World Historical Shipdrift Archives: Ocean Currents from 1853 to 1973

Global ocean surface current observations collected by the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office between 1853 and 1973. The data consists of 416 files of ship drift velocities averaged by one-degree and 2x5-degree squares, organized by year, month, and 10-degree latitudinal bands. Derived statistics include variances, covariance, and Eddy Kinetic Energy.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term trends in ocean surface currents based on velocity (U,V) data.
• Validating ocean circulation models using historical Eddy Kinetic Energy calculations.
• Studiating seasonal variability in currents based on monthly and yearly averages.
• Mapping historical shipping routes and their associated drift patterns.

Strengths

• 416 files of observations provide a substantial historical record.
• Data covers a 120-year time span from 1853 to 1973.
• Includes derived statistical measures like variance, covariance, and Eddy Kinetic Energy.

Limitations

• Last updated 1973-12-31 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data may reflect geographic or temporal bias inherent to historical ship routes.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office

Collection Method

Observations of ship drift collected and averaged by geographic square and time period.

Time Range

1853 to 1973

Geography

Global