Skip to main content
Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Physical and meteorological data from the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array in the tropical Pacific Ocean

browse graphicPreview graphic
The Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) Array of 55 moored buoys spans the tropical Pacific from longitudes 165°E to 95°W between latitudes of approximately 8°S and 9°N. Moorings within the array measure surface meteorological and upper-ocean parameters and transmit most data in real time to shore via Service Argos. The array was part of the in-situ measurement portion of the Tropical Ocean-Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Program, a 10-year (1985 - 1994) study of climate variability on seasonal to interannual time scales, the most pronounced mode of which is the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon (McPhaden, 1993).
  • Cite as: Crout, Richard; Petraitis, Dawn; NOAA National Data Buoy Center (2012). Physical and meteorological data from the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array in the tropical Pacific Ocean. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/NDBC-TAOBuoy. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:NDBC-TAOBuoy
Full Text · XML
Search Data
  • Granule Search (search)
    Search for data granules belonging to this collection (a granule is the smallest aggregation of data that can be independently described and retrieved).
Download Data
  • THREDDS (download)
    These data are available through a variety of services via a THREDDS (Thematic Real-time Environmental Distributed Data Services) Data Server (TDS). Depending on the dataset, the TDS can provide WMS, WCS, DAP, HTTP, and other data access and metadata services as well. For more information on the TDS, see http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/thredds/current/tds/.
  • HTTPS (download)
    Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.
  • FTP (download)
    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).
Distribution Formats
  • netCDF (Version: netCDF-3)
    • File Specification: CF-1.5, OceanSITES-1.2
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
NCEI.Info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2011-01-01 to 2015-03-31
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: 165
East: -94
South: -8
North: 9
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2012-06-28
  • revision: 2021-10-15
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Supplemental Information
Documents about NDBC's processing of Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array data and other related information are in NCEI accession 0088104.
Purpose This dataset is available to the public for a wide variety of uses including scientific research and analysis.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Crout, Richard; Petraitis, Dawn; NOAA National Data Buoy Center (2012). Physical and meteorological data from the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array in the tropical Pacific Ocean. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/NDBC-TAOBuoy. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Contributors
Resource Providers
Publishers
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords NetCDF Climate and Forecast (CF) Metadata Convention Standard Name Table
  • air_pressure_at_sea_level
  • air_temperature
  • depth
  • eastward_sea_water_velocity
  • latitude
  • longitude
  • northward_sea_water_velocity
  • rainfall_rate
  • relative_humidity
  • sea_water_electrical_conductivity
  • sea_water_pressure
  • sea_water_salinity
  • sea_water_temperature
  • surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
  • surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
  • time
  • upward_sea_water_velocity
  • wind_speed
  • wind_to_direction
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords NDBC TAO Buoy Names
  • T0N110W
  • T0N125W
  • T0N140W
  • T0N155W
  • T0N165E
  • T0N170W
  • T0N180W
  • T0N95W
  • T2N110W
  • T2N125W
  • T2N140W
  • T2N155W
  • T2N165E
  • T2N170W
  • T2N180W
  • T2N95W
  • T2S110W
  • T2S125W
  • T2S140W
  • T2S155W
  • T2S165E
  • T2S170W
  • T2S180W
  • T2S95W
  • T5N110W
  • T5N125W
  • T5N140W
  • T5N155W
  • T5N165E
  • T5N170W
  • T5N180W
  • T5N95W
  • T5S110W
  • T5S125W
  • T5S140W
  • T5S155W
  • T5S165E
  • T5S170W
  • T5S180W
  • T5S95W
  • T8N110W
  • T8N125W
  • T8N155W
  • T8N165E
  • T8N170W
  • T8N180W
  • T8N95W
  • T8S110W
  • T8S125W
  • T8S155W
  • T8S165E
  • T8S170W
  • T8S180W
  • T8S95W
  • T9N140W
WMO Platform Code
  • 32303
  • 32304
  • 32305
  • 32315
  • 32316
  • 32317
  • 32318
  • 32319
  • 32320
  • 32321
  • 32322
  • 32323
  • 43001
  • 43301
  • 51006
  • 51007
  • 51008
  • 51009
  • 51010
  • 51011
  • 51014
  • 51015
  • 51016
  • 51017
  • 51018
  • 51019
  • 51020
  • 51021
  • 51022
  • 51023
  • 51301
  • 51302
  • 51303
  • 51304
  • 51305
  • 51306
  • 51307
  • 51308
  • 51309
  • 51310
  • 51311
  • 52001
  • 52002
  • 52003
  • 52004
  • 52006
  • 52007
  • 52309
  • 52310
  • 52311
  • 52312
  • 52313
  • 52315
  • 52316
  • 52321
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords NDBC TAO Buoy Sensor
  • ARGOS Transmitter
  • Dopper Current Meter [SonTek/Argonaut-MD]
  • Humidity-temperature Capacitance [Rotronics/MP100]
  • Humidity-temperature Pt100 RTD [Rotronics/MP100]
  • Longwave Pyrgeometer [Eppley Laboratory/PIR]
  • Pressure Transducer [Paine 211-30-660-01]
  • Pressure Transducer [Paroscientific/MET1-2]
  • Rainfall Capacitance [R. M. Young/50203]
  • Shortwave Pyranometer [Eppley Laboratory/PSP]
  • Thermistor Conductivity Cell [Seabird/SBE 37]
  • Thermistor [Seabird/SBE 37/39IM]
  • Wind Propeller [R.M. Young/05103]
  • Wind Vane [R.M. Young/05103]
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Crout, Richard; Petraitis, Dawn; NOAA National Data Buoy Center (2012). Physical and meteorological data from the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array in the tropical Pacific Ocean. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/NDBC-TAOBuoy. Accessed [date].
