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    • NOAA Global Drifter Program quality-controlled 6-hour interpolated data from ocean surface drifting buoys

    Metadata Updated: July 2, 2025

    This dataset includes sea surface temperature and current data collected by satellite-tracked surface drifting buoys ("drifters") for the NOAA Global Drifter Program. The Drifter Data Assembly Center (DAC) at Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) has applied quality control procedures to edit these data (position and temperature) and interpolated them to 6-hour intervals using an optimum interpolation procedure. The data include positions (latitude and longitude), sea surface temperatures, and velocities (eastward, northward) with accompanying error estimates. Metadata include identification numbers, experiment number, start location and time, end location and time, drogue loss date, death code, manufacturer, and drifter type.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date 2025-06-27T17:14:26Z
    Metadata Created Date November 4, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date July 2, 2025
    Reference Date(s) April 21, 2010 (publication), June 27, 2025 (revision)
    Frequency Of Update biannually

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Preview graphic

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Series
    Metadata Date 2025-06-27T17:14:26Z
    Metadata Created Date November 4, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date July 2, 2025
    Reference Date(s) April 21, 2010 (publication), June 27, 2025 (revision)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nodc:AOML-GDP-6hr
    Access Constraints Cite as: Lumpkin, Rick; Centurioni, Luca (2010). NOAA Global Drifter Program quality-controlled 6-hour interpolated data from ocean surface drifting buoys. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/7ntx-z961. Accessed [date]., Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
    Bbox East Long 180
    Bbox North Lat 90
    Bbox South Lat -76.2
    Bbox West Long -180
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update biannually
    Graphic Preview Description Preview graphic
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/gfx?id=gov.noaa.nodc:AOML-GDP-6hr
    Graphic Preview Type PNG
    Harvest Object Id e57d5569-1d59-4f9f-b9a8-a909071fb751
    Harvest Source Id c084a438-6f6b-470d-93e0-16aeddb9f513
    Harvest Source Title NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions
    Licence accessLevel: Public
    Lineage
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, -76.2], [180.0, -76.2], [180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, -76.2]]]}
    Progress onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 1979-02-15

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