 1/12-degree grid to study regional ocean circulation.
• Compare modeled current velocities at eight specific depths (e.g., 110 m, 318 m, bottom) with observational data for model validation.
• Investigate seasonal variability in the Labrador Sea using monthly climatology data to understand winter convection events.
• Use the gridded monthly averages to interpret long-term changes in features like the Labrador Current or Scotian Shelf warming.

Strengths

• Model outputs are validated against surface drifter and satellite altimetry data, demonstrating skill in simulating surface currents.
• Provides data at eight specific depths from surface to bottom, offering a three-dimensional view of ocean currents.
• High spatial resolution of 1/12 degree for detailed regional analysis of the Northwest Atlantic.

Limitations

• Data represents a monthly climatological average (1990-2015), not real-time or individual year data, limiting analysis of interannual variability.
• The full model domain and temporal extent (1990-present) for all depths is not directly available in this aggregated product, requiring a separate request.

Provenance

Source

Bedford Institute of Oceanography North Atlantic Model (BNAM), Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Collection Method

Monthly mean currents from an eddy-resolving, NEMO-based ice-ocean coupled model were averaged over the 1990-2015 period.

Time Range

1990-2015 (climatological average).

Freshness

The underlying model hindcast covers 1990-2017; this specific climatology product is based on 1990-2015 data.

Geography

Northwest Atlantic Ocean within the model domain (8°–75°N, 100°W–30°E).