Tropical Pacific 15m Current Data

This gridded data set is constructed as described by Reverdin et al. (1994)
from current data during the period 1987 to April 1992. Drifts of more than
1000 surface buoys were merged with currents from current-meter moorings at 5
sites (4 along the equator at 165E, 170W, 140W and 110W and one at 6N, 140W).
The drifters were initially drogued by a sea anchor of various designs centered
at 15 meters. The proportion of drifters with drogue present is large near the
equator (more than 80%), but diminish to roughly 50% near 20N and 20S.
Corrections were not made for drogue loss, and the systematic error on the 15m
currents can therefore exceed 5 cm/s near 20N and 20S.