Hi Folks, Well I started downloading all of the data-assimilating model data, and it will be absolutely huge (20GB) if I'm not more selective. So, I think you should go get what you need and only in the region you need it. That way, it will be less burdensome. How to download data for the ECCO/GODAE state estimate. The data assimilation method is iterative, that is, it runs backwards and forwards through the data. Currently, iteration 199 is the easiest one to download data from. You can find the data at http://www.ecco-group.org/las/servlets/dataset?catitem=13. This gives you a list of all of the variables saved from the model for download. Brief descriptions are at the end of this note. Select the ones you want (maximum of 20 variables allowed), and click Next. Select the region you want. If you have only surface variables, you can choose xyt volume. For depth-dependent, use xyzt. For a section, etc. Select NETcdf file as data format (This will make it easier in ODV). ******** Getting graphics directly! If all you want to do is make a figure, you can do it directly from the data server. With a little experimenting, you will find that you can get time series, sections, xy surfaces, and even xt and yt plots of any of the variables. **THIS WILL SAVE TIME** ******** But, let's assume you want to do number-crunching and so need the whole dataset. You can select your region using the preselected lat-lon boxes, or you can choose your own on the right. Your choice will appear in the map. Select the time range (by default you get all available times). Select the depth range (again, you get all by default). You can also process expressions, which isn't too useful since you can also do that in ODV easily. Click Next. Another window will pop up and tell you that it's working. I usually fill in the send email when finished box and go do something else. The more data you request the longer it will take to be ready. After you do the email request, in a while you will get an email with the link to click to download the data. Put it wherever is convenient, but be mindful that it might be large! If more than one of you is working together, you might try only downloading one copy to share... ******* Hydrostatic (ocean) pressure. Ocean pressure from hydrostatic relation KPP boundary layer depth, bulk Ri criterion. This is a depth indicating how deeply surface turbulence is penetrating to mix up the mixed layer. KPP vertical eddy viscosity coefficient. This is the method by which surface mixing is done; the surface turbulence is 'parameterized' by an increased vertical viscosity and diffusivity coefficient. K_31 element (W.point, X.dir) of GM-Redi tensor: K_32 element (W.point, Y.dir) of GM-Redi tensor: K_33 element (W.point, Z.dir) of GM-Redi tensor: These three are elements of a parameterization of the transport of scalars by mesoscale eddies (Gent-McWilliams 1990). If you are interested ask me for more details.   Meridional Advective Flux of Pot.Temperature: Flux of potential temperature in the N-S direction (*area of cell face) Meridional Advective Flux of Salinity: Same for salinity Meridional Component of Velocity (m/s): the v that goes with the above   Meridional Diffusive Flux of Pot.Temperature: This is the diffusive flux of Pot. Temp. Roughly: -kappa dT/Dy * area of cell face Meridional Diffusive Flux of Salinity: Diffusive flux of Salt. meridional surf. wind stress, >0 increases vVel: Wind stress in N-S direction. Mixed layer depth, dT=.8degC density criterion: This is a mixed layer depth, based on what depth the model changes by 0.8degC from the surface value.   net surface heat flux, >0 increases theta: Heat flux into surface from all sources net surface salt flux, >0 increases salt: Salt flux into surface. Note that unlike in our equation where Evap-Precip led to volume fluxes that increased salinity, here there is just an injection of salt so that the volume of fluid is constant, but salinity changes. This isn't physical, but it's how the model works! net upward SW radiation, >0 increases theta: Shortwave radiation. Nonlocal transport coefficient: Piece of the boundary-layer parameterization, probably not useful to you.   ocean bottom pressure / top. atmos geo-Potential: Pressure at ocean bottom. Perturbation of Surface (height) (m): Surface height displacement. Could be compared to satellites... Potential Density Anomaly (=Rho-rhoConst): This is the difference of the potential density from the background value (I think 1035 kg/m^3) Potential Temperature (degC): Potential Temp. Recall DT/Dt=Heating+diffusion Salt mixing ratio (g/kg): Salinity. Recall DS/Dt=sources+diffusion Short-wave flux fraction penetrating mixing layer: This is the ratio of the surface shortwave radiation that makes it through the ocean to a given depth. Stratification: d.Sigma/dr (kg/m3/r_unit): This is d/dz(pot'l density), which is what determines whether the water column is stable or unstable convectively. Vertical Component of Velocity (m/s): W Vertical diffusion coefficient for heat: the kappa_z in DT/Dt=d/dz kappa_z d/dz T+other Vertical diffusion coefficient for salt & tracers: the kappa_Sz in   DS/Dt=d/dz kappa_Sz d/dz T+other May be different from kappa_z. Zonal Advective Flux of Pot.Temperature: E-W advection of T. Zonal Advective Flux of Salinity: E-W advection of S. Zonal Diffusive Flux of Pot.Temperature: E-W diffusion of T Zonal Diffusive Flux of Salinity: E-W diffusion of S Zonal Component of Velocity (m/s): E-W velocity zonal surface wind stress, >0 increases uVel: E-W wind stress. ***********