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: series
Processing Steps
  • 2012-06-28T17:31:58Z - NCEI Accession 0092237 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-06-28T18:33:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092238 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T12:49:25Z - NCEI Accession 0092276 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T13:38:10Z - NCEI Accession 0092277 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T13:45:13Z - NCEI Accession 0092278 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T13:59:57Z - NCEI Accession 0092279 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T15:10:03Z - NCEI Accession 0092280 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T15:18:41Z - NCEI Accession 0092281 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T15:22:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092282 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T17:10:24Z - NCEI Accession 0092283 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T17:15:23Z - NCEI Accession 0092284 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T18:04:07Z - NCEI Accession 0092285 was revised and v4.4 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T18:54:36Z - NCEI Accession 0092286 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T19:05:51Z - NCEI Accession 0092287 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T19:16:22Z - NCEI Accession 0092288 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T19:20:58Z - NCEI Accession 0092289 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T19:20:58Z - NCEI Accession 0092289 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-06-29T19:51:46Z - NCEI Accession 0092290 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-07-10T05:05:10Z - NCEI Accession 0092481 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-07-11T05:07:15Z - NCEI Accession 0092290 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-08-06T05:06:16Z - NCEI Accession 0093394 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-08-07T05:06:14Z - NCEI Accession 0092481 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-09-06T05:06:20Z - NCEI Accession 0094858 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-09-07T05:06:24Z - NCEI Accession 0093394 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2012-10-06T05:06:25Z - NCEI Accession 0098162 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-10-07T05:07:16Z - NCEI Accession 0092289 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-10-07T05:07:27Z - NCEI Accession 0092481 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-10-07T05:08:11Z - NCEI Accession 0093394 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2012-11-06T05:06:11Z - NCEI Accession 0099239 v1.1 was published.
  • 2012-12-06T18:11:48Z - NCEI Accession 0100009 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-01-06T05:06:12Z - NCEI Accession 0101141 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-01-07T05:06:10Z - NCEI Accession 0100009 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2013-02-06T05:06:09Z - NCEI Accession 0101901 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-02-06T05:06:14Z - NCEI Accession 0101902 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-02-07T05:06:10Z - NCEI Accession 0101141 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2013-03-07T05:06:11Z - NCEI Accession 0101141 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2013-03-07T05:06:16Z - NCEI Accession 0101901 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2013-03-07T05:07:11Z - NCEI Accession 0101902 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2013-04-06T05:06:14Z - NCEI Accession 0104399 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-04-08T05:06:10Z - NCEI Accession 0101902 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2013-05-06T05:06:14Z - NCEI Accession 0105758 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-05-07T05:28:27Z - NCEI Accession 0104399 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2013-06-06T05:06:14Z - NCEI Accession 0108125 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-06-07T06:09:16Z - NCEI Accession 0105758 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2013-07-06T06:42:14Z - NCEI Accession 0110023 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-08-06T05:45:32Z - NCEI Accession 0111754 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-08-07T11:42:19Z - NCEI Accession 0110023 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2013-09-06T05:06:11Z - NCEI Accession 0112759 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-11-06T05:06:11Z - NCEI Accession 0114237 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-11-06T05:06:18Z - NCEI Accession 0114238 v1.1 was published.
  • 2013-12-12T05:06:10Z - NCEI Accession 0114994 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-02-07T05:06:07Z - NCEI Accession 0115701 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-02-07T15:48:12Z - NCEI Accession 0114238 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2014-02-07T16:12:10Z - NCEI Accession 0116306 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-04-06T05:06:13Z - NCEI Accession 0117433 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-04-07T05:06:10Z - NCEI Accession 0116306 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2014-05-06T05:06:07Z - NCEI Accession 0118351 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-05-10T05:06:07Z - NCEI Accession 0118448 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-08-15T14:04:07Z - NCEI Accession 0121263 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-08-15T14:09:07Z - NCEI Accession 0121264 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-08-15T14:20:06Z - NCEI Accession 0121265 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-09-06T05:06:06Z - NCEI Accession 0121631 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-10-07T19:34:59Z - NCEI Accession 0122514 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-11-11T05:06:06Z - NCEI Accession 0123218 v1.1 was published.
  • 2014-12-12T00:34:06Z - NCEI Accession 0123641 v1.1 was published.
  • 2015-02-06T15:42:06Z - NCEI Accession 0125593 v1.1 was published.
  • 2015-02-12T05:06:09Z - NCEI Accession 0125688 v1.1 was published.
  • 2015-02-13T05:06:06Z - NCEI Accession 0125593 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2015-04-09T05:06:05Z - NCEI Accession 0127321 v1.1 was published.
  • 2015-05-14T08:15:10Z - NCEI Accession 0128050 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092237 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092237 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092238 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092276 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092277 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092278 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092279 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092281 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092281 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092282 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092282 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092283 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092283 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092284 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092284 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092285 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092285 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092285 was revised and v3.3 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092286 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092286 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092287 v1.1 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092287 was revised and v2.2 was published.
  • 2021-10-15T16:35:52Z - NCEI Accession 0092288 v1.1 was published.
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • ADCP
  • CTD - moored CTD
  • meteorological sensor
  • pyranometer
Platform
  • FIXED PLATFORM OF UNITED STATES
Last Modified: 2024-02-17T13:32:07Z
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov