SeaSTA for World Wind is a comprehensive collection of high resolution maps of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) from 1982 to the latest available data. Data categories include monthly SST, SST Anomaly (SSTA) and worldwide tropical storms, hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons. SeaSTA also includes climatologies, an assortment of SST properties, sea ice, surface currents and winds, as well as shaded relief maps and vector outlines.
This World Wind add-on contains over 800 maps covering numerous aspects of global SST. It also includes tracks and properties of over 2800 tropical storms. The highest resolution publicly available data is compiled from the leading, most up to date sources to provide presentation quality analyses of these important phenomena.
SeaSTA allows you to readily visualize the complex thermal processes that underlie the behavior of Earth’s largest climatic and biological engine. It is designed to provide a scientific reference source of SST data, as well as an intuitive interface for the educational exploration of oceanic temperature properties.
Sea Surface Temperature (SST)
SeaSTA contains high resolution (~4 km) monthly maps of SST from 1982 to the present. Smoothed contours of SST are overlaid and may be independently displayed or hidden. The boundaries of tropical storm forming temperature (26.5° C, 80° F) are also displayed.
Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly (SSTA)
SeaSTA also provides monthly maps of SST Anomaly with or without contours. SSTA is important in the identification of El Niño/La Niña cycles, hurricane and typhoon activity, and other climactic trends. The appearance and subsidence of these phenomena can be easily observed in the anomaly maps.
Currents, Winds and Ice
SeaSTA incorporates maps of Surface Currents, Surface Winds and Sea Ice. Ocean currents control the flow of heat and nutrients throughout the marine environment. These currents are also important in commercial navigation and the distribution of aquatic species. Maps of annual. seasonal and monthly averages are presented that illustrate the major components of this system with vector maps and identifying labels.
Surface ocean wind flows determine many meteorological events, such as seasonal weather patterns, monsoon cycles and other phenomena. Vector maps are furnished that illustrate the annual, seasonal and monthly average velocity and direction of marine winds.
Monthly maps also reproduce the long-term median extent of the Northern and Southern polar ice caps.
Climatology
SeaSTA depicts long-term annual, seasonal and monthly averages of SST, SST ranges, maxima, minima, variation, zonal anomalies and tropical storm frequency. These statistical treatments of the SST data facilitate the understanding of recurring cycles and geographical features of regional marine and weather events.
Bathymetry and Topography
SeaSTA includes the color Ochre, Olive and Ultramarine and grayscale Charcoal shaded relief maps from PanglossTech’s Shaded Relief add-on. These maps are derived from the best available global bathymetry datasets. High resolution national borders and a detailed shoreline are also provided.
Visit our Shaded Relief for NASA World Wind page.
