Global Spectral Ocean Wave Model

Global Spectral Ocean Wave Model is historical digital data set DSI-9797, archived at the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The major data variables which make up this file are: beginning of record flag, time information, ocean basin, grid point, sub-projection, wind direction, friction velocity, white caps, wind speed, array position, and wave energy. The data in this file were originally created by the U.S. Navy Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center. The Spectral Ocean Wave Model used at FNOC generates an array of wave frequencies versus directions for each model grid point. Two related files are DSI-9782 (C00064) and DSI-9783 (C00092) which is the same as this file except for the projection starting point and spectral frequency bandwidth and directional resolution. The global spectral wave model (GSOWM) is based on a 2.5 by 2.5 degree latitude/longitude grid beginning at 90 (deg N) and 60 (deg E). This model removes artificial boundaries that were in the other SOWM models. Each grid point contains spectra for 15 frequencies and 24 directions (FORTRAN notation array (15, 24)). Frequencies in order I = 1, 15 are .30834, .20834, .15833, .13333, .11667, .10278, .09167, .08056, .07222, .06667, .06111, .05556, .050, .04444, .03889. Initial direction is 7.5 degrees then clockwise in 15 degree increments. Logical records are blocked into variable length physical records containing no more than 2000 60 bit words. The Global Spectral Wave Model replaced the Northern Hemisphere Spectral Wave Ocean Model (SOWM) on June 23, 1985. After this date only the GSOWM data will be archived. This dataset is stored on DSI-9782 and DSI-9797.