OceanSITES is an international system of long-term, open-ocean reference stations measuring dozens of variables and monitoring the full depth of the ocean from air-sea interactions down to the seafloor. It is a network of timeseries observations that fill a unique role by measuring many aspects of the ocean's surface and water column, and where possible, through advanced sensors and telecommunications systems, yield a long-term record of high resolution data, often in real-time.

Observations cover meteorology, physical oceanography, transport of water, biogeochemistry, and parameters relevant to the carbon cycle, ocean acidification, the ecosystem, and geophysics. Operational applications include the detection of events, initialization and validation of assimilation products, and reference data for forecasts. OceanSITES is an integral part of the Global Ocean Observing System. The network complements satellite imagery and other in-situ observation data by extending the dimensions of time and depth.

For more information visit OceanSITES Project Office or access the NetCDF Data Files at its Global Data Assembly Center.