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WOCE-SAC Numerical Model Analyses

Various global products of surface fluxes are available to the community. We have attempted to compile information on relevant air-sea flux datasets of interest to the WOCE community.

We have made arrangements to distribute the US Navy surface wind/stress products. Additionally, we have compiled information on reanalysis products. The NCEP reanalyses are freely available, while the ECMWF reanalyses (ERA) are available for purchase (US and elsewhere) or through arrangements with member state distribution facilities (European countries).


Analysis comparison at a glance
Name Temporal/spatial resolutions Effective horiz resolution Time period Data policy Online data?
NCEP 4x per day, T62/28-level 2.5-deg grid 1958-1996 (more recent data also available) no restrictions daily means online, 4x per day by order
ERA 4x per day, T106/31-level 2.5 and 1.125-deg 1979-1993 restrictive distribution no data online
US NAVY NOGAPS stress 2x per day, T159/18-level 1.25-deg 1990-1996 (7/92-12/96 for winds) no restrictions daily means at WOCE Flux SAC (COAPS/FSU). 2x per day upon request


NCEP Links:

  • Climate Diagnostics Center: (order and/or ftp netCDF daily data fields, check project status, view problem list):
  • http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/cdc/reanalysis/reanalysis.shtml
  • Electronic Atlas: http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/ncep_reanalysis/
  • NCEP: (general information, reanalysis system results for recent months[data-GRIB, plots], some comparison results; Annual CD-ROM information):
  • http://wesley.wwb.noaa.gov/reanlysis.html
  • Bulletin American Meteorological Society article describing reanalysis project:
  • http://wesley.wwb.noaa.gov/bams96.html
  • NCAR: (ordering information for Annual CD's and other forms of data):
  • http://www.scd.ucar.edu/dss/pub/reanalysis/

  • ERA Links:

  • ECMWF: General Info:
  • http://www.ecmwf.int/data/reanalysis.html
  • ECMWF: Data Information:
  • http://www.ecmwf.int/data/era.html
  • NCAR: ERA data for US:
  • http://www.scd.ucar.edu/dss/pub/ec-reanalysis.html
  • Draft ERA documentation:
  • ftp://nic.fb4.noaa.gov/pub/nws/nmc/development/ecmwf/docs/
  • Email contact for ERA project: era@ecmwf.int

  • Additional Links with ERA information:
  • http://www.badc.rl.ac.uk/data/ecmwf-era/
  • A mailing list exists to distribute bulletins from NCAR/DSS and ECMWF about ECMWF datasets at NCAR such as announcements of data updates, problems which have been discovered, and changes to software. This mailing list covers the ECMWF/TOGA (WCRP) archive as well as the reanalyses. Previous bulletins are available. If you wish to be added to this mailing list, send email to Ilana Stern (ilana@ncar.ucar.edu).


    General Links of Interest

  • Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP):
  • http://www-pcmdi.llnl.gov/amip/amiphome.html
  • Last Modified: Wed, 18 Feb 1998