Overview of OAFlux Products
The following two versions of OAFlux products are available.
- OAFlux-1° blended products: developed from optimal synthesis of satellite wind and SST observations and atmospheric reanalysis of air temperature and humidity. The products are available on 1° resolution from 1958 to the present. The project is sponsored by NOAA GOMO program.
- OAFlux-0.25° satellite products: developed from merging satellite observations from multiple sensors including scatterometers, radiometers, and sounders. he products are available on 0.25° resolution for the satellite era (1988 onward). The project is sponsored by NASA MeaSUREs program.
Note: The two versions of products are developed using different methodologies, different algorithms, and different source datasets. For more information about the differences between the two products, please read here. A summary of air-sea fluxes and variables contained in each product is provided below.
| OAFlux 1-deg analysis (1958 -) | OAFlux 0.25-deg ANALYSIS (1988 -) | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Latent Heat Flux (QLH) | Latent Heat Flux (QLH) | W/m2, positive upward |
| Sensible Heat Flux (QSH) | Sensible Heat Flux (QSH) | W/m2, positive upward |
| ISCCP Net downward shortwave radiation (QSW) (up to 2009) | W/m2, positive downward | |
| ISCCP Net upward longwave radiation (QLW) (up to 2009) | W/m2, positive upward | |
| Ocean net heat gain (Qnet = QSW - QLW - QLH - QSH) (up to 2009) | W/m2, positive downward | |
| Moisture Flux (Ocean Evaporation) (E) | Moisture Flux (Ocean Evaporation) (E) | cm/yr, positive upward |
| Momentum flux (wind stress) (tau) | N/m2 | |
| Zonal wind stress component (tau-x) | N/m2, positive eastward | |
| Meridional wind stress component (tau-y) | N/m2, positive northward | |
| Sea surface temperature (Ts) | Sea surface temperature (Ts) | degree C |
| 2m air temperature (Ta) | 2m air temperature (Ta) | degree C |
| 2m air specific humidity (qa) | 2m air specific humidity (qa) | g/kg |
| 10m equivalent neutral wind speed | 10m equivalent neutral wind speed | m/s |
| zonal wind component | m/s, positive eastward | |
| meridional wind component | m/s, positive northward | |
| wind stress curl | N/m3 | |
| wind convergence | s-1 | |
| wind vorticity | s-1 | |
| Ekman pumping velocity | cm/day |