NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction 20051225 binary digital data Camp Springs, MD, USA NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/ofs/ The NOAA Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (Atlantic) dataset comprises output fields from the daily operational RTOFS model runs conducted at the National Centers for Atmospheric Prediction. Each model run produces a series of gridded fields containing results of model computations for ocean temperature, salinity, currents, sea-surface height, and possibly other properties. The fields are encoded in the standard GRIdded Binary (GRIB) file format. NODC compiles a series of files into monthly accessions to facilitate archival storage and public access. Two different sets of output fields are included: 1) daily 3-dimensional fields reported on the model's native hybrid (isopycnal plus z-level) vertical coordinates (note: prior to June 6, 2007, these fields are interpolated to z-levels); and 2) hourly fields reported for the surface level only. Each daily model run produces a 24-hr hindcast as well as forecasts out to 120 hours. The purpose of the NOAA Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (Atlantic) is to generate daily hindcasts/nowcasts (i.e., analysis) and forecasts out to 120 hours of ocean properties for the Atlantic Ocean including all of the coastal regions of the United States East and Gulf Coasts. The development of RTOFS (Atlantic) was started due to a growing demand for high-resolution basin-wide ocean information as well as improved surface forecasts in coastal areas. RTOFS (Atlantic) demand was recognized by the U.S. National Research Council which recommended that the nation establish an "operational capability for nowcasting and forecasting currents, water temperatures and related fields to support coastal and offshore operations and management" (National Research Council, 1989). Development of RTOFS (Atlantic) for the Atlantic, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico began in 2004. * Surface Forcing - forcing fields from 3-hour NCEP (GDAS/GFS) model * Open Boundaries - Relaxed to NCEP climatology. Also relaxed to climatology in the Straits of Gibraltar region * Tides - M2, S2, N2, K1, P1, O1, K2, Q1 tidal modes - Body and boundary tides * Rivers - From daily USGS data and RIVDIS climatology * Data Assimilation - SST: from GOES AVHRR and in-situ - SSH, T, S: using SLA from JASON GFO (not activated) - T,S: from ARGOS, XBT, CTD (not activated) * Model Parameters - Time step: split-explicit 150 sec baroclinic, 5 sec barotropic - Advection scheme: 2nd order Flux Corrected Transport (FCT) with density and salinity as the advected scalars - Horizontal momentum viscosity: additive laplacian with biharmonic operators + Laplacian: deformation factor = 0.1, diffusion velocity = 0.005 m/s + Biharmonic: deformation factor = 0.0, diffusion velocity = 0.005 m/s - Laplacian scalar diffusion (diffusion velocity: 0.005 m/s) - Vertical viscosity and mixing: GISS - Quadratic bottom friction coefficient: 0.003 - Bottom boundary layer thickness: 10 m Documentation for RTOFS model output can be obtained from NODC Accession 0026419 (accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0026419). As it becomes available, new documentation about RTOFS model output and/or processing will be added to NODC Accession 0026419. 20120201 20120229 ground condition In work Daily -105.03 22.215 75.245 -26.5 Originator-supplied theme keywords ocean model ocean model circulation currents velocity temperature salinity sea-surface height sea-surface elevation ocean forecast data assimilation eddy-resolving fronts NODC Datatypes Keyword Thesaurus CURRENT SPEED - EAST/WEST COMPONENT (U) CURRENT SPEED - NORTH/SOUTH COMPONENT (V) FLUX - HEAT PRECIPITATION Salinity SALINITY - SURFACE WATER Sea surface temperature Sea surface topography TEMPERATURE MIXED LAYER DEPTH DENSITY - WATER NODC Sea Names Keyword Thesaurus Gulf of Mexico Caribbean Sea North Atlantic South Atlantic Coastal waters Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Maine Mid Atlantic Bight NW Atlantic SW Atlantic TOGA Atlantic Coastal waters Florida None From the data producer: "Although the RTOFS (Atlantic) is an operational model, we cannot guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of the model data... Please see our disclaimer for more information: http://www.weather.gov/disclaimer.php." Dr. Avichal Mehra NOAA National Centers For Environmental Prediction physical

