SWOT Postlaunch Glider Data: Ocean CTD and Current Profiles

Two Slocum gliders from Rutgers University collected conductivity, temperature, depth, and current velocity measurements in the upper 1000 meters of the ocean from March to August 2023. This time-series data was gathered 300 km offshore of California as part of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite mission's post-launch calibration and validation phase. The dataset provides continuous, unsorted profiles from autonomous underwater vehicles, capturing both vertical and lateral motion.

Use Cases

• Validating SWOT satellite-derived sea surface height and ocean topography measurements based on in-situ CTD and current data.
• Analyzing ocean stratification and water column structure based on continuous temperature and salinity profiles.
• Studying the performance and data characteristics of Slocum gliders in a calibration/validation field campaign context.
• Investigating ocean currents and dynamics in a region 300 km offshore of California during the 2023 deployment period.

Strengths

• Data is directly tied to a major satellite calibration/validation campaign (SWOT postlaunch) for a specific 6-month period (March-August 2023).
• Provides continuous, high-resolution time-series data from two autonomous platforms, capturing both vertical profiles and lateral advection.
• Deployed at a defined, remote oceanographic site (300 km offshore California), offering in-situ measurements for satellite comparison.

Limitations

• Key metadata is missing: exact row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided on any platform.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov, with no details provided on NASA Earthdata.
• Data freshness is unclear; the last update date conflicts between platforms (2026 vs. 2023), suggesting potential metadata lag.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), with gliders deployed by Rutgers University.

Collection Method

Measurements collected by two Slocum autonomous underwater vehicles (gliders) equipped with CTD and current velocity sensors.

Time Range

March to August 2023.

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: Data.gov lists 2026-04-09, while NASA Earthdata lists 2023-08-02.

Geography

A site 300 km offshore of California.