Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) Surface Currents - Near Real Time 0.25 Degree (Version 2.0)

Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) is a global surface current database and NASA funded research project. OSCAR ocean mixed layer velocities are calculated from satellite-sensed sea surface height gradients, ocean vector winds, and sea surface temperature gradients using a simplified physical model for geostrophy, Ekman, and thermal wind dynamics. Daily averaged surface currents are provided on a global 0.25 x 0.25 degree grid as an average over an assumed well-mixed top 30 m of the ocean from 1993 to present day. OSCAR currents are provided at three quality levels: final, interim and nrt with a respective latency of each of approximately 1 year, 1 month, and 2 days. OSCAR is generated by Earth & Space Research (ESR) https://www.esr.org/research/oscar/. More details on the source datasets, file structure, and methodology can be found in oscarv2guide.pdf.

Data and Resources

Field Value
accessLevel public
bureauCode {026:00}
catalog_@context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
catalog_conformsTo https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
catalog_describedBy https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
identifier 10.5067/OSCAR-25N20
landingPage https://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/CitingPODAAC
modified 2025-09-11
old-spatial ["CARTESIAN",[{"NorthBoundingCoordinate":89.75,"WestBoundingCoordinate":-180,"EastBoundingCoordinate":180,"SouthBoundingCoordinate":-89.75}]]
programCode {026:000}
publisher NASA/JPL/PODAAC;ESR
resource-type Dataset
source_datajson_identifier true
source_hash 8795a29e982d9c01de324db33180362d8884df2261f740b46690c1e424e545a7
source_schema_version 1.1
temporal 2021-01-01/2021-01-01
theme {"Earth Science"}
Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • AmeriGEO
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • CKAN
  • GEO
  • GEOSS
  • National
  • North America
  • United States
  • earth-science-ocean-circulation-oceans-ocean-currents
isopen False
license_id notspecified
license_title License not specified
maintainer Earthdata Forum
maintainer_email earthdata-support@nasa.gov
metadata_created 2025-09-23T16:55:36.965408
metadata_modified 2025-09-23T16:55:36.965417
notes Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) is a global surface current database and NASA funded research project. OSCAR ocean mixed layer velocities are calculated from satellite-sensed sea surface height gradients, ocean vector winds, and sea surface temperature gradients using a simplified physical model for geostrophy, Ekman, and thermal wind dynamics. Daily averaged surface currents are provided on a global 0.25 x 0.25 degree grid as an average over an assumed well-mixed top 30 m of the ocean from 1993 to present day. OSCAR currents are provided at three quality levels: final, interim and nrt with a respective latency of each of approximately 1 year, 1 month, and 2 days. OSCAR is generated by Earth & Space Research (ESR) https://www.esr.org/research/oscar/. More details on the source datasets, file structure, and methodology can be found in oscarv2guide.pdf.
num_resources 6
num_tags 9
title Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-time (OSCAR) Surface Currents - Near Real Time 0.25 Degree (Version 2.0)