Daily climatology of 3D ocean currents, SST and SSH based on a 22 year run of the SEA-COFS model

This dataset is a daily climatology created based on a 22 year free run of the SEA-COFS model full domain (EAC 25.25 - 45.55 °S) forced with BARRA-R winds and tides, spanning from January 1994 to September 2016. The model has 30 sigma-stretch vertical levels and an across-shore resolution of 2.5 km (on shelf) – 6 km (off shelf) and 5 km along-shore. For a full description of this version of the model and its validation refer to the following papers:

Li, J, Roughan, M. & Kerry, C. (2021). Dynamics of interannual eddy kinetic energy modulations in a Western Boundary Current. Geophysical Research Letters,Vol 48, October 2021.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL094115 [PDF file]

Li, J, Roughan, M. & Kerry, C. (2022). Variability and Drivers of Ocean Temperature Extremes in a Warming Western Boundary Current. Journal Of Climate, February 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0622.1 [PDF file]

This daily climatology of 365 days was created with NCO tools by taking the mean of the 22 daily average ROMS output files (one for each year) to generate each climatological day. Specific commands used are recorded in the NetCDF file history. Leap year days were excluded since its climatology was computed with only 5 instances.

A sample file with the climatological data for January 1st is provided here as an example of the NetCDF format of the dataset. The entire dataset is one file of approximately 62GB and can be provided upon request.   

NOTE: The ocean_time variable reflects the dates of the year 1994, but the values of the variables correspond to climatological values computed as described. 

The ROMS variables below are present in this daily climatology, as well as the S-coordinate stretching curves, grid defining variables and other time independent parameters:

AKs = "time-averaged salinity vertical diffusion coefficient" [meter2 seconds-1]

AKt = "time-averaged temperature vertical diffusion coefficient" [meter2 seconds-1]

AKv = "time-averaged vertical viscosity coefficient" [meter2 seconds-1]

bustr = "time-averaged bottom u-momentum stress" [newton meter-2]

bvstr = "time-averaged bottom v-momentum stress" [newton meter-2]

omega = "time-averaged S-coordinate vertical momentum component" [meter3 second-1]

pvorticity = "time-averaged potential vorticity" [meter-1 second-1]

pvorticity = "time-averaged 2D potential vorticity" [meter-1 second-1]

rho = "time-averaged density anomaly" [kilogram meter-3]

rvorticity = "time-averaged relative vorticity, vertical component" [second-1]

rvorticity_bar = "time-averaged 2D relative vorticity" [second-1]

salt: = "time-averaged salinity" [PSU]

shflux = "time-averaged surface net heat flux" [watt meter-2]

ssflux = "time-averaged surface net salt flux, (E-P)*SALT" [meter second-1]

sustr = "time-averaged surface u-momentum stress" [newton meter-2]

svstr = "time-averaged surface v-momentum stress" [newton meter-2]

temp = "time-averaged potential temperature" [Celsius]

u = "time-averaged u-momentum component" [meter second-1]

u_eastward = "time-averaged eastward momentum component at RHO-points" [meter second-1]

ubar = "time-averaged vertically integrated u-momentum component" [meter second-1]

ubar_eastward = "time-averaged eastward vertically integrated momentum component at RHO-points" [meter second-1]

uu = "time-averaged u-momentum times u-momentum" [meter2 second-2]

uv = "time-averaged u-momentum times v-momentum" [meter2 second-2]

v = "time-averaged v-momentum component" [meter second-1]

v_northward = "time-averaged northward momentum component at RHO-points" [meter second-1]

vbar = "time-averaged vertically integrated v-momentum component" [meter second-1]

vbar_northward = "time-averaged northward vertically integrated momentum component at RHO-points" [meter second-1]

vv = "time-averaged v-momentum times v-momentum" [meter2 second-2]

w = "time-averaged vertical momentum component" [meter second-1]

zeta = "time-averaged free-surface" [meter]