Earth ID: 555

North Atlantic Ocean Current Velocity

Visualizations by Peggy Li Released on January 21, 1999

Three-dimensional General Circulation Models divide the ocean into a rectangular grid with layered vertical columns. This North Atlantic model uses a 1/6 degree grid with 37 layers. It captured 30 years of velocity, sea-surface temperature, and salinity. The model realistically separates the Gulf Stream from the Florida coast. A feature as small as the Gulf Stream had not appeared in lower-resolution models.

An animation of three-dimensional current velocity in the North Atlantic, where velocity ranges from 30 centimeters per second, shown in blue, to 200 centimeters per second, shown in red

Video slate image reads, "North Atlantic Ocean Current Velocity
This North Atlantic model uses a 1/6 degree grid with 37 layers. The complete model captured 30 years of velocity, sea-surface temperature, and salinity."

Visualization Credits

Peggy Li (NASA): Lead Animator
James Tsiao (NASA): Animator
Yi Chao (NASA/JPL CalTech): Scientist
Benny Cheng (NASA/JPL CalTech): Scientist

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/555

This item is part of this series:
Images of Earth and Space

Keywords:
DLESE >> Physical oceanography
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Oceans
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0