AOML
NOAA

Surface and Subsurface Currents

PhOD carries out several research projects with the objective of estimating and understanding the variability of surface and subsurface currents using observations from surface drifting bouys, Argo floats, and satellite altimetry. AOML scientists use Argo data to analyze water properties and pathways of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in the South Atlantic. Satellite altimetry is used to estimate geostrophic transport of important currents, such as the Florida Current, North Brazil Current, and Agulhas current.

Projects

High Resolution Monthly Climatology of Surface Currents

Rick Lumpkin

One degree global climatology of near-surface currents and temperature, derived from surface drifters and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis winds. Go

Long Term Time Series of Surface Currents

Gustavo Goni, Ricardo Domingues, and Francis Bringas

The spatial and temporal variability of several surface currents, which are key components of the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) are also being monitored on this web site. Some of the currents monitored through this project are the Agulhas and North Brazil Currents, and their associated rings, the Yucatan and Florida currents. Go