Gallery
Sea surface speeds simulated in very high resolution. Credit: JPL (MP4, 38.1 MB).
Sea surface speeds simulated in very high resolution. Credit: JPL (MP4, 38.1 MB).
Simulated Sea Surface Speeds
[29-Nov-2011] This simulation shows sea surface speed in ultra-high resolution. Several oceanic characteristics are included in the simulation and are visible in its output; including tides, atmospheric pressure forcing, diurnal cycles, and dynamic/thermodynamic sea ice. The model has a .75 to 2.2 km horizontal grid spacing and 90 vertical levels, with 1-m vertical levels near the surface. The full 3D grid is output at hourly intervals. Yellow shades represent relatively fast sea surface speeds, while red shades represent slower speeds. This simulation was carried out using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model by the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) group. View a closeup of simulated surface speeds at the Drake passage, located off South America's Cape Horn.Original Media » Click on the image to play the movie. Click on the Escape key or anywhere outside the shadowbox to close.
To download a copy, right click on the image and select Download Linked File (on a Mac keyboard, click the touchpad while holding down the Control key).