5200 Auth Rd.

Camp Springs MD 20746-4304 USA 301-763-8000 ext 7208 avichal.mehra@noaa.gov Not defined Complete NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction Unpublished material http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/ofs/ http://nomad5.ncep.noaa.gov/ncep_data/index.html ftp://ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/data/nccf/com/ofs/prod/ online Unknown Present ground condition NOAA/NCEP Responsible for running the RTOFS model and creating output files. The RTOFS (Atlantic) is run daily at NCEP with a nowcast time of 00Z. Output files covering the entire 3-dimensional computational grid as well as well as for the surface level only are forwarded to NODC in GRIB format. NODC makes the data available via ftp without modification. Files may also be available on the NOAA National Operational Model Archive and Distribution (NOMADS) Real-Time Server operated by the National Climatic Data Center; see http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/ofs/index.shtml for more information about the model, its operation, and product distribution. Not complete NOAA National Centers For Environmental Prediction physical

5200 Auth Road

Camp Springs MD 20746-4304 USA 301-763-8000 0.225 0.225 Decimal degrees model mean sea level 0.1 meters Implicit coordinate Dimensions: lat(1200), lon(1684), depth(26 for the 3-D files), time(1); Variables: time, Evaporation - Precipitation (EMNP), Latent heat flux (LHTFL). Sensible heat flux (SHTFL), Sea surface height relative to the geoid (SSHG), Montgomery streamfunction (MNTSF), U velocity in mixed layer (UMLU), V velocity in mixed layer (UMLV), Mixed layer depth (MIXHT), Mixed layer temperature (OMLT), Salinity (OMLS), Ocean mixed layer potential density referenced to 2000 m (OMLPOTDEN), Barotropic u velocity (UBARO), Barotropic v velocity (VBARO), u of current at native levels (UOGRD), V of current at native levels (VOGRD), Layer thickness on native levels (LAYTH), Water temperature on native levels (WTMPC), Salinity on native levels (SALIN), Density on native levels (DEN), Longitude of u wind component of velocity (LOUV), Latitude of u component of wind velocity (LAUV), Longitude of v component of wind velocity (LOVV), Latitude of v component of wind velocity (LAVV), Longitude of pressure point (LOPP), Latitude of pressure point (LAPP) http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0026419 NODC User Services Group NOAA/NESDIS/NODC -- National Oceanographic Data Center mailing and physical

SSMC-3 Fourth Floor

1315 East West Highway

Silver Spring MD 20910-3282 USA 301-713-3277 301-713-3302 NODC.Services@noaa.gov 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday NODC ACCESSION # 0086247 NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA, NESDIS, NODC and NCDDC cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of these data to function on a particular system. GRIdded Binary (GRIB) http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0086247 Data may be directly downloaded through the NODC Ocean Archive System at http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0086247. NODC can be contacted directly for custom orders. When requesting data from the NODC, the desired data set may be referred to by the 7-digit number given in the RESOURCE DESCRIPTION field of this metadata record. Standard Internet browser and FTP capability ftp://ftp.nodc.noaa.gov/pub/data.nodc/ncep/rtofs Direct FTP access: ftp://ftp.nodc.noaa.gov/pub/data.nodc/ncep/rtofs using any FTP client to begin downloading GRIB or other related files. Any FTP client http://data.nodc.noaa.gov/ncep/rtofs Simple Web access: Using any web browser, navigate to URL: http://data.nodc.noaa.gov/ncep/rtofs and begin browsing through the file hierarchy. Clicking on any of the files will prompt you to download that file or will launch any application associated with GRIB files. Standard Internet browser and/or software capable of utilizing GRIB files. No fee is charged for data downloaded from NODC web services. Contact NODC or check NODC Online at www.nodc.noaa.gov for most recent fee structure for offline data access. Prices vary depending on data set, output medium and ordering mechanism. A standard handling charge, with additional costs for special handling, will be added to the cost of the data. Data may be directly downloaded through the NODC website at http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0086247. Contact NODC User Services for custom data orders. When requesting data from the NODC, the desired data set may be referred to by the 7-digit number given in the RESOURCE DESCRIPTION field of this metadata record. Within 24 hours if directly downloaded, depending on size. Custom orders may take longer, depending on the complexity of the order. Contact NODC User Services Group via phone/FAX/E-mail: nodc.services@noaa.gov. Customer must have software that can read files in the GRIB format. 20120305 Dr. Scott Cross NOAA/NESDIS/NODC/National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC) mailing and physical

Bldg. 1100, Suite 101

Stennis Space Center MS 39529 USA 843-762-8567 Scott.Cross@noaa.gov 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, EST Phone/E-mail FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001-1998 None None None Unclassified Not applicable