Global ocean three-dimensional gridded temperature and salinity data from the Synoptic Gridded Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Programme (SG-GTSPP). The dataset provides monthly increments from January 1990 to December 2009, processed using Optimal Spectral Decomposition (OSD) with spatial resolution matching the World Ocean Atlas 2009 fields. It is produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Use Cases
- Analyzing monthly 3D temperature anomalies for global ocean heat content studies.
- Mapping large-scale salinity gradients and their interannual variability across ocean basins.
- Validating or initializing ocean circulation and climate models using gridded historical profiles.
- Investigating the relationship between sea surface temperature/salinity and subsurface water column structure.
Strengths
- Provides a continuous 20-year time series from 1990 to 2009 for climate trend analysis.
- Uses a standardized gridding method (Optimal Spectral Decomposition) consistent with established World Ocean Atlas resolution.
- Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA Earthdata indicates recognized importance and curation.
Limitations
- Column names and specific data structure are not documented in the provided sources.
- There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata: Data.gov lists 2026-04-01, while NASA Earthdata lists 2009-12 31.
Provenance
- Source
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
- Collection Method
- Data from the Global Temperature and Salinity Profile Programme (GTSPP) gridded using Optimal Spectral Decomposition (OSD).
- Time Range
- January 1990 to December 2009
- Freshness
- 2026-04-01 15:16:08.622127
- Geography
- World ocean