FTP Instructions for Downloading the Entire Data Set:
To FTP the all data files (ASCII text ASCII compressed format):
Login as an 'anonymous'user to ftp.aoml.noaa.gov and proceed as follows:At the system (e.g. unix) prompt enter commands shown after the ftp prompt (ftp>).
unix> ftp ftp.aoml.noaa.gov
ftp> binary
ftp> cd phod/pub/buoydata
ftp> prompt off
ftp> mget *
ftp> quit
All the drifter data is broken into three smaller files for easier downloading and updating.
The file "buoydata_1_5000.dat-gz" contains data from the earliest 5000 drifters. This file has been revised as of June 2013 and needs to be updated as we are still reevaluating our database.
The file "buoydata_5001_10000.dat-gz" contains drifters 5001 through 10000. This file has been revised as of June 2013 and needs to be updated as we are still reevaluating our database.
The file "buoydata_10001_MMMYY.dat-gz" contains the updated data, through month MMM of year YY.
These data files are accompanied by metadata directory files containing deployment time and position, drogue off date, last time and position, death code, etc. for each drifter. The directory file for the drifters in "buoydata_1_5000.dat-gz" is called "dirfl_1_5000.dat". The directory file for "buoydata_5001_10000.dat-gz" is called "dirfl_5001_10000.dat". Once the reevaluation is complete, these two files will no longer need to be downloaded.
The directory file for "buoydata_10001_MMMYY.dat-gz" is called "dirfl_10001_MMMYY.dat". This file is updated each time the data base is updated.
The text on this page will be updated to say when the final versions were created.
For more information, click here.