Extended CANEK database V0: Gridded data from two mooring sections across the Yucatan Channel and the Florida Straits 2012-2025

CANEK High-Resolution Gridded Velocity Fields and Transport Time Series (Yucatan Channel and Florida Straits, 2012–2025)

This dataset provides daily, CF-compliant gridded velocity fields and volume transport time series derived from the Canek moored arrays in the Yucatan Channel and the Florida Straits, the primary inflow and outflow boundaries of the Loop Current system. The database covers the period July 2012 to July 2023 and is constructed from upward- and downward-looking ADCPs and point current meters deployed across two cross-channel mooring sections.

The dataset accompanies the methodology presented in Durante et al. (2025), which describes a volume-conserving objective mapping scheme used to generate spatially complete velocity sections, associated mapping uncertainties, and robust transport estimates through both gateways. 

Contents of the Dataset

Each section (Yucatan, Florida) includes:

1. CF-compliant NetCDF files containing:

Daily gridded velocity fields

u (eastward velocity),

v (northward velocity),

v_norm (velocity component normal to the section),

Full 2D grids in longitude × depth

Pointwise mapping uncertainty (% of signal variance)

Daily transport time series (in Sv)

Transport uncertainty (standard deviation-based estimate)

Complete time vector (CF-compliant units, daily resolution)

Full auxiliary coordinate variables (lon, lat, depth)

Yucatan Channel transport (Sv) + uncertainty

Florida Straits transport (Sv) + uncertainty

These data enable users to analyze the connection between the Yucatan Current, Loop Current, and Florida Current, quantify transport variability, validate numerical simulations, and investigate mesoscale and submesoscale processes in the region.

Methods Overview

Velocity observations were preprocessed following established mooring procedures, including tilt, sidelobe, and pressure-drift corrections. Observations were rotated into section-normal coordinates and mapped to fixed grids of 0.03° horizontal resolution and 20 m vertical spacing, using:

A minimum-variance objective mapping scheme,

Empirically derived horizontal and vertical correlation scales,

A volume conservation constraint enforcing minimal time-mean transport imbalance between Yucatan and Florida,

A noise-to-signal variance ratio of 0.1 to account for measurement and representation errors.

Mapping uncertainty fields are computed from the OM analysis error covariance. Transport uncertainty is computed through propagation of mapping error covariance across the section area.

Detailed methodology is documented in Durante et al. (2025) 

Spatial and Temporal Coverage

Yucatan Channel section

Longitude: ~–86.5° to –84.3°

Depth range: 0–2000 m

Time coverage: July 2012 – Oct 2025 (daily)

Florida Straits section

Longitude: –81.46° to –81.06°

Depth range: 0–1200 m

Time coverage: July 2012 – Sep 2025 (daily)

Both datasets present a ~1-year gap during the 2020-2021 covid pandemic.

Key Variables (example for Florida; Yucatan equivalent)

u — eastward sea-water velocity (m/s)

v — northward sea-water velocity (m/s)

error — mapping uncertainty (% of signal variance)

Tf — daily transport (Sv)

Pf — transport uncertainty (Sv)

lon, lat, depth, time — coordinate variables with CF attributes

All files follow ACDD 1.3 and CF 1.6 conventions, include complete provenance information, and specify instrumentation, naming authority, and processing level.

Acknowledgments

The Canek program is operated by CICESE. Funding sources included CICESE internal funds and partial support from Mexico’s CONACYT–SENER Hydrocarbon Trust (project 201441, CIGoM). Field operations were conducted aboard the UNAM research vessel B/O Justo Sierra. (Full acknowledgments as in the JTECH paper may be included if desired.)

Citation

When using this dataset, please cite:

Durante, G., Sheinbaum, J., Candela, J., & Ochoa, J. (2025). Capturing the Loop Current by Its Ends—Part I: A Volume-Conserving Objective Mapping of the Canek Velocity Database.Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology.And the Zenodo record associated with this dataset.

Terms of the license.

References:

Durante, G., Sheinbaum, J., & Candela, J. (2025). Capturing the Loop Current by Its Ends—Part I: A Volume-Conserving Objective Mapping of the Canek Velocity Database. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 42(11), 1529-1547.  DOI:10.1175/JTECH-D-24-0139.1

Candela, J., Ochoa, J., Sheinbaum, J., Lopez, M., Perez-Brunius, P., Tenreiro, M., Pallás-Sanz E., Athié, G., Arriaza-Oliveros, L. (2019). The flow through the gulf of Mexico. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 49(6), 1381-1401. https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-18-0189.1Sheinbaum, J., Candela, J., Badan, A., & Ochoa, J. (2002). Flow structure and transport in the Yucatan Channel. Geophysical Research Letters, 29(3), 10-1.