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-Get the CoRTAD data files via HTTP here-
-Get the CoRTAD data files via FTP here-
-Get the CoRTAD data files via OPeNDAP here-
-Get the CoRTAD data files via THREDDS here-
Our current opendap server is not yet configured for netCDF 4.
CoRTAD is available via opendap through the THREDDS server above.
About the Coral Reef Temperature Anomaly Database:
There is fairly broad scientific consensus that global-scale stressors are
partially responsible for the decline of coral reefs (eg., Aronson et al.,
Science, v302, 2003; Harvell et al., Science, v285, 1999). One likely
candidate is an increase in SST in much of the tropics. Yet, it is not even
known how many reefs have experienced an increase in the frequency or
magnitude of thermal stress, and little is known about the spatial and
temporal patterns of coral reef temperatures and how these related to
broader climate change. To address these gaps in understanding, the
National Oceanographic Data Center in partnership with the University of
North Carolina - Chapel Hill has developed
a unique Coral Reef Temperature Anomaly Database (CoRTAD). The CoRTAD
development was funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, and the
database uses Pathfinder Version 5.2 SSTs
to quantify thermal stress patterns on the world's coral reefs between November 1981 and 2010 (Version 4).
Summary of Version Evolution:
2012:Version 4, 1981-10-31 - 2010-12-31, Global 4320x8640, Tile 540x540, NetCDF-4 Classic,
FGDC metadata, archive 0087989
2010:Version 3, 1982-01-01 - 2009-12-31, Global 4096x8192, Tile 512x512, HDF5
FGDC metadata, archive 0068999
2009:Version 2, 1982-01-01 - 2008-12-31, Global 4096x8192, Tile 512x512, HDF5
FGDC metadata, archive 0054501
2008:Version 1, 1985-01-01 - 2005-12-31, Global 4096x8192, Tile 512x512, HDF4
FGDC meadata, archive 0044419
The CoRTAD is described in detail in:
Selig, E.R., K.S. Casey, and J.F. Bruno (2010), New insights into global
patterns of ocean temperature anomalies: implications for coral reef health
and management, Global Ecology and Biogeography,
DOI: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00522.x.
The CoRTAD contains a collection of
sea surface temperature (SST) and related thermal stress metrics, developed
specifically for coral reef ecosystem applications but relevant to other
ecosystems as well. The CoRTAD contains global, approximately 4 km
resolution SST data on a weekly time scale from 1982 through 2008 (Version 2).
In addition to SST, it contains SST anomaly (SSTA, weekly SST minus weekly
climatological SST), thermal stress anomaly (TSA, weekly SST minus the
maximum weekly climatological SST), SSTA Degree Heating Week (SSTA_DHW, sum
of previous 12 weeks when SSTA is greater than or equal to 1 degree C),
SSTA Frequency (number of times over previous 52 weeks that SSTA is greater
than or equal to 1 degree C), TSA DHW (TSA_DHW, also known as a Degree
Heating Week, sum of previous 12 weeks when TSA is greater than or equal to 1
degree C),and TSA Frequency (number of times over previous 52 weeks that TSA is
greater than or equal to 1 degree C).
A few selected graphics showing the
mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures from the CoRTAD are shown below to
given a small glimpse into the database.
Click on the graphic for an expanded view, or follow the link below the
graphic to display the full resolution TIFF version. The CoRTAD is a
large and extensive collection of data. At the end of this page, a listing
of the files making up the CoRTAD along with their sizes is
provided. For reference, you can see a
Map of the CoRTAD Tiles
which illustrates how the global ocean was divided for processing purposes.
Version 1 is in HDF4-SDS format while Versions 2 and 3 are in HDF-5. See the Satellite data formats
page for more information.
For more information, please
contact Kenneth.Casey@noaa.gov.
The following table lists known issues with the CoRTADV4 data set:
| Known Issue |
Comments |
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Metadata variable attribute "add_offset" for some parameters are incorrectly set to 273.15, when they should be 0.0. These parameters are SSTA, TSA, SST_Stats, SSTA_Stats, TSA_Stats, SSTA_DHW, SSTA_DHW_Stats, TSA_DHW and TSA_DHW_Stats.
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Some tools and software automatically read "add_offset" (such as Matlab's ncread). NODC's Live Access Server LAS and our THREDDS Server have been modified to ignore add_offset for these variables. A decision will be made shortly whether to fix in place or wait until next release. Fix is easy from scripting perspective, but archiving issues must be dealt with.
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Land variable is transposed in relation to all other parameters.
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You must transpose the dimensions in the Land variable in order to use with other parameters. In Matlab it can be done by: land = land';
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Weekly climatology: week one begins on October 31.
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The first week is normally associated with the beginning of the year (first or second week in January depending on the year). This will be fixed on next release. A work around alogrithm would be to subtract 9 from the week number and if it is then below 1 add 53.
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The parameter metadata for the 3 SST values list the land mask and bad data sst pixel values as 1100 and 1110 respectively. In reality these are -1100 and
-1110.
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The metadata will be corrected on next release.
