Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

This site is currently in beta, and your feedback is helping shape its ongoing development.

Surface ocean velocities obtained by High Frequency (HF) radar stations located in Straits of Florida and Gulf of Mexico from 2019-12-28 to 2022-06-03 (NCEI Accession 0224983)

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: January 26, 2026 | Last Modified: 2023-08-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
High Frequency (HF) Radar is a real-time ocean surface current mapping instrument with the intended purpose of observing surface currents over the horizon out to a range of about 200km. The radial velocity components, Eastward surface current (u) and Northward surface current (v) may be used for model assimilation and validation, and to better understand the evolution of the Loop Current System (LCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. The Center for Ocean Observing Leadership at Rutgers University assembles raw HF radar data from UGOS HF radar operators. This data is post-processed from the radar cross spectra into radial ocean current data. Radial velocity files are presented in the Columnar Table Format (CTF) format which presents keyword descriptors as metadata preceded by percent signs (%) while the measured velocities and diagnostic data are reported in a tab-delimited format in separate tables. Radial currents were tested based on Version 1.0 of the Quality Assurance / Quality Control of Real Time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of High Frequency Radar Surface Current Data by U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (2016). New columns containing QARTOD flags are appended to the data tables. QARTOD QC radial files are then submitted on a semi-annual basis to NCEI. The QARTOD radial tests that have been applied are Syntax (Test 6), Max Threshold (Test 7), Valid Location (Test 8), Radial Count (Test 9), Spatial Median Filter (Test 10), and the Temporal Gradient (Test 12). A flag, PRIM, is included which is the highest flag value of executed QARTOD QC tests for each radial current velocity.

Find Related Datasets

Click any tag below to search for similar datasets

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov"
}
describedByType application/octet-steam
description High Frequency (HF) Radar is a real-time ocean surface current mapping instrument with the intended purpose of observing surface currents over the horizon out to a range of about 200km. The radial velocity components, Eastward surface current (u) and Northward surface current (v) may be used for model assimilation and validation, and to better understand the evolution of the Loop Current System (LCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. The Center for Ocean Observing Leadership at Rutgers University assembles raw HF radar data from UGOS HF radar operators. This data is post-processed from the radar cross spectra into radial ocean current data. Radial velocity files are presented in the Columnar Table Format (CTF) format which presents keyword descriptors as metadata preceded by percent signs (%) while the measured velocities and diagnostic data are reported in a tab-delimited format in separate tables. Radial currents were tested based on Version 1.0 of the Quality Assurance / Quality Control of Real Time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of High Frequency Radar Surface Current Data by U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (2016). New columns containing QARTOD flags are appended to the data tables. QARTOD QC radial files are then submitted on a semi-annual basis to NCEI. The QARTOD radial tests that have been applied are Syntax (Test 6), Max Threshold (Test 7), Valid Location (Test 8), Radial Count (Test 9), Spatial Median Filter (Test 10), and the Temporal Gradient (Test 12). A flag, PRIM, is included which is the highest flag value of executed QARTOD QC tests for each radial current velocity.
distribution 
                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Dataset Landing Page",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0224983",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Descriptive Information",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/oas/224983",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "HTTPS",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/download/224983",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "FTP",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).",
    "downloadURL": "ftp://ftp-oceans.ncei.noaa.gov/nodc/archive/arc0175/0224983/",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://ioos.noaa.gov/ioos-in-action/manual-real-time-quality-control-high-frequency-radar-surface-current-data/",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "A Guide to Quality Control and Quality Assurance for High Frequency Radar Surface Current Observations, Version 1.0, May 2016",
    "downloadURL": "https://ioos.noaa.gov/ioos-in-action/manual-real-time-quality-control-high-frequency-radar-surface-current-data/",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GCMD Keyword Forum Page",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords",
    "downloadURL": "https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Contact Information",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Information for contacts at NCEI.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) website",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Institution web page",
    "downloadURL": "https://ioos.noaa.gov/",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  }
]
identifier gov.noaa.nodc:0224983
issued 2021-01-22T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
                                            [
  "0224983",
  "CURRENT SPEED - EAST/WEST COMPONENT (U)",
  "CURRENT SPEED - NORTH/SOUTH COMPONENT (V)",
  "radar - high frequency oceanographic",
  "in situ",
  "Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership",
  "University of South Florida St. Petersburg",
  "Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey",
  "Gulf of Mexico",
  "Straits of Florida",
  "oceanography",
  "RUTGERS/IMCS/COOL > Coastal Ocean Observation Lab, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CIRCULATION > OCEAN CURRENTS",
  "OSCR > OCEAN SURFACE CURRENT RADAR",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO",
  "1E9BFJ",
  "E0A4ED",
  "L71M03"
]
landingPage https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
language 
                                            []
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2023-08-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
references 
                                            [
  "https://ioos.noaa.gov/ioos-in-action/manual-real-time-quality-control-high-frequency-radar-surface-current-data/"
]
rights otherRestrictions
spatial -78.5,22.75,-82.75,25.0
temporal 2019-12-28T00:00:00+00:00/2022-06-03T00:00:00+00:00
title Surface ocean velocities obtained by High Frequency (HF) radar stations located in Straits of Florida and Gulf of Mexico from 2019-12-28 to 2022-06-03 (NCEI Accession 0224983)

data.gov

An official website of the GSA's Technology Transformation Services

Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov