Copernicus Marine products#

VirtualShip supports running experiments anywhere in the global ocean from 1993 through to the present day (and approximately two weeks into the future), using the suite of products available from the Copernicus Marine Data Store.

The data sourcing task is handled by the virtualship run command, which in turn relies on the copernicusmarine toolbox for ‘streaming’ data from the Copernicus Marine Data Store. The three products relied on in run to source data for all VirtualShip instruments (both physical and biogeochemical) are:

  1. Reanalysis (or “hindcast” for biogeochemistry).

  2. Renalysis interim (or “hindcast interim” for biogeochemistry).

  3. Analysis & Forecast.

Tip

The Copernicus Marine Service describe the differences between the three products in greater detail here.

As a general rule of thumb the three different products span different periods across the historical period to present and are intended to allow for continuity across the previous ~ 30 years.

Note

The ethos for automated dataset selection in virtualship run is to prioritise the Reanalysis/Hindcast products where possible (the ‘work horse’), then _interim products where possible for continuity, and finally filling the very near-present (and near-future) temporal range with the Analysis & Forecast products.

Warning

In the rare situation where the start and end times of an expedition schedule span different products and there is no overlap in the respective dataset timeseries, which is possible in the case of the end time being in the Reanalysis_interim period and the start time in the Reanalysis period, the Analysis & Forecast product will be automatically selected, as this spans back enough in time for this niche case.

Data availability#

The following tables summarise which Copernicus product is selected by virtualship run per combination of time period and variable (see legend below).

For biogeochemical variables ph and phyc, monthly products are required for hindcast and hindcast interim periods. For all other variables, daily products are available.

Physical products#

Period

Dataset ID

Temporal Resolution

Typical Years Covered

Variables

Reanalysis

cmems_mod_glo_phy_my_0.083deg_P1D-m

Daily

~30 years ago to ~5 years ago

uo, vo, so, thetao

Reanalysis Interim

cmems_mod_glo_phy_myint_0.083deg_P1D-m

Daily

~5 years ago to ~2 months ago

uo, vo, so, thetao

Analysis & Forecast

cmems_mod_glo_phy_anfc_0.083deg_P1D-m

Daily

~2 months ago to ~2 weeks in future

uo, vo, so, thetao

Biogeochemical products#

Period

Dataset ID

Temporal Resolution

Typical Years Covered

Variables

Notes

Hindcast

cmems_mod_glo_bgc_my_0.25deg_P1D-m

Daily

~30 years ago to ~5 years ago

o2, chl, no3, po4, nppv

Most BGC variables except ph, phyc

Hindcast (monthly)

cmems_mod_glo_bgc_my_0.25deg_P1M-m

Monthly

~30 years ago to ~5 years ago

ph, phyc

Only ph, phyc (monthly only)

Hindcast Interim

cmems_mod_glo_bgc_myint_0.25deg_P1D-m

Daily

~5 years ago to ~2 months ago

o2, chl, no3, po4, nppv

Most BGC variables except ph, phyc

Hindcast Interim (monthly)

cmems_mod_glo_bgc_myint_0.25deg_P1M-m

Monthly

~5 years ago to ~2 months ago

ph, phyc

Only ph, phyc (monthly only)

Analysis & Forecast (O2)

cmems_mod_glo_bgc-bio_anfc_0.25deg_P1D-m

Daily

~2 months ago to ~2 weeks in future

o2

Analysis & Forecast (Chl)

cmems_mod_glo_bgc-pft_anfc_0.25deg_P1D-m

Daily

~2 months ago to ~2 weeks in future

chl, phyc

Analysis & Forecast (NO3/PO4)

cmems_mod_glo_bgc-nut_anfc_0.25deg_P1D-m

Daily

~2 months ago to ~2 weeks in future

no3, po4

Analysis & Forecast (PH)

cmems_mod_glo_bgc-car_anfc_0.25deg_P1D-m

Daily

~2 months ago to ~2 weeks in future

ph

Analysis & Forecast (NPPV)

cmems_mod_glo_bgc-bio_anfc_0.25deg_P1D-m

Daily

~2 months ago to ~2 weeks in future

nppv

Note

  • “Typical Years Covered” are approximate and subject to change with new Copernicus data releases.

  • For the most up-to-date information, always consult the Copernicus Marine product documentation.

  • Certain BGC variables (ph, phyc) are only available as monthly products in hindcast and hindcast interim periods.

CMEMS variables legend#

Variable Code

Full Variable Name

Category

uo

Eastward Sea Water Velocity

Physical

vo

Northward Sea Water Velocity

Physical

so

Sea Water Salinity

Physical

thetao

Sea Water Potential Temperature

Physical

o2

Mole Concentration of Dissolved Molecular Oxygen in Sea Water

Biogeochemical

chl

Mass Concentration of Chlorophyll a in Sea Water

Biogeochemical

no3

Mole Concentration of Nitrate in Sea Water

Biogeochemical

po4

Mole Concentration of Phosphate in Sea Water

Biogeochemical

nppv

Net Primary Production of Biomass

Biogeochemical

ph

Sea Water pH

Biogeochemical

phyc

Mole Concentration of Phytoplankton

Biogeochemical