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Currently, a major gap exists from 1994275 to 1995017 in Pathfinder 5.2. In addition it has been determined that 1994256 to 1994274 Pathfinder 5.2 have few observations. This is because complete Level 0 or Level 1 GAC data from NOAA-9 have not yet been found. CoRTAD version 4 uses Pathfinder 5.0 sst data from 1994256 through 1995017. 0.17K is subtracted from the 5.0 pathfinder as 5.2 represents skin temperature as opposed to bulk temperature.
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NODC staff have been searching for the missing NOAA-9 GAC data. If you have a copy of these data or know where to obtain them, please send an email to
NODC.SatelliteTeam@noaa.gov. |
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Global metadata indicates that weeks go from Sunday through Saturday. They actually run from Saturday through Friday.
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The metadata will be corrected on next release.
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Time, lat and lon bounds variables are wrong.
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The data will be corrected on next release.
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Pathfinder is misspelled in global source variable.
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The metadata will be corrected on next release.
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We will continue to update these web pages to provide additional details on CoRTADV4
Related Publications which have used the CoRTAD:
Bruno, J.F., E.R. Selig, K.S. Casey, C.A. Page, B.L. Willis, C.D. Harvell,
H. Sweatman, and Amy Melendy (2007). Thermal stress and coral cover as
drivers of coral disease outbreaks, Public Library of Science Biology, Vol.
5, No. 6, e124.(DOI:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050124)
Halpern Benjamin S., C.V. Kappel, K.A. Selkoe, F. Micheli, C.M. Ebert et al.
(2009). Mapping cumulative human impacts to California Current marine
ecosystems. Conservation Letters, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 138-148.
Halpern, Benjamin S., Shaun Walbridge, Kimberly A. Selkoe, Carrie V. Kappel,
Fiorenza Micheli, Caterina D'Agrosa, John F. Bruno, Kenneth S. Casey,
Colin Ebert, Helen E. Fox, Rod Fujita, Dennis Heinemann, Hunter S. Lenihan,
Elizabeth M.P. Madin, Matthew T. Perry, Elizabeth R. Selig, Mark Spalding,
Robert Steneck, Reg Watson (2008). A global map of human impact on marine
ecosystems. Science, vol. 319, no. 5865, pp. 948-952 (DOI:
10.1126/science.1149345).
Hoff, M. (2007). What's Behind the Spread of White Syndrome in Great Barrier Reef Corals? PLoS Biol 5(6): e164 (DOI 10.1371/journal.pbio.0050164).
Maina, J, TR McClanahan, V Venus, M Ateweberhan, and J Madin (2011). Global Gradients of Coral Exposure to Environmental Stresses and Implications for Local Management. PLoS ONE 6(8): e23064. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0023064
McLeod, Elizabeth, Russell Moffitt, Axel Timmermann, Rodney Salm,
Laurie Menviel, Michael J. Palmer, Elizabeth R. Selig, Kenneth S. Casey,
and John F. Bruno, (2010) 'Warming Seas in the Coral Triangle: Coral Reef
Vulnerability and Management Implications', Coastal Management,
38: 5, 518-539, First published on: 26 August 2010 (iFirst),
DOI: 10.1080/08920753.2010.509466.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2010.509466.
Pirhalla D.E., V. Ransibrahmanakul, R. Clark, A. Desch, T. Wynne, and M. Edwards. 2009. An Oceanographic Characterization of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Pacific Northwest: Interpretive Summary of Ocean Climate and Regional Processes Through Satellite Remote Sensing. Prepared by NCCOS's Coastal Oceanographic Assessments, Status and Trends Division in cooperation with the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Silver Spring, MD. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 90. 53 pp.
Selig, E.R., C.D. Harvell, J.F. Bruno, B.L. Willis, C.A. Page, K.S. Casey and H.
Sweatman (2006). Analyzing the relationship between ocean temperature
anomalies and coral disease outbreaks at broad spatial scales. In; J.T.
Phinney, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, J. Kleypas, W. Skirving, and A. Strong (eds.).
Coral reefs and climate change: science and management. American
Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, Pages 111-128.
Selig, E.R., K.S. Casey, and J.F. Bruno (2010). New insights into global
patterns of ocean temperature anomalies: implications for coral reef health
and management, Global Ecology and Biogeography,
DOI: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00522.x.
Selkoe, K.A., B.S. Halpern, C.M. Ebert, E.C. Franklin, E.R. Selig, K.S.
Casey, J. Bruno, and R.J. Toonen (2009). A map of human impacts to a
"pristine" coral reef ecosystem, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National
Monument. Coral Reefs (DOI 10.1007/s00338-009-0490-z).
The following publications used the AVHRR Pathfinder data set, from which CoRTAD is derived:
NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) 2005. A Biogeographic Assessment of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary: A Review of Boundary Expansion Concepts for NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program. Prepared by NCCOS's Biogeography Team in cooperation with the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Silver Spring, MD. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 21. 215 pp.
NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) 2007. A Biogeographic Assessment off North/Central California: In Support of the National Marine Sanctuaries of Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase II - Environmental Setting and Update to Marine Birds and Mammals. Prepared by NCCOS's Biogeography Branch, R.G. Ford Consulting Co. and Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, in cooperation with the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Silver Spring, MD. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 40. 302 pp.
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